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Thursday, March 16, 2023

narzo is the official smartphone partner of the PUBG Mobile City Tournament 2023


narzo Philippines begins its summer campaign by partnering with Level Infinite, the global publishing arm of game developer Tencent, for the first series of on-ground events featuring their best-selling title, Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile (PUBG Mobile). As the official smartphone partner of the PUBG Mobile City Tournament 2023, narzo further strengthens its gaming affinity alongside the pioneers of the battle royale format. 

Nartizens and avid mobile gaming fans are invited this weekend for the kickoff event, happening on March 18 to 19, at the Ayala Malls Circuit Activity Center, Makati City. The first leg of the PMCT will feature femme fatales in action, putting the spotlight on talented, all-female players in celebration of Women’s Month.

“We’re thrilled to be partnered with narzo for all upcoming legs of the PMCT,” says Franchesca Fajardo, Level Infinite’s PUBG Mobile PH Esports Manager. “As our official smartphone partner, we’ve witnessed firsthand how narzo smartphones deliver top-notch quality and performance when it comes to gaming. We encourage all mobile players out there to drop by this weekend and check out the games and prizes we got in store for everyone.”

Event attendance is free. On top of the PUBG Mobile official tournaments happening live, event-goers can expect Treasure Hunts, on-the-spot Battle Royale challenges, and Meet & Greets with the hottest local streamers SANG, Cherizawa, Aningning, and Kapitana, among others. 

Fans can also treat themselves with a much-needed tech upgrade, in time for March Payday. There will be a narzo booth during the event, wherein fans can check out all six narzo models and experience for themselves the Quality Sulit advantage. This Women’s Weekend of March 18-19, narzo smartphones are also available at their lowest prices on Shopee, Lazada, and Tiktok. Get the narzo 50 Pro 5G for as low as PHP 13,069 ; and the narzo 50i Prime for as low as PHP 4,399.

Succeeding events of PMCT’s summer-long celebration will be on March 25 to 26 in Ayala Malls Market! Market! for the Fifth Anniversary of PUBG Mobile in the Philippines; and on April 1 to 2 in Ayala Malls Glorietta for the PMCT National Capital Region Leg Grand Finals.

For more information, follow narzo’s official Facebook page. Join the fifteen-thousand-strong narzo online community for all the latest updates, tips, and tricks to your Quality Sulit devices.

 

realme Philippines roars into summer with the return of the realme Mobile Legends Cup (RMC)


realme Philippines, the two-year consecutive champion according to Canalys and IDC 2021, 2022 sell-in reports, roars into summer with the return of the realme Mobile Legends Cup (RMC). Now on its seventh successful season of making legends, the RMC takes on greater heights by being the gateway for talented amateur teams to the national esports scene. 

The total prize pool for RMC Season 7 amounts to one million pesos, with the best players around the Philippines vying for the championships. The winning team by the end of the season gets a slot in the SIBOL qualifiers and will take home PHP 400K in cash along with PHP 150K worth of realme devices; with the First Runner Up and Finals MVP splitting a third of the prize pool. 

Moreover, the entire realme Squad is also incentivized throughout the run, as spectators can get their chance at bagging a portion of the PHP 150K worth of livestream giveaways whenever they tune in to realme’s official Facebook and YouTube channels. Mark your calendars, as the first series of the season is slated to happen on March 20, Monday.

On top of the enticing prize pool, the stakes are higher for everyone, now that the RMC is an official partner of the Philippine Esports Organization (PESO). Being a partner tournament, the RMC will enable the winning team of Season 7 to get a real shot at the qualifiers for the International Esports Federation World’s Esports (IESF - WE) Championship happening this August, in Romania.

As of writing, there are now over 260 amateur teams registered for RMC Season 7, and a whopping 120 all-girl squads registered for the first-ever RMC Women’s League; realme’s testament to gender inclusivity in support of women in the esports industry, in time for Women’s Month. 

Registrations are still open, and interested players should assemble their teams and hurry before they close by March 12, Sunday. Teams can sign up through the links below:

RMC Season 7: https://bit.ly/RMCSeason7Registration

RMC Women's League: https://bit.ly/RMCWomensLeagueRegistration

Fan-favorite shoutcasters such as Manjean, Shin Boo, Butters, and Chantelle are once again joining the fray to spice up all matches with their play-by-play commentary and valuable meta analysis. 

The realme Mobile Legends Cup Season 7 is made possible by brand partners: Official Gaming Gear Logitech G, Official Merch Partner Hybreed Philippines, and Official Chair Partner Panther Gaming Gear. Watch out for special deals and offers from realme and its brand partners throughout the RMC Season 7 live streams this March!

