Archive for the ‘Press Release’ Category
Impress Everyone with a 360 SELFIE Video Booth for Ad Agencies, Events, Weddings, Birthdays
Who wouldn’t want to have something that people remember weeks, even months, after your company event, product launch, pre-nuptial kissy-kissy, wedding reception, birthday celebration – any activity that even ad agencies and PR firms would want their clients to stand out? Yep, the title says it all – impress everyone with a 360 Selfie, now available in the Philippines.
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360 Selfie is, as self-described, a 360-degree beyond-the-photo-booth video booth set up whereby a camera is revolving around the subject, taking in as much as four people in the middle of the circumference, and creating a TV-like output. Special effects, music and even logo and text branding can easily be incorporated. Once done, 360 Selfie e-mails the 360-degree selfie video (yes, it’s a video, not a still shot – so, dance and make a fool of yourself) to the guest or anyone else.
How would you like all your guests to be your instant brand ambassadors when they share this at all the social media accounts? Heck! I even saw a few make it their profile photo or cover photo (remember, Facebook now allows videos to replace traditional profile or cover photo). For more information and booking, click to visit www.360selfieph.com.
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Disclaimer: This post was done as a favor.
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Experience the New Kata M4s Smart Phone
Kata finally cracked the fast-response 4G/LTE mobile phone market by introducing the Kata M4s, one of the three good Kata smart phones I’ve ever handled. It looks like a winner, so far, and like most almost-a-phablet size, guys like me always go for the big versus the small.
MY KATA EXPERIENCE
The first was the Kata M1 which I bought second-hand from a friend more four years ago. I think it’s a 5.5-inch sized phone (or maybe a little bigger) with a whooping 4000+ mHa battery. It was an engineering unit and the battery gave up two years later; unreplaceable, it now sits as a relic to a good sub-P10,000 phone.
My second was the Kata i3, which I eventually gave to a friend of mine who needed a good, reliable phone. For a 3G device, it was one of the fast-response phones of Kata, even if I still opted for the bigger size. The status is “borrowed, not given.” I’m still sentimental with that phone though I won’t be using it anymore.
And then, we come to my newest Kata – the M4s. The first reaction was, “Oh! It responds fast compared to other Kata phones! I like this.” If you’ve handled many tier-2 smart phone brands (meaning not a Samsung and not an iPhone), especially the sub-P5,000 devices, you’ll really notice the sluggishness of response; it’s like tap-then-go-to-the-fridge-to-get-a-beer activity – well, sort of. The M1 and i3s were responded faster than most. The Kata M4s belongs to these fast response smart phones.
WHY I LIKE THE KATA M4S
I have the engineering unit of the Kata M4s which by definition is like a “Beta Test” device that Kata lent me. I’m not a die-hard techie who does hardware tests. My requirements are simple, and to simplify these, I decided to put in a table or worksheet format:
Special mention are:
USB TYPE-C
I read that as far as Android-based phones are concerned, a USB Type-C connector is far better than your typical Micro USB version. For one, the latter can charge your phone up to 2.5 watts of power; the Type-C goes up to 100 watts. It’s reversible (don’t you hate it when it’s dark and you have to plug your phone? LOL!). It’s bi-directional, which means your phone can either send or receive power, something that can even charge your laptop which usually requires 60 watts. And the transfer rate is 5Gbps up to 10Gbps. Good choice, Kata!
FINGERPRINT SCANNER
The fingerprint scanner is also a nice touch, much like the iPhone 6s Plus I have. It makes it a little easier to get to the home screen (or whatever screen I left it) than having to tap in coded passwords. I haven’t had the chance to use it for other apps other than logging-in to my phone, but I’m sure the future of fingerprint scanners make the Kata M4s in tune with the times.
IT’S MADE OF GLASS
Though the front of any smart phone is made of clear glass, I’m surprised the back is also encased in glass. Wow! Which makes “the feel” of the Kata M4s a little on the heavy side but solid as a rock, so to speak. It’s like saying, “it’s not for the weak of heart”; “It’s not a dainty phone.” So, I like it.
However, they should have made it out of Gorilla Glass. It’s not; it’s simply glass-encased on top of its AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic LED) display. This means if you’re NOT the OCD type, it’s better to buy TWO clear, plastic films to protect both front and back of the phone from scratches, or any anti-scratches medium placed on top of the glass.
