The PR & Events Circuit

Globe Telecom and its fully-owned subsidiary G-Xchange, Inc. (GXI) has entered into a strategic partnership with leading regional online entertainment provider Asiasoft Corporation Public Company Limited on gaming services provisioning. The collaboration is part of the Memorandum of Understanding  with Asiasoft which Globe and GXI signed together with other members of the Singtel Group such as Singapore Telecommunications  Limited (Singtel – Singapore), Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS – Thailand),  and PT Telekomunikasi Selular (Telkomsel – Indonesia).

The 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival gave out its annual award to the 8 films that was included in this year's roster. Winning BEST FILM is WALANG FOREVER topbilled by Jennylyn Mercado and Jericho Rosales with BUY NOW, DIE LATE and MY BEBE LOVE being 2nd and 3rd best. Despite the controversy, HONOR THY FATHER took home the BEST DIRECTOR Award for Erik Matti as well BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR for Tirso Cruz III.  Here's the complete list of Awardees of the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival

Ash cloud coming from Kanlaon Volcano Photo from Skyscrapercity Bacolod One the the more active volcanoes in the country is Mt. Kanlaon on the island of Negros. And today, Dec. 27, according to a report from PHIVOLCS, the volcano let out an ash cloud reaching to about a kiloemter after it erupted for 5 minutes at around half past 1pm. It had an " explosion type earthquake with rumbling sound ". 

To cater to Iloilo residents, Geox and Butterfly Twists recently opened their branches at SM City Iloilo. They are located at the upper ground floor and the 2nd floor of the new expansion wing of SM City Iloilo, respectively. Geox is an Italian brand of shoe and clothing manufactured with waterproof/breathable fabrics. The brand name, Geox, was created from a mixture between the Greek word “ geo ” (earth), and “ x ”, a letter-element symbolizing technology. The Geox group has consistently invested in innovation. Engineers, chemists and physicists are employed in research on perspiration and human-generated heat-movement patterns, testing all materials used in their footwear and manufacturing clothing.

Craving for sisig from 35,000 feet above? AirAsia guests flying to, from, and within the Philippines are in for a wonderful treat as Philippines AirAsia today officially started serving hot meals from its newest in-flight menu concept themed “Santan” which replaces AirAsia Café as part of the airline’s latest offerings to enhance customer experience while flying.  Fresh new items include Bangus Sisig, a Filipino dish made of chunks of boneless milkfish sautéed in onions seasoned with salt, pepper and spices. Buffalo Chicken Strips and Barbeque Cola Beef are tasty versions of grilled meat with smoky sauce paired with tomato rice or roasted potatoes. Those who are watching their calories, meanwhile, must try the new Vegetarian Chickpea Curry or the classic Maan’s Pasta Arabiata. New dishes are available for on-board and pre-book purchase in all Philippines AirAsia flights to/from Manila, Kalibo/Boracay, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, Davao, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau and South Korea.     

Globe Telecom remained the dominant player in the country’s mobile data business as its mobile browsing and other data revenues reached P15.1 billion for the first nine months of 2015, up by a solid 48% from P10.2 billion a year ago. Mobile data users grew by 126% year-on-year, while mobile data traffic increased by 89% from previous year’s level. On a sequential basis, mobile browsing and other data revenues grew by 9% from the P5.1 billion posted the prior quarter to P5.6 billion. Mobile browsing and other data revenues accounted for 24% of total mobile service revenues. “Our mobile data revenues have once again exceeded our expectations, maintaining its robust double-digit growth in revenues and traffic, as well as triple-digit growth in user base. We are confident that we can sustain this growth momentum towards the end of the year as the demand for data connectivity during the holidays is expected to soar. This shift to the digital lifestyle is part of our commitment to

Alongside with the launching of the Iloilo Christmas Village at the Iloilo Business Park , Megaworld launched its biggest and world-class showroom in this part of the country. Occupying around 2,745 square meters of space, the showroom will feature a modern design with an all-glass facade. The interior design of the showroom area is inspired by modern contemporary and industrial design.

The Samsung Happy Home Iloilo roadshow held during the first week of December at SM city Iloilo showcase a line-up of products that will surely be the best upgrade every Filipino’s home – dream-come-true,smart, innovative, and happier home.    To create one’s dream home, families want to be able to comfortably lounge around at home, enjoying life’s simple pleasures such as watching TV, munching on comfort food, or listening to good music with the family and friends. These great bonding moments will be made much better with Samsung Consumer Electronics, which makes their new home a luxurious haven for entertainment, fun, and relaxation. 