For more news and all the latest updates on everything RMC, follow realme’s official Facebook page and join its growing online community

P&G has had to adapt to the challenges brought about by the pandemic

 

With the pandemic forcing  Filipinos to reevaluate not just how they view work, but their entire lives, workplace dissatisfaction led to the “Great Resignation,” – an economic trend where employees, in numbers larger than usual, resigned from work since the start of the pandemic. Various reasons for the resignations include inadequate compensation, overall job dissatisfaction, the lack of opportunities, and return-to-office policies.  

 

According to Procter & Gamble (P&G) Philippines, the Great Place to Work®-certified multinational consumer goods company with a diverse range of superior health care, home care, beauty, and grooming products, employee satisfaction and retention are anchored on three factors: People Investment, Equality and Inclusion, and Purpose-Drive Workplace. 

 

“For P&G, people are our most important asset. We always strive to innovate and have industry-leading policies, programs, and practices to keep our people empowered and motivated,” says Vince Dizon, Country Human Resource Leader of P&G Philippines. 

 

People Investment

 

While pandemic restrictions have eased, its repercussions on the Philippine workforce have remained steady. In 2022, the Philippine employee resignation rate increased and part of this is due to a lack of growth opportunities within companies. According to GlassDoor.com, among the top ten reasons for resignations are unrealistic goals and expectations and lack of career path and progression. 

 

P&G meets this challenge head-on. As one of the country’s top employers, P&G is known to invest in its talent and leadership development highly. The company stands apart with its ‘grow from within’ culture, meaningful careers leading billion-dollar global brands, international exposure and assignments, and hands-on mentorship from P&G leaders across the globe.

 

Despite workforce challenges that affect employee retention in Philippine companies, P&G Philippines continues to safeguard employee satisfaction

Equality and Inclusion

 

During the onset of the pandemic, P&G reframed its employee value proposition (EVP), the framework from which the company anchors its people policies, to “P&G + Me = Mutual Success.” This new framework focused on gratifying and empowering employees by keeping them inspired, valuing and rewarding good work, and continuously making a positive impact on the business and communities P&G serves. 

 

It is from this framework that P&G Philippines developed its HR policies and programs that supported and allowed its employees to thrive and succeed amidst the changing workplace landscape. 

 

In 2020, P&G launched one of its biggest and most groundbreaking policies called “Share the Care” which entitles fathers to 8 weeks of parental leave vs. the mandatory 7 days of paternity leave in the local Philippines context. The policy applies to all employees, regardless of gender, marital status, and biological or adoptive status.

 

P&G also launched Vibrant Living, a holistic wellness program that aims to emphasize the importance of mental, socio-emotional, and physical health. At a time when people were working hybrid WFH setups, P&G was able to cater to their needs both virtually and physically through online medical seminars, webinars on mental health, virtual workouts, and even online music classes for P&G kids. 

 

As the workforce landscape keeps evolving, P&G continues to promote policies that foster and create inclusion and equal opportunities for all employees to thrive and succeed regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and background.

 

A Purpose-Driven Workplace

 

According to Talent Trends’ 2022 The Great X report, the Filipino workforce is shifting focus on finding quality workplaces that offer purposeful work. 

 

“P&G is committed to being a Force for Growth and  a Force for Good in the communities where we live and work. Our employees share this commitment as we serve consumers with superior products and being available to them during times of greater need,” says Dizon.

 

P&G has been a consistent partner of various government agencies and non-government organizations like the Department of Health, Department of Education (DepEd), the Philippine Red Cross, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to name a few. Over the COVID-19 pandemic, P&G has stepped up as a Force for Good and a Force for Growth by donating over PHP 200 Million to help aid in the government’s COVID-19 pandemic response efforts. This includes re-purposing its manufacturing plant to produce and donate over 3 million medical-grade face masks to DOH and front liners hospitals, donating P&G health and hygiene products, and building health and hygiene infrastructures for DepEd schools, LGUs, government hospitals, public areas, and transport terminals.

 

Recently, P&G donated over Php 650,000.00 worth of P&G home and personal care products to the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) to aid communities in need during PCUP’s first-ever PWD and Senior Assembly during Urban Poor Solidarity Week. In collaboration with the Manila Water Foundation, the company also donated over Php 1.8 million in P&G Vicks' newest product, ZzzQuil melatonin gummies, to over 4,000 Business Process Outsourcing workers to promote health through proper rest.