CURVED SIDES
I love that the Kata M4s curves on all sides, both faces, very much similar to the Samsung Edge; but not too much. The problem most people didn’t like about the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge was the accidental tapping of the phone when one holds the phone on its edge. I had friends return back the Edge for the normal S6. The Kata M4s (probably) also knew people’s experience on the S6 Edge and made sure the Kata M4s wasn’t as edgy as the S6. So, yeah – that’s cool!
PRICE
There’s no announcement of the retail price for the Kata M4s but I’m guessing it will be above P10,000 but lower than P15,000. It will be good if goes sub-P10,000.
CONTACT
You may contact Kata at (02) 706-5395 local 2900, e-mail them at info@katadigital.com or visit their website at www.katadigital.com.
Note: This is not a paid post.
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Sophos Awards Microgenesis Business System Partner of the Year 2017
Sophos, the leader in next-generation endpoint and network security, awards Microgenesis Business System Partner of the Year for ASEAN at the 2017 APJ Sophos Discover Partner Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, held on May 30 – June 2, 2017.
Joergen Jakobsen, Regional Vice President & Managing Director, Asia Pacific & Japan, Sophos: “It is always a great pleasure to be able to meet our partners face to face at these events as they play a crucial role in our success as a business. It’s a fantastic opportunity to gather feedback, to hear our partners’ validation of our strategy across the endpoint and network and to see it helping to make their businesses a success. I am delighted Microgenesis Business System has won the award for Sophos Partner of the Year for ASEAN. They have had a fantastic year and it’s very well deserved.”
Jeffrey Choa, Executive Director, Microgenesis Business System: “We are honoured to be named Partner of the Year and believe this award is testament to our commitment to Sophos for the past 15 years. With the support and dedication from Sophos, we have been able to integrate our market insights with Sophos’s expertise and product suite, to deliver our promise of making IT easy for businesses. We are motivated by the constant developments at Sophos which aims to address evolving security concerns of customers, and look forward to working closely together to lend greater value to enterprises in Philippines.”
Also present at the Sophos sales and partner event was Sophos CEO Kris Hagerman and the executive leadership team, and more than 650 people which includes partners delivered by key business, product, technical and sales experts.
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About Microgenesis Business System
Microgenesis is a leading information technology solutions provider in the Philippines. A software company since 1998, it is now a system solutions provider. Its clientele are mainly the top 5000 corporations in the country. For more information, visit www.mgenesis.com.
About Sophos
Sophos, headquartered in Oxford, UK and publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange, is a leader in next-generation endpoint and network security, with a portfolio of endpoint, network, encryption, web, email and mobile security solutions. More than 100 million users in 150 countries rely on Sophos solutions as a protection against sophisticated threats and data loss. For more information, visit www.sophos.com.
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Source: Press release by Dominguez Marketing Communications Inc.
Title photo from source.
Photo caption: Jeffrey Choa, Executive Director, Microgenesis Business System (in the middle) with the Sophos team at 2017 APJ Sophos Discover Partner Conference
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Makatizen Card Launched – Makati to become Country’s First Connected City
The Makati City government launched yesterday the Makatizen Card which will allow the city’s 500,000 residents to access city government services and transact with the LGU – receive cash allowances, stipends, and other benefits – while allowing the cardholders to pay fees and taxes, remittances, and other financial transactions. The Makatizen Card also functions as an ATM card and is considered as a valid government ID card. The Card is in collaborations with Globe Telecom, GCash (G-Xchange Inc. or GXI), and iBayad Online Ventures.
Around 1,000 functioning sample Makatizen Cards were given out and tested yesterday morning. Beside the city residents, Makati City government employees can use their Makatizen Card to receive salaries and allowances.
The Makatizen Card comes with a Near-Field Communication (NFC) feature that allows city offices equipped with iBayad machine readers to verify the identity of residents and Makati City employees in a single tap. It stores the information which easily identifies the card holder availing of various city government services without the need to present additional documents.
GXI (GCash) will serve as the financial service provider for the Makatizen Card while iBayad will deploy the mPOS terminals and build the merchant network where the cards will be accepted.
Makati Mayor Abigail Binay: “The Makatizen Card goes beyond providing Makati citizens with instant access to essential services of the city government, which in itself is a major leap forward for the city. The wide range of digital and mobile services offers the people of Makati more convenient and cost-effective ways of meeting their day-to-day needs and obligations.”
Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO: “For the Philippines to truly become a digital nation, we need to fully take advantage of new digital opportunities and innovations to enable growth in every corner of our country. We laud the vision of the Makati City government whose support of this initiative is critical to build the city-wide digital ecosystem, a step towards the realization of our dream for the Philippines to become an admired nation.”
Albert Tinio, President of GXI (GCash): “Each Makatizen Card carries the features of the GCash mobile wallet but is also customized to be used in the city-wide local merchant network. All services that they will get in Makati City, whether it is payment of taxes, cash allowances for health and other benefits, etc. will be directly credited to this GCash wallet that is linked to the card. They don’t have to carry anything except this ID and their mobile phone.”
iBayad Founder and CEO Paolo G. Saycon: “For us, the Makatizen Card Project is as much a social endeavour, as it is a business venture. This undertaking is aligned with iBayad’s purpose of developing socially relevant and meaningful financial innovations that will transform the way people pay. Our objective is to accelerate the adoption and transformation of every consumer’s traditional spending behaviour from cash-centric to electronic payments.”
More on Globe Telecom
Globe has been ramping up network investments in a bid to amplify benefits of its new spectrum assets and enhance mobile services particularly for data. The company has announced a capital spend of $750 million for the year in an effort to continuously improve mobile and data services. Globe is also aggressively building on its fiber broadband services, aiming to create an internet super highway nationwide. The company aims to deploy fiber optics in 20,000 barangays by 2020 which will provide ultra-fast internet access to around 2 million homes nationwide.
Globe Business, the enterprise information and communications technology (ICT) arm of Globe, is leading the way in encouraging local government units like Makati City to adopt the integration of ICT and governance as a means of improving the delivery of government services and exchange of information. The said initiative supports Globe’s drive to transform the Philippines into a digital nation by instilling the importance of eGovernance to offices ranging from the local government units up to the national government.
One of the capabilities derived from an improved mobile and broadband infrastructure is the creation of a city-wide cashless ecosystem wherein e-payment methods such as e-money and debit/credit cards are utilized instead of physical cash. This will benefit not only the residents but also schools, hospitals, government offices, transportation facilities, and other micro, small, and medium-size enterprises.
The Makatizen Card is a product of the Makati City government, Globe Telecom, GCash (GXI) and iBayad, as part of the thrust of Makati City to be the first connected city.
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Source: Press release from Globe Telecom Corporate Communications
Photos from source.
Title photo caption: (L-R): Makati City Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo; SVP for Enterprise Peter Maquera; Chief Commercial Officer Albert de Larrazabal; Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu; Makati City Mayor Abby Binay; GXI President Abet Tinio; Makati City Administrator Claro Certeza; iBayad CEO Paulo Saycon.
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Globe Telecom’s Rogue One Mask, Create Courage Campaign Finalist in Tangrams Effectiveness Spikes Awards
Globe Telecom’s “Rogue One Mask”, created by Publicis JimenezBasic, was shortlisted as a finalist in the Tangrams Effectiveness@Spikes Awards. The Tangrams (formerly Asian Marketing Effectiveness and Strategy Awards) are Asia Pacific’s foremost awards honoring clients and their agencies for marketing strategies that deliver solid results to transform businesses and brands.
The annual awards are evaluated by a panel of top client and agency professionals who review the submissions against stringent criteria to determine the winners.
The Tangrams awards will be held at Spikes Asia on 27 September at Suntec Singapore.
Globe stated (in a press release sent to @miniphils) that instead of focusing on revenue-generating marketing activities like for-sale merchandising, the company launched “Create.Courage.” (or #CreateCourage), a campaign designed to advocate for non-judgmental understanding and to celebrate bravery during struggle.
If you recall, the YouTube video-short showed the younger sibling of a brother wearing a Stormtrooper helmet/mask walking to school and inside the classroom, at home, during play, in bed and even while brushing their teeth. When the youngster enters the classroom the following day, all the classmates were all wearing the same Stormtrooper headgear. Only then did the she reveal what was inside the headgear… Well, it’s best you watch it (again).
In the press release, Globe said it created the video to raise awareness for the plight of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), which needed to raise funds for the rehabilitation of its pediatric oncology clinic. Globe enlisted the support of its millions of viewers to donate to the clinic, so that the hospital could make it a warmer, more cheerful environment conducive to the children’s recovery.