To live a good life is a dream everyone hopes for. It is a part of your life were you finally enjoy hard work. A good life is a life that deals with simple pleasures with your family, doing things that create lasting memories and nurturing relationship and the legacy you leave behind.   Mrs. Emily Casalmer, or Tita Emily, as everybody would fondly call her, is a resident of Parc Regency Residences for 5 years now. She is an epitome of an Ilonggo living a good life and making the most out of it. She recalls her life before moving in to her dream home. Living in an area exposed to the public and bystanders, she recalls one incident that made her finally decide to move to a better and secured subdivision near the city. 

ILOILO CITY—Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) is setting a new trend in banking with its Make the Best Happen campaign. Over and above offering its slew its range of products and services, BPI first of all wants to support its clients by helping them focus on their life aspirations. BPI, the first bank in the Philippines and in the Southeast Asian region, has a wide range of consumer, corporate, and investment banking products and services. 

Topspin Ace PH together with Globe Telecom brings to the Philippines for the first time, the Rafa Nadal Academy, a high-performance academy where together with Nadal’s team, they will develop young tennis players using the same values that have been fundamental to his achievements and success.  Organized by Topspin Ace PH, the Academy’s representative in the country and exclusively presented by Globe, It will be a by-invitation only clinic that will be personally conducted by his coach and uncle, Toni Nadal, who also heads the academy. The clinic will be held at Colegio de San Agustin in Makati on December 6, 2015. “At Globe, every effort we undertake lets us bring our customers’ passions closer to them. From music to movies, and now sports, we’d like to give our customers who are also major tennis fans the best access so they can meet and see live their favorite players. Through the Rafa Nadal Tennis Clinic, not only will our customers see Nadal live, they also get to be a pa

The GSM Association (GSMA) stressed the need for Asia-Pacific countries to allocate the 700 MHz band to mobile broadband use immediately, in order to take advantage of its socio-economic benefits. It found that further delays in the use of the spectrum could result in billions of dollars worth of losses in incremental GDP growth.   Utilizing the 700 MHZ spectrum, which is well suited to providing mobile broadband coverage indoors and over large areas, can potentially increase countries’ GDP impact by tenfold according to the GSMA.  Its Mobile Economy Asia study also found that the spectrum use can create 2.1 million additional jobs for the region by 2020. 

  ACE Hardware opens its 118th branch recently at CityMall in Brgy. Tagbak, Jaro, Iloilo. As the country's leading retail hardware store, it offers the latest and most innovative home improvement solutions. Sharing honors during ribbon cutting ceremony at ACE Hardware Jaro, Iloilo are Firefly Electric and Lighting Corporation's John Salcedo III (1st from left) and Akari Lighting and Technology Corporation’s Rosario Go Tiu (3rd from left) with ACE Hardware VP for Operations & Merchandising Bernard Ong and ACE Hardware SAVPs for Operations Reuben Cruz (5th from left) and Edwin Ting. Located at the mall's Ground Floor, the more than six hundred square meter store is definitely a haven for DIY enthusiasts. It has a wide range of hardware products and power tools, electrical and plumbing equipment, building materials, outdoor equipment, and items for the car and the house. It also has a lawn and garden section for gardening needs and a pet section for the animal lov

Christmas season fills the air as Megaworld, the country’s first and largest developer of integrated urban townships, opens its first-ever Christmas Village at the 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park in Mandurriao District.  “The Christmas Village will be a magical and exciting place to visit during the Yuletide season in Iloilo. This is a way for Megaworld to thank the Ilonggos for their relentless support in establishing Iloilo Business Park as the biggest business and tourism hub in Western Visayas,” says Jennifer Ann Palmares-Fong, marketing head for Iloilo Business Park, Megaworld.

The hype is building up for AirAsia in the Philippines with the consolidation of its operation two years after its local unit, AirAsia Inc. signed a partnership agreement with home grown airline ZestAir in 2013. Philippines AirAsia CEO, Joy Cañeba said, “Efficient service to our guests and safety are at the heart of everything we do in Philippines AirAsia. We are here to provide only the best value and world-class service that every Filipino deserves.” Philippines AirAsia has replaced the AirAsia Zest brand following the approval from Philippine regulatory authorities in September by the Securities and Exchange Commission and in December by CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines) and CAB (Civil Aeronautics Board) this year.

