Smart Completes VoLTE Philippines Nationwide Rollout

Smart Communications, Inc. becomes the first telco to successfully rollout Voice over LTE or VoLTE. More Filipinos can now experience superior quality calls with uninterrupted data! 

VoLTE, the first fully IPS-based carrier-grade voice service wherein high-definition quality phone calls with almost no background noise are made using LTE Networks instead over voice network. This adds benefits of able two make and receive calls even while using mobile applications simultaneously, reducing waiting time as there won’t be a need to shift between networks.

Smart Prepaid and Smart Signature customer can now enjoy the service with nationwide coverage. You just need a VoLTE capable smartphone with a Smart LTE SIM to enjoy the service with another VoLTE user on the other line.VoLTE-capable smartphones include flagship, midrange and some entry-level phones from various brands. You can check via your smartphone settings if VoLTE is supported or might as well update it to the latest Android firmware if available. Just enable the service via your settings and once activated, customer can make VoLTE calls via their native dialer.

Calls made from VoLTE and VoWiFI will be charge similar to that of regular calls against the customer’s subscription. Those without active subscription, local and international voice and text rates applies.

Smart’s VoLTE is powered by Smart LTE, the country’s fastest mobile data network certified by Opensignal and OOkla.

Opensignal noted that Smart remained ahead against its competition in its November 2020 Mobile Network Experience Report* bagging Five (5) Mobile Experience Awards - Best in 4G Availability, Best in 4G Coverage, Best in Video Experience, Best in Upload Speed Experience  and Best in Download Speed Experience.

While for OOkla, global leader in internet testing and analysis, it named Smart as the Philippines’ fastest mobile network for the first half of 2020 with a Speed Score of 18.33, averaging 15.94 Mbps for downloads and 7.57 Mbps for uploads based on 2,810,963 user-initiated test taken with Speedtest®.

Learn more about Smart VoLTE via > https://smart.com.ph/Pages/VoLTE-VoWiFi.

 *Opensignal Awards – Philippines: Mobile Network Experience Report November 2020, based on independent analysis of mobile measurements recorded during the period July 1 – September 28, 2020 © 2020 Opensignal Limited.

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Porsche Design and AOC unveil the Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 Curved Gaming Monitor!

AOC collaborates with Porsche Design to introduce the first ever Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 Curved Gaming Monitor!

Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 Curved Gaming Monitor

Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 sports racing-influenced design with Metal Casting Post and Frameless Bezel-less Display. Its silver-coloured stand is similar to those used in actual sports cars not just for design but also for stability, durability and endurance, staying true to Porsche Design’s design philosophy.

“With its linear and purist design that blends form and function, the Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 is a perfect embodiment of the brand’s DNA and overarching design philosophy. Combined with AOC AGON’s innovative and cutting-edge technologies, the new monitor is developed for gamers seeking optimal performance that doesn’t compromise on style,” says Roland Heiler, Chief Design Officer at Porsche Design.

Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 Design

“We’re proud and elated to announce the first result of our new partnership with Porsche Design: the Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 monitor. AOC’s proven expertise in display technologies is a great match with Porsche Design’s exceptional approach to design. Gamers around the world will be thrilled to experience this great product both in design and outstanding gaming performance,” says Stefan Sommer, Director Marketing and Business Management at AOC Europe.

Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 Curved Gaming Monitor

Complimenting its killer looks, it packs performance and wide range of functionalities. Houses a Curved 27-inch with QHD resolution (2560x1440) for superior picture quality and sharp visuals certified with VESA’s DisplayHDR 400, gives off rich lifelike colours and a wide dynamic range for immersive viewing surrounding the user with its tight curvature of 1000R (1m radius) for center of the action viewing.  To create that gaming vibe, the PD27  highlights the front–changing its colour depending on the game situation by projecting Porsche Design or AGON logo dynamically on the table surface.

Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 Gaming

Gamers would surely need to consider the PD27.  Gets 240 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms GtG and 0.5 ms MPRT pixel response times for smooth, fluid, ghosting-free and free of tearing gaming experience enhanced with AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro. Has 550 nits high brightness of its VA panel that is fit for gameplay at any lighting conditions.

Ambient Light FX Projected Logo

Other notable features of PD27, has a wireless (IR) keypad shaped like a centre console to access monitor settings and gaming presets. Features 5W stereo speakers with DTS sound to stimulate your sense of hearing to match your gaming visuals. For connectivity is has a 4-port USB 3.2 hub, 2x HDMI 2.0 and 2x DisplayPort 1.4 inputs.

The Porsche Design AOC AGON PD27 is said to be available in mid of November 2020 in select Porsche Design stores, specialist retailers and online at www.porsche-design.com and selected retail online shops with an RRP of EUR 799 (more or less 46000 Pesos). No word yet on when hit will be release for the Philippine Market. Will try to get information from AOC Philippines on this so stay tuned.

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Filipinos developed space-based solutions together with NASA

Last October 2-4, 2020, Filipino developers, engineers, technologists, designers, scientists, coders, storytellers, makers, builders, innovators, and entrepreneurs from across the country came together to address real-world problems of the planet and space by collaborating with the United States Space Agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) free and open data, together with partner agencies: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) of France, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the European Space Agency (ESA) in a virtual hackathon. Road hazard detection, data visualization tools, and machine learning for satellite image monitoring, and more were developed.

This year's edition of NASA's International Space Apps Challenge with theme "Take Action" is a reminder that anyone can make a difference while at home. In this unprecedented time, the Space Apps community exists as an avenue to able join forces across boundaries and borders of all kinds and that there are tools and talents to help tackle challenges facing the planet. The event was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic situation worldwide.

Vice President Leni Robredo lauded the event "Our ability to gather ourselves, organize, and come together have opened the doors to technology and progress. We have done great things, cure diseases, find ways to connect with each another across the oceans, and even walked on the Moon... all thanks to mutual cooperation."

The first Director-General of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), Dr. Joel Joseph S. Marciano Jr. stressed the importance of space science in helping the society: "Space infrastructure, space data, and space-enabled services therefore help inform policies and decision-support systems that can lead us to better plan and decongest our cities, improve our transportation systems, monitor the state of infrastructure, enable better connectivity, enhance our agricultural and fisheries production, and protect our natural environment."

Since the start of Space Apps in the Philippines on 2016, the country witnessed on how the community grew from a group of volunteers to forging partnerships with collaborators and stakeholders in developing projects to solve problems using space technologies. NASA and partner agencies recognized the hard work done by Filipinos and thus awarded globally as consistent  winners and finalists in the past three years. Software developer Michael Lance M. Domagas is optimistic that in these momentous and trying times, the country would still choose to prioritize and give value to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), especially in emerging fields like space science where innovators can contribute and solve the most pressing problems prevailing in the society and environment today.