Globe Chief Commercial Officer Albert De Larrazabal said, “Rogue One is the story of unlikely heroes who banded together to do unexpected heroic feats. Our story pays homage to people like that, who persevere through untold odds. In particular, we wanted to recognize children who are facing tremendous challenges but whose spirit and heart keep them going, determined to prevail. We are honored by the recognition from Tangrams and grateful to have been given the chance to try and positively impact the real world.”
The first time I watched it, I had to shed a tear; or two; or a pail! LOL!
Incidentally, there are also five more organizations from the Philippines in the shortlist, namely:
- Splash Corporation for “The Beautiful Truth” by Publicis JimenezBasic
- Smart Communications for “Accepted” By Dentsu Jayme Syfu
- Unilever for “The Good Experiment” by Dentsu Jayme Syfu
- MMDA for “IsThereAProblemOfficer.ph” by McCann Worldgroup
- CARMMA* for “Correcting History” by TBWASantiago Mangada Puno
*Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses to Malacañang
Globe is competing against 102 organizations in 14 countries, namely Australia (24 entries), China (16), Hong Kong (3), India (13), Indonesia (1), Japan (2), Malaysia (1), New Zealand (7), Pakistan (1), Singapore (11), Taiwan (5), Thailand (5), and Vietnam (5).
For the complete list, please visit www.tangrams.asia/general/2017-effectiveness.
Congratulations to Globe Telecom. Hope you guys win the Tangrams Effectiveness@Spikes Awards for your “Rouge One Mask” / Create Courage campaign entry.
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Sources: Press release from Globe Telecom’s Corporate Communications | Tangrams Asia | Globe YouTube Channel
Photo – Screenshot from YouTube video
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The 69th Commencement Exercises of MLQU
The Manuel L. Quezon University, or MLQU as everyone calls it, yesterday held its 69th Commencement Exercises at the Victoria Sports Tower in EDSA, Quezon City. With its slogan, “Shaping the minds of the nation’s future change makers”, the graduating students from all academic programs were honored as the country’s future enablers and leaders, carrying MLQU’s ethos in making a positive impact to society.
The processional “Aida March” was succeeded by the entrance of colors by the MLQU’s ROTC cadets, followed by the invocation given by Rosavilla Dacquel and the national anthem by the university choir.
Dr. Isagani Germar, MLQU President, gave the opening remarks followed by the Conferment of Honorary Degree (Honoris Causa): Presentation of Honoree, Reading of the Board Resolution, Donning of the Hood, Medallion Endorsement, Reading of the Citation and Presentation of Plaque, culminating in the speech of the guest speaker.
“Your graduation is your most successful achievement as a young adult and a result of your years of hard work and dedication to your studies. As graduates, you are now part of the country’s richest resource. We are very proud to each and every one of you”, said Germar.
Former Quezon City Rep. and Speaker of the House of Congress Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte was the graduation ceremony’s guest speaker.
The Presentation of Graduates was conducted by Norman Guillermo, University Registrar. President Germar came back to award the Investiture of Academic Titles and Degrees and the diplomas. This was the actual rites wherein all graduates, from college level all the way up to doctorate degrees, were conferred their respective titles and diplomas.
MLQU chairman Dr. Jose Rizalino Acuzar delivered his message, ultimately closing the rites, with a pledge of commitment conducted for all the graduates. Atty. Pedro Principe, President of the MLQU Alumni Association, inducted the graduates to the association, followed by the singing of the MLQU Hymn. The recessional march succeeded and the ROTC cadets exited the main hall of the Victoria Sports Tower with the university colors.
Last year’s commencement exercises at MLQU saw former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III being given an honorary degree of Doctor in Public Administration (Honoris Causa).
In 2014, 69-year-old Manuel L. Quezon University was acquired by New San Jose Builders, Inc. (NSJBI) which led to the university’s transfer from Hidalgo Street in Quiapo, Manila, to EDSA near the MRT-Kamuning station, Quezon City in Aug. 19, 2016, coinciding with the 138th birth anniversary of the Quezon City’s visionary and former Philippine Commonwealth president, Manuel Luis Quezon. The transfer was dubbed “Quezon is Home” and it featured MLQU’s symbolic move with the unveiling of the late president’s portrait done by the late National Artist Fernando Amorsolo. Present during the transfer ceremonies were Congr. Sonny Belmonte, former Senator Wigberto Tañada, former trade secretary Peter Favila, MLQU and New San Jose Builders’ chairman Jose Rizalino Acuzar, MLQU president and NSJBI co-chairman Isagani Germar, Commission on Higher Education executive director Julito Vitriolo, and Philippine Regulatory Commission chairman Eduardo Ong.