To create one’s dream home, families want to be able to comfortably lounge around at home, enjoying life’s simple pleasures such as watching TV, munching on comfort food, or listening to good music with the family and friends. These great bonding moments will be made much better with Samsung Consumer Electronics, which makes their new home a luxurious haven for entertainment, fun, and relaxation.  The "Bautista family" showed how they enjoy the many conveniences at home made possible by Samsung products. This family experience was showcased during Samsung Happy Home roadshow featuring Samsung’s range of new products, including Television, Home Entertainment Solutions, and Digital Appliances. The roadshow kicked off in Manila last August and was followed by Mindanao leg in Davao and Cagayan de Oroand Visayas leg in Bacolod and Cebu. On their sixth run, Samsung Happy Home roadshow went to SM IloIlo and will end in Naga City for 2015, letting more families see how Samsung

It is not co-incidental but providential that as we go nearer the season of giving,Property Company of Friends (PRO-FRIENDS) delivers happiness to Asilo de Molo, an elderly care center located in Molo, Iloilo City. Pro-Friends, known for its residential projects namely Parc Regency Residences and Monticello Villas in Pavia, Iloilo, spent an afternoon for an outreach program last December 1, 2015 to celebrate Christmas in the elderly shelter run by the Daughters of Charity of the Philippines. PRO-FRIENDS extended its thrust of “Creating Communities, Transforming Lives” this year by holding a Christmas party at the Asilo de Molo.The event, entitled “Touching Lives, a Christmas Party for the Elderly” has painted smiles on the faces of 42 senior citizens from the whole of Panay, who currently live in the shelter. The company brought good food, some dance numbers for amusement, gifts, and donations to the shelter. Pro-Friends received a warm welcome by the senior citizens as well as t

SM City Iloilo reaffirms its commitment to be a valuable partner of the community in keeping the environment clean, by holding the Trash to Cash Recycling Market on December 4 and 5, 2015 at the car park area(near the entrance leading to BDO). The activity is held every first Friday and Saturday of the Month and engages the community to take part by bringing their recyclable items and sell it to scrap buyers—a way initiated to encourage involvement of different sectors in curbing solid waste management problems. Waste items like old car batteries, papers, old computers, and other items that can still be recycled are accepted by buyers. The Trash to Cash Recycling Market is a project of SM Cares Committee on the Environment. For inquiries on other environmental projects and how you can take part in these initiatives, you may contact telephone number 320 9609 or visit the official Facebook page of SM City Iloilo.

Grupo Emperador Spain S.A., a company owned by Emperador, Inc., has reached an agreement with Beam Suntory to acquire the company’s Spanish brandy and sherry business in Jerez, the brandy capital of Spain.   The acquisition includes the iconic brands of Fundador Pedro Domecq, the Philippines' largest selling premium imported brandy brand; Terry Centenario, Spain’s no. 1 selling brandy; Tres Cepas, Equatorial Guinea’s no. 1 brandy; and Harveys, United Kingdom’s no. 1 selling sherry wine.  These brands carry a unique heritage and market leadership position in their respective categories.  Andrew Tan (third from left) closed the P13.8-B deal with Beam Suntory in Spain Fundador Brandy, for example, is the largest and oldest brandy in Spain and has been an icon of Spanish culture and heritage. It has also been an iconic premium liquor brand in the Philippines for more than 150 years.  

 AirAsia would like to encourage all guests travelling during the holiday period to conduct self-check-in and arrive at the airport earlier to clear all travelling formalities and avoid the expected congestion due to the surge of passenger numbers throughout this period. Guests are recommended to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours for AirAsia flights prior to the scheduled time of departure of their respective flights and to perform Self-Check-In via Web, Mobile app or Kiosk services for their travel convenience. Self Check-In via Web, Mobile or Kiosk services are available from 14 days and up to 1 hour prior to departure for all AirAsia flights. It is also highly recommended for guests to print out their boarding passes before arriving at the airport to ease their travel process. 

Globe Telecom is looking to sustain growth momentum of its prepaid business after several quarters of strong performance with a co-branding partnership with leading mobile phone manufacturer Cherry Mobile. Consolidated Globe prepaid customer base reached 47.8 million as of end-September 2015, up 17% from previous year’s 40.7 million. Globe Prepaid customer base posted growth of 14% year-on-year, while the TM base grew by 20% on the back of offers that recognize the youth and mass market’s shift to the digital lifestyle.  Globe Prepaid has made strides in positioning itself as the digital brand for the youth with offers which are bundled with free access to top social networking and messaging apps such as Facebook and Viber, premium apps and content such Spotify, as well as top mobile games such as Clash of Clans.  Globe Prepaid also enhanced its revolutionary GoSAKTO, which now allows customers to create more than 200 million call, text, and app combos that fit their needs,