Technology and developer community leaders and STAMINA4Space engineers as mentors helping participants during the hackathon

Michael Lance adds "How could someone imagine that Earth-observation data coming from space could give us valuable and unique insights about the socio-economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic in various countries, and to pinpoint possible mosquito habitats which causes another epidemic called dengue? Why can't we support our own modern-day heroes specializing in new and emerging technologies to address issues and help others in our country? NASA and partner agencies from other countries have already recognize the ingenuity of Filipinos for the past three years. Now is the proper time for our own country to recognize their achievements too." Michael together with technology and developer community leader Tzar C. Umang from Pangasinan and U.S. Cultural Affairs Officer Matt T. Keener, look forward in having more Filipino participate and recognized to a more meaningful and impactful Space Apps challenge in the future years to come.

Judges for the Philippine leg were: 

• Dr. Rafaelita "Fita" M. Aldaba - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary for Competitiveness and Innovation.
• Colin Christie - Analytics Association of the Philippines (AAP) President.
• Monchito B. Ibrahim - former Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary and University of the Philippines System Information Technology Foundation President. 
• Dr. Czar Jakiri S. Sarmiento - Assistant Professor and Assistant Chairman for Administration, Department of Geodetic Engineering at the University of the Philippines and Sustained Support for Local Space Technology and Applications Mastery, Innovation and Advancement (STAMINA4Space) GRASPED project staff.
• Nitro Erwin A. Lizarondo - part-time Lecturer and Technopreneurship/Program Manager at the Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP).
• Nick Tobia - Senior Consultant for Data Analytics for Social Impact at CirroLytix, Data Ethics PH, and COVID-19 challenge winner for the best use of data.
• Ms. Basuti Gerty Bolo - Africa University Chair Educational technologies and United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) Space4Women mentor from Zimbabwe.

Community partners include: STAMINA4Space, PhilSA, the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCIEERD), DTI-Design Center of the Philippines, AAP, Data Ethics PH, CirroLytix, PWA Pilipinas, TMDC IT Solutions, Pampanga Developers Group, Koodi, Web and Mobile Developers PH, UXPH, DevCon, Alaga Health, Philippine Information Technology Organization (Phil IT Org), TIP Nitro, De La Salle University, Google Developers Group (GDG) Cloud Manila, 98 labs, United Pangasinan ICT Council, Code UX, DesignMNL Studio, Talino Labs, Impact Hub Manila, Elinnov Technologies, Drupal Pilipinas, Pantheon, Wadwhani Foundation, Youth for Women in Technology (WiTech), Kallisto, Wavefarers, Stock Knowledge, MVN Photostudio, and the U.S. embassy.

"The Global Organizing Team is inspired by the journey the Philippines has with the Space Apps program. In particular, we appreciate the development of STEM in the Philippines and elsewhere, because one goal of Space Apps is to foster interest and learning in these fields worldwide," said Matt Scott, the global community director and storyteller.

The recent COVID-19 challenge winners and finalists discussed how their space-based solutions address the coronavirus pandemic during the Data Brew 4: Space and Ground Data for the Betterment of the Human Condition on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 by the Remote Sensing and Data Science (DATOS) Help Desk of the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute with PhilSA and STAMINA4Space.

Space Apps is a NASA-led initiative organized in collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, SecondMuse, and the NASA Open Innovation Applied Sciences Program. It is also part of the World Space Week and celebrates the Design Week Philippines with DTI-Design Center of the Philippines.

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Foodpanda partners with CIBI to assist their riders to avail credit reports for their loan transactions

Foodpanda, one of the leading mobile food delivery app is partnering with CIBI, the first and only local credit bureau in the Philippines, to connect their riders to financial institutions by providing customized credit report that features the borrowers’ risk rating as well as other factors like employment and residency that can help in the fast delivery of loan approval. Securing of loan requestscan be a chore for most borrowers as the pandemic continuously affects operations and manpower of businesses including those in the financial sector. As firms resort to skeletal workforce and shortened work hours.

CIBI Information, Inc. President and CEO, Marlo Cruz with foodpanda Philippines Operations Manager for Community and Communications, Jao Manahan. 

“We, at foodpanda wanted to give our riders the privilege and support on all aspects possible. As a Community Leader of the riders, we want to make sure that the experience of the riders will be at par. One of these is providing them exclusive deals from our fleet partnership. It is high time for them to get a motorcycle upgrade and this partnership will help them secure the best loan option in the market as we bring in tier loan partners in the picture to service our hard-working riders. We’re glad to find CIBI as our partner for the project as they know just exactly what our riders need,” says Jao Manahan, Operations Manager for Community and Communications

CIBI embarks on more exciting collaboration moving forward as it expands its roster of brands and product portfolio.

“This opportunity is one of the many partnerships that CIBI is exploring as we continuously innovate and evolve. We saw an opportunity to aid and support banks and financial institutions in providing third party reports to borrowers that they can later submit to creditors for faster loan processing and evaluation. This is a milestone for us and we’re excited to service Foodpanda’s riders moving forward,” concluded Marlo Cruz, President and CEO of CIBI Information Inc.

Signing Partnership Agreement - CIBI Information, Inc. President and CEO, Marlo Cruz and foodpanda Philippines Operations Manager for Community and Communications, Jao Manahan

The partnership allows Foodpanda riders to secure their own credit report that they can submit to partner banks and financial institutions for a Motorcycle Loan. CIBI customized a report that can determine and allow financial institutions to understand and evaluate a borrower’s profile for faster rendering of decision in granting a loan. This will not only benefit the rider but also provide valuable insights to financial institutions especially to creditors that implement skeletal workforce that face problems in processing applications due to manpower issues as report that usually fall in their underwriting process can be resolved through CIBI’s credit report. The submitted report also allows the credit department of banks and financial institutions to easily weed out applicants and decide whether or not the granting of loans is possible for the requester. 

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Grabtaxis now back! Now contactless and cashless!

Taxis have been meter-based and cash-based ever since but with today’s situation, the industry needs to innovate. To support the government efforts for a new safe normal environment, Grab Philippines goes cashless transactions during rides.

