The PR & Events Circuit

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VI is reminding parents to ensure the safety of their children particularly from sexual abuse. “Sexual abuse among children could curtail their growth and traumatize them. Thus, we call on parents to be extra vigilant,” said Rebecca Geamala, regional director. Geamala issued this statement as the whole country observed the National Awareness Week for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation.”

Get in line for SM Supermalls 30th anniversary promo on February 29, 2016! Thirty (30) complimentary passes from SM Storyland is up for grabs for customers on the said date. The first 30 customers who will purchase one Ride-All-You-Can or individual ticket, will receive one free complimentary pass which they can use at any mall ride on the same day. This is SM Storyland’s treat to its loyal customers for them to enjoy on this special occasion.

AirAsia, the World’s Best Low Cost Carrier for seven consecutive years, has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Davao tourism represented by Visit Davao Fun Sales (VDFS) Vice Chair Fides Bernabe and Department of Tourism (DOT) Region XI Director Roberto Alabado III. The partnership aims to establish Davao as a premiere tourist destination in the Philippines with abundant resources for eco-tourism and available facilities for sports and outdoor competitions. Philippines AirAsia Commercial Head, Gerard Peñaflor; Visit Davao Fun Sales (VDFS) Vice Chair Fides Bernabe; and Department of Tourism (DOT) Region XI Director Roberto Alabado III at the signing ceremony held recently at the Mall of Asia SMX Convention Center, Pasay City. As airline partner, AirAsia is offering low fares for its Manila-Davao flights to encourage more and more tourist to visit and enjoy Davao’s latest attractions. Among the major activities that will happen this year include, Visit Davao Fun Sale, Let’

Globe Telecom has stepped up its anti-spam/scam campaign, utilizing a more comprehensive and fully automated mechanism to rid its network of unwanted and unsolicited text messages, bringing the daily average of blocked messages from 17,000 to 300,000.  The new mechanism involves setting up a new hardware and software solution with complex anti-spam algorithms, with a capacity that can filter up to 1 billion SMS a day. The establishment of the new platform was undertaken in partnership with Xura, a US-based technology company that specializes in digital services addressing network vulnerabilities such as transmittal of spam and scam messages.  Project cost is estimated at around $4 million. 

With summer just ahead, Visayas and Mindanao residents have a chance to take a holiday in Los Angeles, the Philippine Airlines newest destination when they shop at the SM Stores in the region. Hollywood’s glitz and glamour awaits five lucky shoppers in The SM Store and PAL’s  Shop Your Way To Los Angeles joint promotion.   In The SM Store and PAL’s Shop Your Way to Los Angeles e-raffle promotion, thirty- two (32) lucky winners will receive a roundtrip ticket to Los Angeles or other international and local destinations served by the airlines from the Cebu International Airport. The famous Sta. Monica Pier at Los Angeles, USA  Five lucky shoppers have a chance to win roundtrip tickets to Los Angeles; while three others have a chance to win airline tickets to Japan.  There will be four winners of roundtrip tickets to Manila; and 20 winners of round trip tickets from Cebu to other Vismin destinations. 

As the purveyor of the Filipino digital lifestyle and thought leader in digital design, Globe Telecom is partnering with adobo Design Awards Asia in recognizing the best and the brightest talents in design for digital and interactive media.  Specifically, Globe is supporting the Mobile App Design for Social Good, which will recognize entries in the mobile application format that present creative solutions to social issues.  In addition, Globe is also supporting sub-categories under Digital/Interactive category, which will recognize entries that are interactive interface, or motion designs used for digital problems.

Entries for the Mini Paraw Contest Photo c/o Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival Facebook page In celebration of the 2016 Paraw Regatta Festival, SM City Iloilo hosted as Miniature Paraw Making Contest. Showcasing Ilonggo ingenuity at its best, these mini paraws were made from recycled materials, among others.   And today, winners were revealed! Entry number 2 by Eros Endencio won 1st place, while entry no. 20 by Arthur Jusa Jr. and entry no. 3 by Iris Yeban won 2nd and 3rd place respectively.

Unrivaled mobile services provider Smart Communications has opened its pre-registration site for the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge after the Korean tech giant’s much-anticipated Unpacked 2016 event at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Be among the first to experience the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge when they hit the Philippine shores by signing up at smart.com.ph/Postpaid/samsung-galaxy-seven. Set to redefine what a smartphone can do, the Samsung Galaxy  S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge pushes the boundaries of mobile technology with enhanced multitasking and camera features, expandable memory of up to 200GB, larger battery and IP68 water and dust resistant certification – all housed in an elegant body of glass and metal finish.

SM City Iloilo, represented by SM Regional Operations Manager for Visayas 3 Majella Liboon, formally turned over the PhP1M Molo Plaza Playground to Brgy. San Pedro, Iloilo City. 