MLQU today continues to add in its roster of faculty members and deans who are known practitioners from their respective industry. Notable deans are former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, Regent & Dean Emeritus College of Law; former Supreme Court Associate Justice Jose Perez, Dean School of Law; Professor Eric Soriano, Dean School of Accountancy, Business and Real Estate Management; and DPWH Undersecretary Raul Asis and former UP Dean of Architecture Danilo Silvestre, special lecturers to name a few.
Alongside the enhancement of MLQU facilities and faculty, the basic education program for kindergarten to senior high will be offered at MLQU SPACE (School for Professional Advancement and Continuing Education) this coming June.
Visit MLQU SPACE for more information and inquiries about the latest courses and certification offerings or contact 09176759184 or (02) 215-3898. Visit the website at www.mlqu.edu.ph or its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mlquofficial.
Sources: Onsite | Press Release | Philstar.com
Photos by @raffypekson
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Hya Tara Leonardo and Her Disney Princess I Dare to Dream Adventure
Hya Tara Leonardo, who is fondly known as Hya, is the eldest of six contestants of Lea Salonga’s Disney Princess: I Dare to Dream concert happening on Wednesday, March 22, 2017, to be held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. The other five contestants Sirach Catipay, Stephanie Jordan, Jaden Narvios, Liana San Diego, and Alexi Tan.
Hya, who is 16 years of age, is the breadwinner of her family; she stopped schooling to financially support her grandmonther and special-needs brother. To do that, Hya sings and dances at clubs, private parties, weddings and such to make ends meet. Her mother abandoned them while her father passed away.
She was even the day’s winner in the Tawag Ng Tanghalan Kids competition last year In February 24, 2016.
Hya wants to be a Broadway actress and singer, just like her idol Lea Salonga. She says, “I want to be rich like people who have iPhones.” Hya has always dreamt of performing in front of a large audience. On March 22nd, one of her dreams will come true.
Globe Live is presenting this musical celebration of Disney Princess movies with the competition of the six young girls mentioned above, all vying for a chance to be featured in Disney’s online video series: Disney Princess: I Dare to Dream. The main celebrity coach and peformer for this concert is Lea Salonga, with performances coming from Aicelle Santos, Christian Bautista, Erik Santos, Janina Vela, Julie Anne San Jose, KC Concepcion, Morissette, Sam Concepcion and Tippy Dos Santos.
GET 50% OFF WHEN YOU USE THIS PROMO CODE
Get 50 percent discount on every “Disney Princess: I Dare To Dream Concert” ticket by simply using the Promo Code = Pbnet143 via https://smtickets.com/events/view/5485 or over-the-counter.
The maximum single transaction using the Promo Code is buying six (6) tickets.
The Promo Code is available starting today until concert time on March 22, 2017, courtesy of the partnership between Globe Telecom and the Philippine Bloggers Network (PBNet).
Press release from @pbnetworkph #pbnetworkph #pbnet #GlobeTelecom #idaretodream #createbigdreams
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Fake Globe Telecom Website
Fake websites have been around more than fake news. I mean, http://www.pldt.com was once an anti-PLDT website before the birth of Facebook and Twitter. The real PLDT company was eventually able to acquire the dot-com (I wonder how much they bought it) and now routes its http://www.pldt.com.ph to this .com domain.
Today, it’s the fake website – http://www.globetelecom.ph.
A few hours ago, I received a press release from Globe Telecom advising me and the reading public about the fake website. Curious, I surfed around it. A lot of the web page assets were pointing to the real sub-domains of globe.com.ph. I found one web page which belongs to the fake website domain name, where you encode your detailed information about the roll over of unused data, globetelecom.ph/postpaid/rolloverc404.html. AHA!
A quick WhoIs check reveals a German company name with registrant name Frederik Havemann (probably both fake, too), a Hong Kong address, and its servers located in the Russian Federation (bearing the domain suffix .ru).
Anyway, now you know this is a fake Globe website. The real website URL or domain is www.globe.com.ph.
So, spread the word around.