Grab Philippines President Brian Cu shares his thoughts “As we move towards the new reality, we would need to make significant adjustments in many aspects of our lives so that we can protect both the lives and livelihoods of our kababayans. Over a short period of time, we were able to help our taxi drivers - who are previously cash-based and meter-based, embrace digitalization, and adapt to cashless. We believe that by adopting cashless payment for public transportation, we will reduce the risk of spreading the infection through cash,  but likewise improve our contact tracing capability,’

Within days, Grab was able to conduct training programs for thousands of taxi drivers and operators, highlighting the ease of using GrabPay for accepting cashless payments, as well as several safety and hygiene best practices that taxi drivers can adapt. Cashless Payment can also be via credit card or debit card.

Through cashless payments, the spread of infection brought about by the exchange of cash is mitigated securing the rider as well as the driver. Grab's platform, make contact tracing easier with regards to public transportation.

In booking a ride, you need to wear a mask at all times. Trips are limited for up to 2 passengers only to observe social distancing. Limited to selected areas and key cities.

Around 400 taxi drivers from Baguio and Naga Cities will resume plying the roads, implementing cashless transactions during rides starting May 22. While awaiting the resumption of public transportation in other cities, Grab Philippines has trained and prepared almost 7,000 taxi drivers to likewise conduct cashless rides.

For those interested to be part of the GrabTaxi program and undergo the cashless training, they may visit register.grab.com/ph

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Sibol National Training Pool Showcases Skills And Talents At Combine Event

Sixty-seven (67) players from the Sibol Training Pool participated in a Combine event held at Ayala Malls Circuit Makati last 29-31 August. The event served as the athletes' strongest bid in trying to qualify for the National Team, with everyone hoping to be part of the final 27 that will be announced on 11 September.

The managers and coaches prepared training matches and sessions for their athletes in the three-day event. This was also an opportunity to try compositions that were not possible before for some team games. Players were also brought to the stage to test their performances when placed under the spotlight.

All the game results in the Combine are analyzed and recorded, and each would help in how the players are being evaluated. It is important to note that some of the games in the pool have already been doing these in the weeks leading to the event.

The training pool who participated is composed of those who were either directly invited or have advanced through the national qualifiers. The prestige at stake is high because this is the first time that esports will be a medaled event in a multisport competition. Because of this, everyone eligible participated except for the ten (10) invited Dota 2 players who withdrew because of other commitments and to focus on the upcoming Dota Pro Circuit.

Ramon Suzara, COO of Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), "This is a first that esports will be a medal event in the Southeast Asian Games. I am hoping that out of the six events, we can get six gold medals,"

High expectations, the responsibility now falls into the hands of the managers and coaches. Because of different games, the heads will have different metrics and criteria to grade the performance of their respective athletes. Like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, for example, communication and teamwork are vital traits and are given importance. For a single-player game like Tekken 7, on the other hand, player skill and competence are given more weight.

The evaluation currently is on its final stages. From the pool of 77 players, a trimmed-down 27-player roster is set to be revealed on 11 September. That number is broken down to seven (7) each for the team games (Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Arena of Valor), and two individuals each for the other games (Tekken 7, Hearthstone, StarCraft II).

For more information about Sibol, head over to the Sibol Esports Facebook page (facebook.com/SIBOLesports). Additional updates on the team and more information can be found on the official website SIBOLesports.ph and on the other social media pages (Twitter, Instagram) @SIBOLesports.

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Third Time's a Charm for the Grand Winner of Canon Photomarathon Philippines 2018

Determination, patience, and love for photography lead 25-year-old Luke Anthony Singson to finally win a championship at the Philippine leg of the biggest on-the-spot photography competition in Asia!

Manila, Philippines – The expression “third time’s a charm” perfectly captured the journey and experience of 25-year-old Luke Anthony Obusan Singson as he bested hundreds of photographers at the Philippine leg of the biggest on-the-spot photography contest in Asia— the Canon PhotoMarathon 2018. This is his third attempt to take a spot in the competition and with this triumphant win, Singson moves forward to the championship in Japan to represent the Philippines.

Singson, who currently works as a cruise line photographer, first joined Canon PhotoMarathon in 2014 after his father, who is also a photographer, influenced him to join the competition. “My dad has always been a Canon user so he basically introduced me to the brand. I started shooting in high school and oftentimes, I would join him in his shoots and we would do a lot of photo walks. Canon PowerShot G2, which is a point-and-shoot camera, pa gamit ko nun,” beginner or a professional, you would definitely find the most suitable cameras and lenses for your needs and passion with the brand’s wide range of products.”

On his third attempt, Singson was finally hailed as the Canon PhotoMarathon Philippines 2018 Champion. With the theme “The World in The Eyes of The Next Generation”, Singson’s winning shot was taken using a Canon EOS 60D DSLR with an EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens. “Upon hearing the theme, I knew I had to find a structure with eyes peeking at or looking into a moment. The first area my dad and I scouted didn’t work, so we continued to walk around the city and came across this interesting wall. I asked my dad to stand for by the wall for a test spot and told him, ‘I think this could work.’ Tapos nag-abang lang kami until I got the shot I wanted with the perfect subjects.” 

When asked about the inspiration behind his winning photo, Singson shared, “I was really aiming to capture somebody who’s using a mobile phone. I wanted to show how today’s technology connects more with the youth and how in the years to come, the technology landscape will continue to evolve to cater to this younger, more agile generation.” 

This year’s Canon PhotoMarathon Philippines challenged Filipino photographers to extend the power of their photographs to help create lasting impact for the future generation. Participants were tasked under time pressure to capture stunning visual masterpieces according to this year’s themes “The World in The Eyes of The Next Generation” and “What Makes a Smile”. A portion of the registration fee of each participant, as well as proceeds generated from Canon’s CSR program called Print for Smiles, were dedicated to help raise funds for Canon’s local partner organization, Operation Smile Philippines. The NGO, which has been a partner of CMPI since 2011, provides free reconstructive facial surgery to indigent children and young adults born with cleft lip and cleft palate deformity.

Singson’s latest addition to his Canon EOS 60D, EOS 40D, and PowerShot G2 is a brand-new Canon EOS R full-frame mirrorless camera worth Php147,998 which he took home after winning the competition along with a ViewSonic VP2468 24'' Professional Monitor, and a 1-year Membership at Celebrity Fitness, One Bonifacio High Street. He will also represent the country at the Canon PhotoMarathon Grand Finals in Japan in 2019.

“I’m very excited for the Grand Finals next year! It will be my first time to participate in an international competition and I’m beyond grateful to be alongside amazing photographers—

my fellow finalists from the other countries. Thank you, Canon, for this once in a lifetime experience and opportunity,” he added.

Canon PhotoMarathon started in Singapore in 2003 and is currently the largest on-the-spot photography contest in Asia. Now held in Nepal, Brunei, Cambodia, China Mainland, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines, Canon PhotoMarathon has been receiving overwhelming reception among different communities in the Asian region throughout the years.