 

P&G Philippines’ winning workplace culture was recently affirmed by earning its Great Place to Work® Certification™ with a 94% employee satisfaction rating. The company also won “Top Employer of the Year” at the 2022 Asia CEO Awards, was recognized as “2022 Best Companies to Work for in Asia” by HR Asia, and was hailed as the Champion for the Gender Inclusive Workplace category in the 2021 UNWEP Awards.

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

“TENGOKU DAIMAKYO” TO DEBUT THIS APRIL ON DISNEY+

 

On April 1, the highly anticipated anime adaptation of the award-winning manga series Tengoku Daimakyo (“Heavenly Delusion”) will debut on Disney+.

Based on the series of the same name by Masakazu Ishiguro, Tengoku Daimakyo opens in the ruins of Tokyo 15 years after the world has been brought to its knees by an unprecedented disaster. With only small, isolated clusters of civilization left, Kiruko is shocked to receive a mysterious request asking her to “take this child to Heaven” before the messenger suddenly passes away. With next to no information to go off, Kiruko and Maru set off on a journey in search of “Heaven”, all the while trying to avoid “Hiruko” - a strange creature who hunts the remaining members of the human race.

Starring Gen Sato (Dr Stone: New World, Hoshi no Samidare) as Maru; Sayaka Senbongi (Bocchi the Rock!, Extreme Hearts) as Kiruko; and Hibiku Yamamura (Buddy Daddies, Akiba Meido Sensou) as Tokio, Tengoku Daimakyo is produced by Production I.G., the masterminds behind Psycho-Pass and Ghost In The Shell, is written by Makoto Fukami (Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall) and is directed by Hirotaka Mori.

As part of today’s announcement, two previously unseen pieces of artwork from the upcoming series were also released, depicting Maru and Kiruko, and a group of children living in a beautiful walled world.

Set to debut April 1, with new episodes released every Saturday on Disney+, today’s announcement comes as part of The Walt Disney Company’s expanded strategic collaboration with leading publishing house Kodansha. Fans of Japanese anime can subscribe to Disney+ today to enjoy access to other incredible anime titles including Tokyo Revengers: Christmas Showdown Arc, about a reformed bad boy who uses his accidentally acquired powers to go back in time and save his high school girlfriend from being murdered, as well as countless hours of other world class entertainment.

Begin streaming Tengoku Daimakyo from April 1 on Disney+.

mWell joins in celebrating International Women's Month and partnered with the Kalusugan ng Kababaihang Pangkabayanan, Inc


Metro Pacific Investments Corporation’s (MPIC) mWell, the country’s first and only health and wellness mega app, further strengthens its line-up of partner-doctors for its mission to bring healthcare closer to Filipinos especially women who are the primary health guardians of the family.

 

In celebration of International Women’s Month, mWell has tied up with Kalusugan ng Kababaihang Pangkabayanan, Inc (KnKPInc), a group that safeguards the well-being of marginalized Filipino women in the countryside. Working with member OB-GYNs, mWell shall provide free online consultation for women as part of KnKPInc’s medical mission this March. 

Aside from providing quality healthcare to women in the countryside, the collaboration also aims to help raise awareness on issues such as reproductive rights, gender equality and abuse against women. 

“Being a woman, a mother and having a daughter, I am fully committed to empowering women through mWell’s holistic approach to health and wellness. Recognizing the crucial role that women play in nation-building, mWell shall ensure that women receive access to doctors, a daily health tracker, fitness programs and healthy recipes—all within the mWell app. We are here to ensure good health and well-being of all women in every step of the wellness journey by providing the tools needed for improved productivity in the various roles they play,” said mWell President and CEO and MPIC Chief Finance, Risk, and Sustainability Officer Chaye Cabal-Revilla.

 

“We are honored to partner with mWell in promoting women’s health and empowerment. Through our medical missions, we can help underprivileged and marginalized Filipino women who still suffer from inadequate access to quality healthcare. Becoming part of the mWell ecosystem will greatly help in KnKPInc’s mission to address the delays in preventive care and disease management for women in the countryside,” said Dr.Connie Pijuan-Alfiler , Chairman and Founder of KnKPInc.


mWell welcomes mind health experts from YMP Lead

 

As a fully integrated, fully digital platform, mWell has also partnered with YMP Lead to strengthen its roster of mind health experts. Kicking off the partnership, free mind health consultations were provided to mWell app users to promote self-love as part of mWell’s Love For Wellness campaign. Recognizing the need to help ease anxiety and sadness especially during the Valentine season, mWell gifted app users with a health pass code which they can use to consult with psychologists from YMP Lead.