Health authorities worldwide are so close in eradicating poliomyelitis, also known as polio or infantile paralysis, a highly contagious disease affecting children under five years old. From 350,000 children infected by polio in 125 countries in 1988, cases have decreased by over 99% or 359 in 2015, according to World Health Organization. Now, there are only two countries where poliovirus transmission has not stopped — Afghanistan and Pakistan. Philippines, on the other hand, has been freed from polio since 2000.

When travelling to a new place, sampling the native specialty cuisine is a must on anyone’s itinerary; as we all know that it’s one of the best ways of getting a taste of the local culture.   Now, if you happen to go wandering off in the Visayas region, specifically in Cebu, you will inevitably discover the mouthwatering world of “Sutukil”.  Sutukil is a conventional style of cooking rooted from the Visayan culture. It is a combination of three words, which means three different types of cooking, particularly with fresh seafood. 

Globe Telecom said its board approved the declaration of a first quarter cash dividend of P22 per share for common shares.  The dividend will be paid to shareholders on record as of February 22, 2016, with payment date on March 4, 2016.  “The dividend payout is in line with the policy of distributing 75%-90% of prior year’s core net income,” said Rizza Maniego-Eala, Globe Acting Chief Finance Officer, adding the quarter’s dividend payment totals about P2.9 billion. On an annualized basis, the dividends represent a payout of 77% of 2015 core net income. 

TechTalks.ph and Frame316 will be holding a Content Strategy Masterclass in Cebu City this March 14-15 to help Cebu companies take advantage of the shift from traditional to digital marketing.​ The two-day, hands-on workshop aims to align a company’s current marketing efforts to that of a digital content approach. The event will run from Monday, March 14, 9am to 5pm and Tuesday, March 15, 2016 – 9am to 12noon. Meanwhile, the location is yet to be finalized. Speaking at the event will be Robert Cristobal, founder and creative storyteller of Frame316. Although Cristobal warned that companies should “ready for the challenges ahead in adapting to digital trends,” he is hopeful that the “Philippine digital marketing ecosystem will exponentially grow.”

Jake Juleous Brian Gacang, the multi awarded Show Violinist, is set to be at SM City Iloilo on February 14, 2016, 3pm at the Event Center. Juleous graduated as a cultural scholar at the University of Southern Philippines Foundation with a degree of Bachelor of Arts Major in Music. He is also an Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) board passer with Distinction. Juleous, was born and raised in Toledo City, Cebu. In recognition to the honor he repeatedly brought to the City, he was conferred an award as “Outstanding Toledano in the Field of Arts and Entertainment 2012”.

Globe Telecom, through its International Business Group, has renewed its partnership with the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the Department of Tourism to promote the Philippines as one of Asia’s top tourist destinations via its Visit the Philippines Again (VPA) 2016 campaign.  As the tourists’ preferred connectivity partner in the country, Globe elevates the local travel experience with the Traveler SIM and the Relive Wonderful Philippines video contest With the partnership, Globe will once again offer its Globe Traveler SIM to millions of tourists and returning OFWs for free for affordable and worry-free connectivity during their stay in the country. Globe is TPB’s first Philippine telco partner to offer affordable communication services to millions of foreign tourists and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) returning to the country with the Globe Traveler SIM, a local prepaid SIM that offers affordable local rates for mobile data, calls, and SMS services. 

Self-medication is a common practice in the Philippines where a large percentage of the population relies on folk medicines, unfounded advice from family and friends, traditional cures, or even the internet instead of going to a doctor or medical practitioner.   This behavior is a result of lack of experienced healthcare professionals in the country in addition to under-resourced public hospitals, poor health infrastructure, limited accessibility, and high cost of medical consultation.  Currently, the Philippines only has about three doctors for every 100,000 patients in rural areas and seven doctors for every 100,000 patients in urban areas. Vinchy Sy-Quia discussing Konsulta MD with the Iloilo Bloggers Thus, KonsultaMD was created to bring positive change to the Philippine healthcare industry with its 24/7 health hotline designed to make medical information more accessible, efficient, and affordable to majority of Filipinos.KonsultaMD is being operated by Global Telehealt

Ms. Maureen Abelardo, BDO Foundation President and Ms. Debbie Sy, SM Foundation Inc. Executive Director(3rdand 4th from left,respectively), leads the formal ribbon cutting with Passi City officials  and other VIPs SM Foundation together with BDO Foundation turned-over a two-storey, 4-classroom building at the Efraim Santibañez National High School in Brgy. Sto. Tomas, Passi City, Iloilo. The ceremony was held last Jan. 15, 2016 with the presence of Passi City LGU ans school officials as well as representatives of the two foundations. The 2-storey 4 classroom building donated by BDO and SM Foundations to Efraim Santebañez National Highschool in Passi City, Iloilo SM and BDO Foundations responded to the DepEd's plea for help from private organizations to help rebuild schools that have been damaged by killer typhoon Yolanda back in 2013. While some initial repairs were done by LGUs, many of the buildings were beyond repair.