To know more about Canon and its products and programs, visit http://ph.canon.

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Filipino Students Second Place for ASEAN Data Science Explorers (ADSE) Regionl Competition

Taguig, Philippines— 6 December 2018 — Filipino Students Wins Second 2nd Place in the Regional Finals of the ASEAN Data Science Explorers (ADSE) competition for their insights and data-driven solutions to solve the region’s pressing social issues.

Team Dimicrocambio of the Philippines, comprising Jade Hizon and John Rusty Perena from the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, won second place with their project, ‘Recalibrating educational gears through entrepreneurship education,’ were it discusses how entrepreneurship education can empower students to turn their ideas into actions. It aims to produce graduates who are job creators and professionals with an entrepreneurial spirit who are more productive and self-sufficient in a bid to solve the perennial problem of unemployment in the region.

The experience was memorable for Jade and Rusty, “We believe this is a great opportunity to address the youth unemployment in the region and drive social impact within our communities. Through entrepreneurship education, students can develop entrepreneurial attitudes, skills, and knowledge to thrive in today’s fast-paced, digital world.” They bested Team Bazinga of Mapua University and Team Tony of De La Salle University in the Philippine national finals before moving on to the Regional finals to become the runner up among all ASEAN country finalists.

“Team Dimicrocambio displayed great passion in tackling today’s social issues through their project, ‘Recalibrating educational gears through entrepreneurship education,’” said Edler Panlilio, managing director, SAP Philippines. “At SAP, we are focused on empowering the youth with the right skills they need to thrive in the digital economy. In achieving a sustainable future, we must create opportunities for the younger generation, so they can help make our country, and then the world run better and improve people’s lives.”

Coinciding with Singapore’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2018, Singapore played host to the competition, now in its second edition running. This year, the initiative reached out to 5,000 youths across 175 institutes of higher learning in ASEAN to increase their digital literacy and cultivate a greater sense of responsibility and ownership of the region’s future. They were having trainings in SAP’s Analytics Cloud software through a series of webinars and in-country seminars, thereafter using their newly-acquired data skills to tackle six selected United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs.) - (1) good health and well-being, (2) quality education, (3) gender equality, (4) decent work and economic growth, (5) industry, innovation & infrastructure and (6) sustainable cities and communities. Competition entries tripled this year with 801 student teams from a wide range of disciplines such as political science, engineering and architecture gleaning actionable insights from data to come up with solutions that have an impact on these areas.

Team Plan B of Singapore, comprising Tay Kai Jun and Madhumitha Ayyappan from NUS High School of Math and Science were crowned the ASEAN Champion at the regional finals. Their winning project, ‘From Slumming to Sustainability’ aims to galvanize ASEAN to transform slums into sustainable microcities.

Meanwhile, team Pangolin of Vietnam, comprising Nguyen Van Thuan and Mai Thanh Tung from RMIT University Vietnam clinched third place for their project ‘Conquering the Waves of Global Trade’, which addresses the issue of disadvantaged trading due to the disparity in sea transport capacity among ASEAN countries.

“Education is one of the foundational cornerstones of ASEAN’s integration and socio-economic development blueprint. To this end, initiatives such as ASEAN Data Science Explorers promotes greater cross-border interaction and mobility across the region and equips our youths with critical skillsets needed to thrive in an increasingly challenging and disruptive future,” said Elaine Tan, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation. “We are very encouraged by the creativity and innovation displayed in the entries today, which is a strong testament to the passion of ASEAN youths to aimfully create a better future for their societies.”

ASEAN Foundation and SAP Extend Collaboration into 2019
The ASEAN Foundation and SAP also inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to extend their strategic collaboration into 2019, following the collaboration over the past two years. The MoU aims to support the trainings for youths in the skillsets as they join the workforce and equip them to potentially solve societal and economic issues facing the region.

“Our collaboration with the ASEAN Foundation over the past two years has yielded exceedingly positive outcomes in promoting purpose-driven innovation. We are very honored to play an integral part to help in upskilling the next generation workforce and providing them with the foundational platform to start driving social impact in their communities,” said Claus Andresen, President and Managing Director, SAP Southeast Asia. “2019 is shaping up to be the start of another promising era and we look forward to deepening our collaboration to help the world run better and improve lives.”

“The ASEAN Data Science Explorers competition is a great initiative to strengthen ICT skills and enhance youth employability within ASEAN,” said Ms. Adeline Lee, Head of Executive Support Division of ASEAN Secretariat. “The participants gain skills and insights valuable to launch their own professional careers, contribute to the digital economy and be ready for the Industrial Revolution 4.0. And we are keen to support the continued expansion of such programs through the ASEAN Foundation and SAP.”

For More info visit the SAP News Center. Follow SAP on Twitter at @sapnews.

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45 Squads Advance for The Rules of Survival - NIMO TV- Philippine Champions League Qualifiers

Manila, Philippines – 45 Teams advances to the Playoffs of the biggest Rules of Survival Tournament in the country hosted by NIMO TV out of the overwhelming squads who joined.

With over 300 squads showed up to prove their worth and secure a slot in the playoffs. The 2-Day qualifiers happened in 3 venues around the Metro.

“The qualifier brought out the best among the best this is just a preview of what will happen in the coming playoffs and finals“ Henry Zhao, NIMO TV Overseas Executive.  “We want to discover squads who have the grit to compete on a professional level, “ Zhao added.


A price pool of  Php 100,000 for the 1st Prize, Php 80,000 for 2nd Prize and Php 50,000 for 3rd Prize for Winners of the Rules of Survival - NIMO TV- Philippine Champions League. Other than the Cash Prizes and in-games items, the Top 5 teams will also represent the country in the Rules of Survival Southeast Asia tournament!

The 15 qualified squads of each venue will compete in the playoffs this December 1 & 2, 2018. The top 4 squads per branch will move to the finals together with the top 2 squads of the whole tournament. The crowd favorite will also earn a slot and will complete the 15 squads who will compete in the finals.

Watch the exclusive broadcast of the tournament on NIMO TV. 

Full tournament info here: https://goo.gl/e9vZEB

Download the NIMO TV app at Apple app store and Google Play store. Click link here. https://nimotv.onelink.me/B6cW/25ba46b7

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RCBC Savings Bank partners with AFFI to empower SMEs

RCBC Savings Bank (RSB) continues to support Filipino entrepreneurs at the AFFINITY 1st Franchise and Business Summit 2018.