 

Asked about their consultation experience, MP, RPsy, RMPm Riyan Portuguez, founder of YMP Lead says, “As a practitioner, everything I need can be found in the app with just one click. It's easier for me to check my appointments and to have easy access to teleconsultation. I also really love the fact that it has automated coding for a specific diagnosis, and we can fill out and sign our abstracts after consultations. It's so convenient to use!”

 

”The mWell app is user friendly, easy to navigate, and multiple notifications (via email, text message, and the app itself) is helpful. Also, clinicians can input consultation notes and select coding for specific diagnosis. Overall, I love the app,” said Rachell Anne Castro, MA, RPsy, RPm.

After her consultations via mWell, Marry Jane Sioson, MP, RPm, RPsy said “The app allows both the clinician and the patient stay up to date with their session schedule via email and SMS. This feature helps a lot especially on organizing and setting us reminders amidst our busy schedules. Medical notes are easy to access and user friendly. High regards to the technical team who are quick to respond.”

Enabling doctors to go fully digital via the new mWellMD app

To better respond to the fast-paced lifestyle of doctors, mWell empowers all its partner-doctors to go fully digital by creating the new mWellMD app—a virtual clinic designed by doctors, for doctors. It allows them to easily manage schedules and patient records and be notified of upcoming patient schedules. Built with the doctor experience in mind, it provides a seamless experience from sign-up to consultation.  The mWellMD app enables doctors to conveniently serve patients anytime, anywhere with its fully digital features. Recognizing their fast-paced lifestyle, mWellMD allows doctors to attend to patients on their mobile phone, wherever they may be, 24/7. It is loaded with tools that will allow doctors to manage their practice-- from patient records, consults, billings, and professional fees. They can even communicate with their staff and refer patients to other doctors. Practice data and patient data are accessible anytime, anywhere. With just a click of a button on mobile, they can utilize an efficient appointment booking system for their online clinics and conveniently do online consultation for patients who are using the mWell app. Soon, enhanced features and a wider range of tools will be made available for doctors via mWellMD Advanced.

 

mWell was recently recognized as the Best Mobile Innovation for Digital Life in the 2023 Global Mobile (GLOMO) Awards, held during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. It is the only healthcare app among the convenor organizations and supporting companies of the GoDigital Pilipinas (GDP) movement.

 

As part of the MPIC Group, mWell is committed to work towards the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being. It also supports the MVP Group’s Gabay Kalusugan advocacy focusing on quality and affordable healthcare.

 

Download the mWell PH app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and register. Follow mWell on Facebook and mwellph on Instagram for more updates.       

                        

TWICE’s Filipino fans, are you ready for the drop of the iconic K-pop group’s 12th mini album, READY TO BE!



Looks like TWICE’s Filipino fans are some of the most excited ONCE for the drop of the iconic K-pop group’s 12th mini album, READY TO BELatest data from Spotify revealed that the Philippines comes third as the country with the most monthly listeners streaming TWICE, only next to the United States and Japan who are at the first and second spots, respectively.

 

Timed to TWICE’s highly-anticipated comeback, Spotify has a special treat in store for the ONCE fandom as the iconic K-Pop girl group takes over Spotify's Idol Lounge. The Idol Lounge is one of Spotify’s many initiatives to bring fans closer to the artists they love by enabling the discovery of their idols’ music tastes.

 

Presented to fans in the form of a playlist, Idol Lounge gives the featured artist free rein to curate a selection of their favourite music and include special messages about their song choices. In addition to tracks from their discography, you can also enjoy a selection of their favorite songs by other artists. 


Exclusively available now until 19 March, be sure to tune in to Idol Lounge: TWICE on Spotify and listen to the 30–track curated playlist personally recommended by the nine-member girl group. Fans will discover:

      The songs on the girls’ own playlists, including tracks by fellow female artists Sabrina Carpenter, Beyonce, Nelly Furtado, and electronic music duo HONNE. 

      The girls’ favourite songs from their discography, such as LOVE FOOLISH from the 2019 Feel Special Album, and POP! by the group’s NAYEON

      Their personal recommendations from the latest READY TO BE mini album, including CRAZY STUPID LOVE, which was co-written and selected by DAHYUN, and the title song SET ME FREE. 

      Why they love the music. In an audio clip by NAYEON, who recommended the song SET ME FREE, she shared that the song is about “realizing the love and showing (an) enterprising self, to risk everything to protect the love.” 

 

Spotify’s Idol Lounge has previously featured boy groups NCT127 and Stray Kids who both  let fans in on their personal song choices. 