Here is the press release from Globe Telecom:
We wish to inform our valued customers that http://globetelecom.ph/ is NOT an official Globe online property and is NOT connected with the company. Globe Telecom is working with concerned authorities on fraud and trademark infringement to permanently remove this site. We strongly advise our customers against providing any crowdsourcing information on the fraudulent site. We also appeal to our customers to report any similar attempts of fraud. For any information on our products and services, please visit us online at http://globe.com.ph. Customers may also relay any concerns through our customer hotline and through Twitter channels @enjoyGLOBE and @Talk2GLOBE; Facebook page Globe Telecom; or through Enjoy Globe on Viber. – Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto.
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5 Surefire Ways to Survive Being Homesick
Being an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) surely means being homesick from time to time. I mean, I was once an OFW working in South America for two years, in a country where there was no Filipino community, no Filipino channels, no Filipino reading materials and, worse of all, no Filipino food. This was a time when Viber and Skype did not exist, complicated voice over the internet (of VOIP) was expensive and hard to come by. Today, it’s fairly easy to get connected but still, being homesick will always creep in.
A friend of mine recently sent me a “5 Ways to Cope with Homesickness” and I just had to copy-paste it here. I know, there’s a service being pushed in the “5 ways” but heck! That’s really part of the means an OFW will battle and survive homesickness by sending gifts to their loved ones – all the time.
In any case, I hope these tips help you win!
1. Get out and get “adopted!”
Get to know the city. Make new friends. Visit popular sites, new attractions, and try local cuisine. Think of it as a long vacation. Be intentional in understanding the country’s culture and history. Feel good about the place and soon enough new friends will find you.
2. Release happy hormones
Feeling good starts with yourself. A simple walk on the street can release endorphins that will make you feel better. Jog around the block, or look for studios that offer dance classes. The key is to do what you like to feel better. Remember, just because you are alone right now doesn’t mean it will be forever.
3. Take a break from social media
We get it, reading posts and liking photos on social media are a great tool to keep track of what everybody else is doing, but this may actually make you feel worse. Seeing how people are moving on with their lives without you back home may not be the best for now.
Take a break from social media or limit your scrolling time. Go outside and enjoy the scenery instead of looking at what everyone else is doing. Be a tourist and post pictures of your new environment or join a local sporting league to show it to friends and family – for sure they are dying to know that you are enjoying your time too.
4. Send gifts to your love ones
Online shops and apps are just at the palm of your hands. With a few taps on your phone, you easily buy gifts trinkets that are neatly wrapped to surprise your loved ones.
Did you know that you can also purchase flowers online and have them delivered anywhere in the world? Neat right? Just be mindful that you are dealing with legit sellers who won’t just take your hard-earned cash. For everything else, there’s always MoneyGram. Filipinos abroad can take advantage of MoneyGram’s global network of approximately 350,000 locations in 200 countries and territories worldwide while receivers will have the convenience of receiving these from more than 12,000 locations across the Philippines. Did you know that you can also send money online or in person to any bank account via cash or credit? Doing money matters has never been this easy. MoneyGram’s network allows people to send and receive cash anytime from anywhere in the world hassle-free.
5. Book it!
If all else fails, be on the lookout for travel fairs and seat sales to score a flight back home. Scour the internet and other apps for the cheapest and most convenient ticket. Nothing beats the rush of finally being able to touch your loved one because there is no place like home.
Wait! What’s MoneyGram?
MoneyGram is a global provider of innovative money transfer and payment services and is recognized worldwide as a financial connection to friends and family. Whether online, or through a mobile device, at a kiosk or in a local store, MoneyGram connects consumers any way that is convenient. It also provides bill payment services, issues money orders and processes official checks in select markets. In 2016, MoneyGram received the “Remittance Product of the Year” award from The Asian Banker. More information about MoneyGram International, Inc. is available at moneygram.com.
Anything good about MoneyGram?
Here’s one: MoneyGram established the MoneyGram Foundation in 2012 to help children around the world gain access to educational facilities and learning resources. Its mission is firmly rooted in the belief that education is at the heart of better economic opportunities, healthier families and individual freedom and empowerment. The MoneyGram Foundation is focused on inspiring minds and improving lives and grants funds to deserving organizations with this mission in mind. To learn more, please visit moneygramfoundation.org or connect with us on Facebook.
Fine. It’s a press release, of sorts, but it was fun reading it, right?