Organized by the Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. (AFFI) and co-presented by RSB, the summit pooled together start-up business owners, franchisors and franchisees for a series of coaching sessions and sharing of best practices featuring well-known industry experts.

 “RCBC Savings Bank and AFFI share the same vision of building up SMEs, more importantly Filipino entrepreneurs, and ensuring their success. That is why it is important to have all the good mentors you can get to help you in this journey. RSB is one of them,” said Elmer Aquino, RSB national product head for SMEs. Aside from supporting the business summit, RSB will also collaborate with AFFI to develop an SME loan geared towards the entrepreneurs’ unmet needs.

It has been since January 2018, RSB has been conducting a series of Grow SME forums nationwide to empower and mentor aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners with the right entrepreneurial mindset and financial management.

RSB vice president and national product head for SMEs Elmer Aquino receives a plaque of appreciation from AFFI president Marie-Joyce Co Yu during the AFFINITY 1st Franchise and Business Summit 2018. Joining them are (from right) AFFI chairman Enrique Pablo Caeg, corporate secretary Jelyn Chung, and vice president for Education Jose Carlos Martinez.

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eSports now part of SEA Games 2019! in partnership with Razer

Finally eSports is now a recognized medal sport, a first time in history, now part the 30th SEA Games 2019!

Allan Peter Cayetano, Chairman of Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (PhilSGOC) said they welcome the community of gamers to inclusive community of SEA Games.

Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO led the push to elevate eSports to be recognized by meeting with Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (PhilSGOC) and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) on multiple occasions to work towards this goal.

eSports has boom with this generation with more than 2.3 billion gamers worldwide, and 71 percent of millennials considering themselves as gamers. It is projected to be a billion-dollar industry by next year as well as global esports audience is expected to reach 276 million by 2022.

The inclusion of eSports as a medal event is an important step in legitimizing esports as a true world-class sporting contest.

“The Philippines is the first host country to stage an eSports tournament as a medal event. This lends credence to professional gaming as a true world-class sporting contest, as it engages a new generation of gaming fans,” said Alan Peter Cayetano, PhilSGOC Chairman. “Razer is a pioneer and a prime mover in esports, and we cannot ask for a better partner in this historic journey,” Cayetano added.

In line with this, Razer is official esports partner of SEA Games 2019. Razer will draw upon its expertise and experience in esports, as well as its ecosystem of hardware, software and services to support the eSports tournament at SEA Games 2019. This includes discussions between PhilSGOC and various game publishers to select the games that will be featured at the SEA Games esports tournament. The final line-up of game titles to be contested at SEA Games 2019 will be revealed in the next few months and is said to cover mobile, console and pc games.

Razer will also be supporting the final crop of Team Philippines eSports athletes who will represent the host country at the finals.

“Esports has been the essence of Razer ever since we were founded, and we have supported countless global events, tournaments, teams, and athletes over the past decade and a half,” said Razer co-founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan. “The sportsmanship and fighting spirit seen in esports is no less than that of other sports, and we’ve fought hard for its inclusion in an international sporting event like the SEA Games 2019.”

Razer and PhilSGOC are already in talks with some of the world’s biggest names in gaming, working towards an exciting roster of titles that will engage fans of all genres.

The first game partner that Razer and PhilSGOC are announcing for the SEA Games 2019 is Moonton, the publisher behind the hugely popular title Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. 

Justin Yuan, CEO and co-founder of Moonton Games, said, “SEA Games 2019 is the perfect platform to propel Mobile Legends: Bang Bang into the big leagues, given our strong user base here as well as the region’s fast-growing youth and millennial population. Razer’s role as the official esports partner gives us confidence that the tournament will be nothing short of phenomenal. We look forward to seeing Southeast Asia’s best Mobile Legends: Bang Bang players face off against each other.”

More details will be announced soon like game publishers, event detailsfac. Game publishers, aspiring athletes, and everyone in the community are encouraged to rise to the occasion and play their part in this unprecedented international esports event. Interested parties may find out more and sign up to receive updates at: http://razer.com/sea-games-2019/

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Alcatel Returns with Experience Now

Geeks! This November, Alcatel will be officially making its comeback to the Philippine market!

There’s no better time to live than in the present. ‘Now’ is the instant where joy occurs. It’s where we live, laugh, explore, and engage with the world. Life is spontaneous and dynamic, make sure you get the most out of it.

With new Alcatel devices that helps Filipinos maximize the experience of ‘now’, while being affordable and accessible for everyone. The brand’s strong French heritage has smartphones designed to always be ready to help capture those spontaneous and ever-changing joyful moments that make up life.

"The new Alcatel smartphones were created as part of our vision to make great mobile technology accessible to everyone," said Rudolph Santos, Alcatel Philippines Country Head. "Our goal is simple – to make people smile. We believe in innovation that creates and enhances moments of joy for everyone, so we are very excited to bring our new line of smartphones to the Filipino people.”

Alcatel will be launching 6 new models that cater to all lifestyles. Whether you’re a savvy professional, an avid gamer, a techy creative, or a nomadic millennial, you can be sure there’s an Alcatel for you.

“With these new smartphones, we want to empower you to create, share and elevate every moment, and above all, to find new ways to enjoy and experience your own personal joy, now” said Rudolph Santos.

Alcatel’s new smartphones will be available soon at MemoXpress stores and other retailers nationwide (Techbox, Vertext, Wow, Exoression Mobile, RC Goldline, Cybertab and Accessone). Be sure to catch the unveiling of Alcatel’s 6 new smartphones on November 28, 3pm via Alcatel and MemoXpress Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AlcatelmobilePhilippines/ and https://www.facebook.com/memoxpress98/.

Standby as we wait for their official launch.

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Gabbi Garcia as New Sony Brand Ambassador

Sony Extra Bass introduced its newest brand ambassador - Gabbi Garcia!

Gabbi Garcia is the embodiment of youthful energy, a fast rising showbiz beauty that gives her extra in acting and performing on stage fit to promote Sony Extra Bass. Joining her is DJ Rammy and dance crews A-Team and Upeepz, completing the Extra Bass crew.

“Sony Extra Bass is all about loving music and living it, and Gabbi Garcia brings to life this character. The Sony Extra Bass line is for people whose passion for music extends to all facets of their lifestyle: work, play, workout and travel. We endeavor to provide them with a differentiated experience as they pursue their passions in life.” Nobuyoshi Otake, Managing Director of Sony Philippines explained.