PLDT Home powers the much-awaited “Anilag” or “Ani ng Laguna” Festival


 

The country’s fastest broadband, PLDT Home, powers the much-awaited “Anilag” or “Ani ng Laguna” Festival happening on March 11 to 18, 2023, as it returns after three (3) years of pandemic pause. Lagunenses will be able to experience festivities all week long to celebrate the province’s history, agricultural bounty, cultural heritage, and tourism.

 

“This year’s Anilag Festival will be a historic celebration for Lagunenses as we showcase new and exciting activities for locals, tourists, and partners. The jam-packed festivities are made possible thanks to the support of our local government units and brand partners such as PLDT Home, which has always been a staunch supporter of our ‘Love Laguna’ tourism initiatives in the province,” says Governor Ramil L. Hernandez. 

PLDT Home treats Lagunenses with the newest Home Fiber Plans, exciting activities, and special offers. These include free installation and activation worth P3,600.00 for PLDT Home Fiber Plan 1699 and up untilMarch 19. Festival goers can also drop by the PLDT Home booth at the Anilag festival grounds to apply for a plan and receive a complimentary Lionsgate Play access, plus a chance to get more freebies including shopping vouchers, power banks, wireless charging docks, mini air purifiers, and more. To make things even better, new and existing PLDT Home subscribers can now enjoy unlimited calls to PLDT landline and five (5) Smart/TNT numbers.  

 

The Anilag Festival will open with the fluvial parade on March 11, followed by the opening of the Trade Fair Exhibit by 30 Laguna local government units (LGUs), land float parade competition, cultural shows, and more.  

 

On March 18, the Anilag Festival will conclude with a grand cultural show, awarding ceremonies, People’s Night Extreme show, and fireworks display at the festival grounds. 

 

Some of the activities that Lagunenses can look forward to are the Ginoo at Binibining Laguna, Landscape Competition, Himig Laguna Songwriting Competition, Arnis Exhibition, Culinary Arts Cooking Contest, Hot Air Balloon Exhibition, Philippine Marines Corps Silent Drill Platoon and Band Exhibition, ANILAG Got Talent, Rabbit Exhibit, and Cultural Show with the Embassies, among others.

 

Experience PLDT Home Fiber’s fastest broadband in the country. Visit pldthome.com to learn more and avail the special Anilag offers by visiting the PLDT Home booth from March 11-18 at the festival grounds.

Catch Oscar®-winning titles Everything Everywhere All At Once, CNN Films and HBO Max documentary Navalny and Top Gun: Maverick on HBO GO


The 95th Academy® Awards have now come to a close but fans can catch Oscar®-winning titles Everything Everywhere All At Once, CNN Films and HBO Max documentary Navalny and Top Gun: Maverick on HBO GO.

 

Everything Everywhere All At Once, which had a ground-breaking awards season, took home seven awards at the 95th Academy® Awards including; ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Director’ (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), ‘Best Actress’ (Michelle Yeoh), ‘Best Supporting Actor’ (Ke Huy Quan), ‘Best Supporting Actress’ (Jamie Lee Curtis), ‘Best Original Screenplay’ and ‘Best Film Editing’. Watch Everything Everywhere All At Once on HBO and HBO GO.

Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All At Once is an irreverent and big-hearted sci-fi action adventure about Evelyn Wang, a flustered Chinese American mother who is contacted from a parallel universe and told that only she can save the world. The unlikely hero learns to channel her new-found powers and fight through the splintering timelines of the multiverse to save her home, family and herself. The global hit stars Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr., James Hong and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Awarded the Oscar® for ‘Best Documentary Feature’, CNN Films and HBO Max co-produced documentary thriller Navalny was directed by Daniel Roher and explores the life and work of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who, after years of campaigning against corruption, has developed powerful enemies. Navalny chronicles the politician and activist's brave stand against the government that tried to silence him - and his never-ending fight for democracy. The feature is available to stream on HBO GO

Top Gun: Maverick available on HBO and HBO GO took home the Oscar® for ‘Best Sound’. After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy's top aviators, Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Maverick then finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission no living pilot has ever encountered. Stars Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm and Glen Powell. 

 

Subscribe to HBO GO online at https://www.hbogoasia.ph/ or the mobile app via the App Store or Play Store for only ₱1,190 on the new 12-month plan. Or access HBO GO via CignalGlobe and SkycableHBO GO is also available on Android TV, Apple TV, LG TV and Samsung Smart TV – and comes with AirPlay and Google Cast functionality.

John Hay Hotels Introduce New Service Charge Policy Aimed at Supporting Long-Term Employees

    In a major shift aimed at improving staff welfare  at the iconic accommodations in the Philippine summer capital of Baguio , John Hay Ho...