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Source: Press Release from MoneyGram
Photo from Wikimedia.org
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Google Philippines Has a New, More Permanent Home (in a Place That Should Not Be Mentioned)
The e-mail invitation I got in my Google inbox from TeamAsia just had the subject, “Google PH special announcement for 2017.” Opening the e-mail message, it said I had to click to go to the RSVP form. Of course, clicking it brought me to the Google Docs Form that automatically saves a filled-up form to the owner/sender’s Google Drive.
In the form, it started with “Google has a big announcement on January 26…” and continued on by specifying the date (January 26th) and the two versions of the event – morning or afternoon. Further reading revealed two options:
The morning event will have the keynote and a ceremony. PERK: You’ll be among the first ones to hear the news.
The evening event will recap what happened in the morning, and we’ll enjoy the night away. 😊 PERK: Think fun trivia night!
Naturally, I chose the evening event. Who doesn’t want a fun trivia night?
But here’s the kicker – everyone who were privately invited cannot reveal where the announcement is going to take place. It’s supposed to be a secret; and you shouldn’t even dare mention it, tag it or check-in on any social networking site, or anywhere online.
Wait! Who was that guy who was the archenemy of Harry Potter? Yeah, that guy! The name-that-should-not-be-mentioned. The eerie request just sounded so familiar, right?
I arrived at the place-that-should-not-be-mentioned and was greeted by the TeamAsia associates at the lobby of the place-that-should-not-be-mentioned (Haha! I love repeating this phrase!) Since I was pre-selected to the media event, they gave me a ready-made, clip-on name tag of-sorts that bore my name, and asked me to have a seat while I wait for someone to escort me to the designated floor. Hmm… really spy stuff, huh?
I smirked when I saw the lobby seats – it was made from fiberglass or some sort of polymer material that is only just about a foot-and-a-half high without seat cushions. “Oh, boy! My mom can’t even sit on these! They’re way too low and hard,” I told myself quietly. Trendy isn’t for everyone, y’know? One of the bloggers was already there, also waiting for our escort.
When our escort arrived, there were already about 8 or 10 of us waiting in the lobby. The lobby security guy had to use his ID to open the clear-plastic barriers where you tap your ID onto the scanner. We followed our escort (can’t describe our escort – he was a guy) to the elevator and he pushed the floor number of the place-that-should-not-be-mentioned. (See? I can’t even mention the floor!)
When the elevator doors slid open, we were ushered to an all-glass entrance. Another ID tapped and the glass doors open. Tadah! The familiar Google Philippines logo with back-lighting was the first thing I noticed upon entering but before I could get my trusty camera-phone, we were rushed to a lounge area with modern seating looking like a restaurant (the first lookalike that came to mind was Single Origin in Bonifacio High Street Central). In the center was what looked like a kitchen center counter-top which is common in American households. “Hey! There are chafing dishes with food in it! Finally! Food!” ROFL!
All around one side of the wall were painted quotations in Filipino, quoting famous sayings like “Basta’t driver, sweet lover” and other funny idioms. LOL! The other side was a wall of glass windows spread one end ’til the other in an “L” shape, that gave a magnificent view of the metropolis at night. Then, I remembered we were just one floor below the penthouse of this very tall building in the place-that-should-not-be-mentioned.
I looked around and saw a coffee vending machine. Great! I went for it and stopped short of doing anything – just staring. “How do you operate this thing?” Good thing one of the kitchen staff saw me staring stupid at the dang machine too long and offered to help.
“What kind of coffee, sir?” she said in Filipino.
I answered, “Americano. Black. No milk, no sugar.” I added, “If you go black, you’ll never go back!” but she never noticed my joke. #sayang
Yay! Coffee at 8 o’clock in the evening!
After talking to people from TeamAsia and other bloggers I knew, we were ushered to the buffet-kitchen-center-countertop-lookalike (why I love using dashed words I wouldn’t even know). There was white rice and brown rice and lots of meat, including the much-loved Pork Sisig. There was salad but most of the dishes served meat cooked the Filipino way. I assumed dinner would be served at this event but guessing Google, they’ll surely go healthy like lots of greens, probably just chicken for meat, potatoes, bread and others. Haha! I was wrong! That was awesome!
And there were a variety of beers – San Miguel Light, Corona and Stella Artois. I took a Stella because I like Belgian beer; it’s got that taste of craft beer or micro-brewed beer.