During the announcement, Sony Extra Bass latest line up of headphones (MDRXB550AP, MDRXB650BT, WF-SP700N, and WI-SP600N) and speakers (GTK-XB60, GTK-XB90, SRS-XB10, SRS-XB21) were showcased and provide the guest and audience immersive party sounds. SRS Bluetooth speakers are light, stylish and wireless that you can take to any party high-quality sound. Meanwhile, Sony XB’s line of headphone series boasts superior quality sound and long-listen comfort.

“Aside from acting, music is really my priority. This opportunity to be part of Sony Extra Bass brings me closer to my passion. I use it whenever I need to study songs for my performance, or when I need to set the pace for my workout or when I’m just hanging out with my friends.  I always feel extra with Sony Extra Bass.” Gabbi shared.

Watch out for more Feel the Passion, Feel the Bass moments with Gabbi Garcia for Sony Extra Bass in the coming months... Sony Extra Bass will bring the party to you with wide range of products plus Sony Extra Bass crew will be teaching you the moves and groove together with Sony IT girl. Do follow us as well as Sony Philippines Facebook page for more information...

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2019 Sony World Photography Awards Juries and Details

(MANILA PHILIPPINES, 2 October 2018) – The World Photography Organization announce the Juries for the 2019 Sony World Photography Awards, the world’s most diverse photography competition.

The World Photography Organization today also publishes the opening list of participating countries for 2019’s National Awards.  A longstanding part of the Sony World Photography Awards, the National Awards provide the unique opportunity for entrants of all levels, from more than 50 countries, to be recognized in an internationally renowned photography competition.

Now in its 12th year, the Sony World Photography Awards celebrate the finest contemporary photography from the past 12 months across all genres of the medium.  All entries are free at www.worldphoto.org/swpa.

Expert juries seeking the world’s finest contemporary photography
The 2019 juries specially selected by the World Photography Organization are all experts working across the photographic industry. This year’s panel, who will judge series across 10 categories of the Professional competition, consists of industry leaders from across the world:
•Erin Barnett, Director of Exhibitions and Collections, International Center of Photography (USA) 
•Brendan Embser, Editor, Aperture (USA) 
•Olivier Laurent, Foreign Photo Editor, The Washington Post (USA) 
•Emma Lewis, Assistant Curator, Tate (UK)
•Isabella van Marle, Head of Exhibitor Relations, Unseen (The Netherlands) 
•Chair: Mike Trow, editor, photographer, producer (UK) 

To mark the occasion, a selection of entries to the Open competition are released, and the Chair of Judges offers advice to potential entrants.

Chair Mike Trow comments:
“It is an honor to be asked to be Chair of Judges for the Sony World Photography Awards’ Professional competition. What makes the Sony World Photography Awards so exciting is the range of subjects and global reach of the stories and images selected. My advice for entrants is to choose your categories carefully and believe in your story. Show how you see the world, and avoid cliché. Photography techniques and styles are getting more adventurous and dynamic, so technical excellence is also necessary. To impress this world-leading panel of judges will take your best output, and the ability to edit your work so it is coherent, dynamic and beautiful.”

The Open competition, judged on a single image across 10 categories, will be chaired by Rebecca McClelland, Photography Director & Head of Art Production for Saatchi Saatchi & Prodigious (UK), who we are delighted will also chair the Youth and National Awards competitions.

This year’s Student competition will also be judged by 3 further leading judges from the international photography industry - Jason Baron, Creative Head of Photography, BBC Creative (UK); Bruno Bayley, Managing Editor, Magnum Photos (UK) and Jeff Hamada, Founder & Editor, BOOOOOOOM (Canada)

For full biographies of each judge please go to:
https://www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards/judges

Inspiring images from across the Open competition
Following a record-breaking number of entries in 2018*, the 2019 Sony World Photography Awards have already received thousands of diverse and exceptional images from across the world. While the Professional competition is judged on a series of images, the new images released today are all entries from across the 10 categories of the Open competition.  Judged upon a single image, the submissions include Marco Gaiotti’s (Italy) image of icebergs stuck in frozen water in Svalbard (Landscape category), Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz’s (Spain) image showing a diver in motion outside the Guggenheim Bilbao, Christy Lee Rogers’ (USA) and images of swirling images of people entangled in water (both Motion category).

Worldwide recognition for all levels through the National Awards and Sony Grant 
Each year the Sony World Photography Awards celebrate and reward photographers of all abilities, recognizing stunning bodies of work in the Professional and Student competitions and the world’s best single images across the categories of the Open and Youth competitions.  The National Awards celebrate local photographic talent from more than 50 countries.  The range of eligible countries and prizes can be found below, with more being added in the coming months: https://www.worldphoto.org/2019-national-awards

The Awards’ winning and shortlisted photographers can enjoy worldwide recognition and exposure in addition to cash prizes, the latest digital imaging equipment from Sony and inclusion in global exhibitions.

Award-winners can also secure a Sony Grant to fund future photographic projects.  Multiple grants of $7,000 (USD) will be awarded to selected winners of the Professional competition and multiple grants of $3,500 (USD) will be given to selected shortlisted photographers in the Student competition to work together on a new photographic commission set by Sony and the World Photography Organization.

Forthcoming deadlines and announcements
The closing dates for the 2019 Sony World Photography Awards are:
•November 30, 2018 (13.00 GMT) – Student competition
•January 4, 2019 (13.00 GMT) – Open, Youth and National Award competitions
•January 11 , 2019 (13.00 GMT) – Professional competition

The Open and Youth shortlist for the Awards will be announced on February 5, 2019.  The Open and National Awards winners will be announced February 26, 2019.  The Professional and Student competitions’ shortlist will be announced on April 2, 2019. The Photographer of the Year, Overall Open, Student, Youth and Professional category winners will be announced April 17, 2019. The 2019 Sony World Photography Awards exhibition will run from April 18 - May 6, 2019 at Somerset House, London. 

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Lenovo Continues Support for Outstanding Tech Visionary

Lenovo, a global leader in PC and smart device's, renews its support to the Youth by providing additional laptop grants to the University of the Philippines Genetic Researchers and Agricultural Innovators Society (UP GRAINS), a youth organization who was awarded the Outstanding Tech Visionary citation by the company at this year’s Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards.

Anna Abola (center), Marketing Communications Manager of Lenovo Philippines, with the UP GRAINS officers.

The Outstanding Tech Visionary citation given by Lenovo at the TAYO Awards recognizes the youth organization with the most meaningful project that addresses key social issues through the innovative use of technology. Together with the award, the winning organization was also provided with Lenovo units.

Now bolstering its support to the youth organization for their community-based projects, the company is providing UP GRAINS once again devices in the form of brand new YOGA 520 and IdeaPad 320 laptops.