The Archdiocese of Jaro is set to boost its information dissemination campaign among its priests and the faithful in the province of Iloilo and Guimaras with the use of Smart Infocast. The Archdiocese of Jaro Infocast is powered by Smart Communications that donated two mobile phones, two SIMs and an allotment of 10,000 messages monthly. Sr. Merly Montejo, chancery staff; Fr. Joenick Territorio, vicar for Chancery Affairs of the Archdiocese of Jaro; and Atty. Ma. Jane Paredes, manager of Smart Communications Inc (those holding the banner) with chancery staff, Smart Communications officers and Iloilo City media. “We expect six benefits from the Smart Infocast,” said Fr. Joenick Territorio, vicar for Chancery Affairs. “First, this will make information dissemination easier. Second, it would enable speedy communication. Third, communication officially comes from the Chancery (sender’s name is ARC Jaro instead of a mobile number). Fourth, it enables up-to-date communication and

Globe Telecom information and communication technology (ICT) arm Globe Business is lending its support to the 10th International ICT awards, one of the most renowned awarding ceremonies in the IT-Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry as part of its commitment to revolutionize and scale up Philippine enterprises and business organizations through ICT. In its upcoming 10th year, the International ICT Awards is introducing the Most Popular Team Leader of the Year in the ICT Industry category, a new category which determines the winner via on-site SMS voting.  The new category features a voting system that is powered by AdSpark, a Globe venture. 

As part of AirAsia’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, the airline group today simultaneously conducted a 24-hour climate awareness movement to educate and promote climate action in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.  To kick-off the #Green24  campaign, the AirAsia Group replaced their iconic red logo in their social media pages for 24 hours in January 29 into a vibrant green. The airline also released a special invitation video by Group CEO, Tony Fernandes inviting the public to be proactive in protecting the environment and the earth.

Iloilo City residents can pucker up for the sweetest grand opening in the city. C’s by L’Fisher , an artisan French bakery and trendy coffee shop of L’Fisher Hotel Bacolod City will celebrate its official grand opening on February 10, 2016 at the Ground Floor Ex SM City Mandurriao Iloilo City. C’s provides an array of sweet selections like cakes, chocolates, croinuts, churros con chocolate and a perfect place to find the best assortment of artisan and savory breads made by its very own French Pastry Chef Denis Laumone.  It also offers scrumptious entrees, pasta and sandwiches.  C’s is widely known for serving the premium Italian coffee known as Lavazza best paired with Churros con Chocolate dipped into the dark, rich and pudding-like chocolate .  For more information call 09489525314 or check C’s - L’Fisher Hotel Bacolod on Facebook.

This multi-colored jade-like beaded bracelet nourishes both the body and the mind as it attracts harmony and balance.  2016 is the Year of the Fire Monkey according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, and according to the theory of fashion feng shui, what you wear during this year can help you feel in harmony with yourself and those around you.

AirAsia, voted the World’s Best Low Cost Carrier for seven consecutive years, is offering exclusive budget travel deals and lowest fares to Cebu, Davao, Boracay, Palawan, Bohol, Tacloban and to international destinations in Malaysia, Korea, China and much more at the 3-day travel sale hosted by the Philippine Travel Agencies Association in SMX, Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Visit the AirAsia booth in SMX MOA on  5-7 February The Travel Tour Expo is on its 23rd year and has been regarded as the grandest annual event in the travel and tourism industry. The travel fair starts on Friday (5 February) until Sunday, (7 February) with over 300 participating exhibitors from various industries such as airline, hotel, resort including travel, tourism and tour operators.

Every year countless flowers are sent, boxes of chocolates are devoured, and candles burned brightly into the night on Valentine’s Days. Indeed, February 14 has become a big annual celebration of romantic love…  This Valentine, Days Hotel Iloilo creates the perfect atmosphere to let the persons special to you feel the love in the air. Whether they’re your special someone, your friends, or your relatives, express your affection and appreciation with what Days Hotel Iloilo has to offer.  Those in the mood for an ultimate gastronomic experience should look no further than The Promenade as Days Hotel Iloilo brings “Romantic Interlude”. It will surely be a night to remember – filled with romance, teeming with exquisite food, select wines and passionate music This special buffet night is in partnership with Toblerone, Cadbury, CalChews, Ferrero Rocher, May Sparkling Juice, Snickers and Delfi. Rate is PhP 800/pax nett.  For inquiries and reservations, please call 337-3297, 336-