Then, I joined the second batch for the tour of the Google Philippines office. Google occupied the entire floor of the place-that-should-not-be-mentioned (and the floor-that-should-not-be-mentioned too, I suppose). Google Philippines’ meeting rooms were all named after famous places like Palawan and Bohol, to name two that I remember.
The Google Philippines lobby had a vertically-shaped, framed, embossed map of the Philippines (Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) with the familiar Google Maps pin which pointed out in the map where the place-that-should-not-be-mentioned was located, and with a lighted Google Philippines logo above. During the morning event, they had a ceremony of lighting this Google Philippines logo on the map, sort of saying “We officially have a permanent office.” The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez was Google Philippines’ guest of honor who ceremoniously switch on the light.
Back to the tour, we came upon “the office,” the no-barriers, curve-shaped, connected desks where the Philippine Googlers worked. I think half of them are occupied while the others were recognizably vacant (hint: still hiring?). I looked underneath and saw snake-like, rectangular metal tubings looping up and down, and all around, between workstations. “Nice structured cabling,” I told myself, then quickly realized how geeky I quietly sounded for admiring the cabling work. LMAO!
Google Philippines also has a “Lactation Room” specially created for breastfeeding moms who needs to use a breast pump in private, complete with a refrigerator to store breastmilk. “How about a room for dads?” I hollered. We all laughed.
We came back to the lounge that looked like a restaurant and bantered some more with the guys in my table and the Team Asia people until the host of the event announced that it was time for Trivia Night! Since we were already 5 or 6 guys at the table we were sitting at, we decided to form one of the groups. The host said we needed to name our group. We all looked at each other as if silently saying the same thing, and one of my group mates started writing down our group’s name on the laminated board: The Guwapings! (Okay, take a gander as to how to translate that to English! Go #GoogleTranslate)
To cut this already long story short, our group The Guwapings won! Google Philippines was never for extravagant gifts and prizes since it started holding annual media events the past three years. So, we each won a simple, generic but Google-engraved ball pen with a wooden desk accessory to hold ball pens, paper clips, notepads and stuff.
OMG! I arrived a little past 7:00PM and we ended this event at 11:30PM. But it was a fun night!
Here are the summary highlights to other Google Philippines announcements during my visit to the place-that-should-not-be-mentioned:
- Google Philippines is supporting the growth of the country’s digital economy with a Google.org grant to DigiBayanihan, a nationwide digital literacy program that promotes digital inclusion among Filipinos;
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- Google Philippines Country Manager Ken Lingan: “Two out of 5 Filipinos are still missing out on the huge opportunities that come with being online. We want to empower them with digital know-how so that they can make the most of the Internet”;
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- DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez: “With the population getting more connected and engaged every day, it is necessary for individuals, businesses, and communities to have the right skills to thrive in today’s modern economy. That’s why we welcome Google’s (Philippines) commitment to promote digital inclusion and empower every Filipino online, and in effect, drive the country’s economy forward”;
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- Google introduced the launch of the Launchpad Accelerator program in the Philippines. This is a 6-month program to help tech startups build successful companies that includes a 2-week, all-expense-paid training at Google Headquarters in Silicon Valley where they get access to Google engineers, resources, and mentors, and get credits for Google products, among other benefits;
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- Google said that the Philippines’ online market value is set to reach US$19 billion by 2025, making e-commerce a major economic driver in the next 10 years;
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- Google Philippines Country Manager Ken Lingan: “Our local developers and startups are instrumental in creating impactful businesses that are tackling tough local and global issues. We see the importance of their role in what will be a booming e-commerce in our country in the very near future because what they do has direct impact in people’s lives”;
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- Real-estate start-up Zipmatch is the first Filipino participant in Google’s Launchpad Accelerator;
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- Google Philippines released 188 new local sites on Google Street View, including key attractions and landmarks from Batanes to Palawan to Guimaras. There are now over 300 sites from across the country have been made available on Street View since the launch of the first collection in 2015;
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- Google Arts and Culture is a website and app that lets users explore artworks, artifacts, and more from over 1,000 museums, archives, and organizations that have partnered with the Google Cultural Institute to bring their collections and stories online. The app is available on desktop, mobile web, iOS and Android.
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Source: Press release from TeamAsia | Online research
Photos from TeamAsia | Google Philippines| @raffypekson
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Bits and Snippets of the Philippines 