“As a leader in the technological industry, Lenovo injects excitement and vibrancy by driving innovation that exceeds expectations and creates meaningful impact. It suffices to say, that we are in an excellent position to help promote the benefits of technology to the public. Through our partnership with TAYO Awards Foundation, we get to know all these brilliant youth organizations, and together, we could create a huge impact in addressing the country’s concerns through technology. It is inspiring to see young people make an effort to build a better community, and it is our pleasure to contribute in this, “said Michael Ngan, Country General Manager, Lenovo Philippines.

Formed in 2014 by Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Biotechnology (BSABT) students at the University of Philippines Los Baños, UP GRAINS is a service-oriented academic organization that promotes agriculture through various activities involving agricultural biotechnology.

Their Lakbioteknolohiya project is an information and workshop series held in high schools and communities where agriculture is the main source of income. The lessons taught here are directly taken from UPLB’s curriculum which features hands-on exercises on urban farming and agricultural biotechnology experiments with the intent of improving agricultural production and maintain quality agro-environments.

“Since our inception, we have been using our personal laptops for our advocacy projects and activities and these new devices from Lenovo changed that. Now that UP GRAINS has its own set of devices, all our members can have access to laptops especially when out on the field,” said John Albert Caraan, Project Head of Lakbioteknolohiya.

The Search for Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards is a project of the TAYO Awards Foundation, Inc., the country’s premier award-giving body that recognizes and supports the outstanding contributions of youth organizations in the country.

Lenovo has been the exclusive technology partner of the TAYO Awards since 2012.

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IDC Announce Philippine IDC DX Awards 2018 Winners

MANILA, September 20th, 2018 – IDC announced today the winners from the Philippines of the second IDC Digital Transformation Awards (DXa) at the IDC DX Awards 2018 Philippines held at Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

IDC DX Awards recognizes organizations that have significantly disrupted the market or have transformed it, using digital and disruptive technologies. All the seven winners from the Philippines will represent the country to go head-to-head with winners from other Asia Pacific countries at the regional finals in Singapore on 25th October. These winners have distinguished themselves in terms of business transformation initiatives across one or more of the five DX masteries to transform and disrupt the market in the Philippines.

“This year’s nominations have proven that all industries are keen on improving their business processes and client engagement. We have seen interesting projects on cognitive computing/AI, Big
Data and Analytics, IoT, robotics and robotics process automation being utilized across vertical
industries, among others. This signifies that DX has achieved a macroeconomic scale and has become an important tool for Philippine businesses to achieve success,” said Jubert Alberto, Head of Operations, IDC Philippines.

“The Philippine businesses are commonly working in silos. As they commit to transform their
businesses, these organizations have been establishing an enterprise-wide digital strategy that
could help address IT challenges across all business units. IDC believes this is the main priority for
the local enterprises, as it will help them in crafting out a unified digital roadmap and strategy that
will provide an overall holistic change in the culture, people, and business processes. Constant
engagement and strong collaboration between IT and Line of Business (LOB) are needed for this
initiative, therefore, awareness of emerging technologies such as cloud, Internet of Things (IoT), and
big data and analytics (BDA) should continuously grow for digital transformation to take place,” said
Sudev Bangah, Managing Director, IDC ASEAN.

The Winning Organizations in the Philippines for the 2018 IDC DX Awards and their outstanding DX initiatives that distinguished them are:

Union Bank of the Philippines named as Digital Transformer of the Year: Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) is relentless in its pursuit to transform into a Digital Bank, with a culture of innovation and experimentation changing the way how the UnionBank engages with clients and employees alike. Digital transformation is evident in all aspects of the business with projects including the use of artificial intelligence in customer-facing chatbots, deployment of an open API strategy for its partners, and implementation of Robotic Process Automation in centralized backroom operations for the creation and submission of financial reports and in other tasks leading to a decrease of up 80% in processing time. The bank has also given focus to improving customer experience through the launch of its new mobile app and website, which has driven customer interactions from 26% to 98% of all total customer interactions since 2017. Its most recent initiative is The Ark, UnionBank's first fully digital lifestyle branch. The

Ark champions an interactional experience rather than a transactional space, with features that allow customers to open new accounts in less than 10 minutes with virtual telling machines and apply for home and auto loans with augmented and virtual reality experiences.

ALLCARE’s ALLCARE named as Digital Disruptor of the Year: ALLCARE addresses the compensation gap where the alternative workforce, composed of freelancers, solo entrepreneurs, professionals, and other informal workers do not have access to care and welfare that traditional employees have. ALLCARE aggregates freelancers’ benefits demand around the world and uses economies of scale to make benefits affordable and accessible to them. Utilizing blockchain technology, ALLCARE helps open this new and underserved market to providers without sacrificing operational costs through the usage of fully automated transactions in smart contracts. By incentivizing both workers and benefit providers through real-world value and utility, ALLCARE has grown to be a major disruption in the workforce technology space.

 

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s Data-driven Transformation of PhilHealth led by Jovita Aragona, Senior Vice President and CIO named as DX Leader of the Year and Information Visionary of the Year: PhilHealth is the sole administrator of national social health insurance for all Filipinos, which makes effective data management a vital to achieve the mandate of providing financial risk protection to the entire population. Led by Jovita Aragona, Senior Vice President and CIO, PhilHealth’s data management strategy commenced in 2016 with business intelligence and cloud technologies. As it broke down traditional barriers to efficiency, information accessibility-availability, and collaboration, data became a strategic asset for PhilHealth. With integrity of mission-critical data, system- and process- harmonization, and standard data report-analysis-mining techniques, PhilHealth has improved its programs and services for Filipinos through a comprehensive analysis of health insurance claims over time periods, diseases, social classes, national-LGU geographical areas, demographics, benefits programs, payment schemes, and other insurance-health dimensions. With advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, PhilHealth has also initiated a framework in detecting fraud and abuse in insurance claims. Finally, data on hand has also empowered PhilHealth to support the Department of Health in the creation of health programs, control of real-potential epidemics and emerging health conditions and trends, and synchronization of Universal Health Care initiatives.

Traci of Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) named as Talent Accelerator of the Year: After discovering a growing talent pool on social media, MERALCO launched its chatbot TRACI to support the Talent Resourcing team's initiative to optimize and streamline the job application process and establish an additional medium for engagement. TRACI enables users view job vacancies and submit applications via Facebook Messenger. TRACI is integrated with Google's artificial intelligence platform, which serves as the foundation for the chatbot’s Natural Language Processing, allowing MERALCO to provide timely feedback on job inquiries and application status.  All backend services are hosted and supported on the cloud with a document management system that holds all applicant submissions. Data about job vacancies posted are populated using Robotic Process Automation, which runs daily to support the process. With TRACI, MERALCO leverages digital technology to efficiently communicate to a younger generation of talent, positively impacting brand equity and recruitment capabilities.

Asian Hospital and Medical Center’s Hopprlab Power Bi Analytics named as Information Visionary of the Year: The Asian Hospital and Medical Center (AHMC) is committed to data-driven healthcare and has leveraged advanced analytics provide better services to its patients while lowering the total cost of care. Through the integration of digital technologies and modern medicine, AHMC is better equipped to deliver quality healthcare to it is patients. The hospital began digitalization in 2016, with its integrated information system delivering real-time insights on daily operations. AHMC has also gained the ability to understand historical trends, with such as month-on-month patient surges and ER overflows, and at the same time, learn about changing risk factors and new infectious diseases. AHMC has been able to make strategic data-driven decisions to make further

improvements on its infrastructure, facilities, and manpower utilization, which includes nurses and specialists. Having also digitized the hospital’s lab information, the AHMC Medical Informatics department is now working with the hospital's pharmacy module to provide further support to doctors in their clinical decisions. AHMC has also implemented a Patient Flow System, which allows doctors to understand the end-to-end patient journey, lowering the average Emergency Room to exit time to three hours, exceeding international standards.

Unilab Implements NetSuite OneWorld to Transform B2B Operations named Operating Model Master: Unilab, the largest pharmaceutical company in the Philippines is the first in its industry to leverage cloud ERP to standardize and stabilize its distributor management program through its iSERV 2.0 project. With NetSuite OneWorld, Unilab has helped power its 21 distributors by setting them up as individual partners. By upgrading to a unified cloud ERP system, Unilab has enabled its distributors to easily manage inventory and billing processes of over 10,000 trade accounts, such as drug stores, clinics, and grocery stores. Unilab has also used this system for sales and data consolidation and multisubsidiary management. Since the completion of this transformation in January 2017, Unilab has streamlined operations for its distributors and has gained greater visibility into the channel, contributing to its US $1 billion revenue.

PhilCare’s HeyPhil App named Omni-Experience Innovator of the Year: To assist members who need immediate consultation but must go through long queues and slow turnaround times to acquire a Letter of Authorization (LOA) forms required in medical services ailment, Philhealth Care, Inc. (PhilCare) has developed HeyPhil, a mobile application utilizing Artificial Intelligence technology. A first in the local HMO industry, PhilCare has incorporated Artificial Intelligence with the function of a virtual agent to help obtain information using natural language processing. Through the HeyPhil App, members can generate the LOA at their own convenience and avail of medical services directly without queuing at a hospital or clinic concierge.  From the usual average handling time of 6 minutes

at a medical partner or via the contact center and 30 minutes queuing at a hospital concierge, members can now get their own forms in less than two minutes. HeyPhil also provides the nearest physician, hospital, or clinic based on patient symptoms and location. Aside from LOA generation for consultations and laboratory procedures, members may also validate their eligibility and standard medical benefits. Finally, the app features a PhilCare Digi-Card, BMI and calorie calculators, and medical health bulletins and offers digital consultation with an online doctor.

IDC’s DX Awards follows a two-phased approach to determine the country and regional winners.

Each nomination is evaluated by a local and regional IDC analyst against a standard assessment

framework based on IDC’s DX taxonomy. All country winners will qualify for the regional competition, which will be decided by a regional panel of judges comprised of IDC Worldwide analysts, industry thought leaders, and academia.

Winners from all around Asia Pacific will join the Singapore winners at IDC's DX Summit and Digital Transformation Awards (DXa) Gala Night, where the regional winners will be announced for the categories of Digital Transformer of the Year; Digital Disruptor of the Year; DX Leader, Omniexperience Innovator, Talent Accelerator, Information Visionary, and Operating Model Master. 

The regional awarding ceremony will happen on the 25th October 2018 at JW Marriott Singapore.

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OWTO partners with Integrated Management Services, INC. for Health Benefits for their Drivers!

OWTO partners with Integrated Management Services, INC. for Health Benefits for their Drivers!

Top OWTO and IMS officials graced the contract signing in Casino Espanol Manila (from left to right starting from the fourth person in the photo): IMS President Josephine O. Almanzor, IMS Chairman Rodegelio R. Almanzor, OWTO CEO Joel M. Gayod and OWTO COO Paolo Libertad.

OWTO is a new Transport Network Vehicle Service company that is 100% Filipino-owned and is committed to provide reasonable value-for-money fares for riders as well as equitable take-home pay through lower commission take-out for driver partners.

On the other hand, IMS Inc. has been in operation for the past 33 years and has been trailblazing unique products and services in the HMO industry

IMS Chairman Rodelegio R. Almanzor and OWTO CEO Joel M. Gayod during the MOA-contract signing 

The two signed a partnership agreement that will give OWTO partner drivers Health Beneifts under IMS. This is a first for both TNVS and HMO industry in the country. The memorandum of agreement was signed recently at the Casino Espanol in Ermita Manila between the two companies. OWTO was represented by its chief executive officer (CEO) Joel M. Gayod and chief operating officer (COO) Paolo Libertad while IMS Inc. was represented by their chairman Rodegelio R. Almanzor and their president Josephine O. Almanzor.

The two parties agreed on Platinum Membership, the partner drivers of OWTO are entitled to health care, dental care and life protection in certain terms.

“This is a first in the transport network vehicle services (TNVS) and transport network services (TNS) industry! This proves that OWTO is sincere in its efforts to uplift the condition of our driver partners and help them in their chosen profession,” says Gayod.

For IMS part, Josephine Almanzor says this is the first time they partnered with the transport sector. “We believe that the transport sector especially the drivers should be given importance in terms of healthcare because their job comes with dangers and hazardous driving conditions.”

Paolo Libertad, COO of OWTO opines that it is their goal to attract more drivers to use the platform and this is one way to generate interest on top of other incentives they are cooking up continuously.

To date, OWTO is the second leading TNVS in the market right after GRAB in terms of partner drivers and usage.Nice to see a company that cares for their partners and not just for profit. OWTO is on the right path and hopefully they will succeed in pursuit for Fair and Safe Ride for Filipinos.

So interested? For more info about OWTO and how to become a partner driver, visit their website at www.owtoph.com, their Facebook Page: https://m.facebook.com/owtophl or visit them at Unit 1008 10 Floor, The One Executive Building, No. 5 West Avenue, Quezon City.

Be Sure to Check out OWTO Ride-Hailing App via Android and App Store! Support Filipino!

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