The PR & Events Circuit

SM City Iloilo reaffirms its commitment to be a partner in keeping the environment clean by holding the Trash to Cash Recycling Market on April 1 and 2, 2016 at the car park area near Traveller’s Lounge. 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.

Flood has been the usual antagonist of all their dreams in Brgy. Calapawan, Roxas City. Residents of the said barangay mostly claimed that they could not plant anything directly into the soil because every rainy season, their place is submerged in flood.  A resident, Ma. Theresa Malasa, 35, said one reason of flood in their barangay is the silted creek due to solid waste that is stuck along the creek despite of the clean-up operation conducted regularly by their barangay council.  Theresa, a Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary, said three typhoons have destroyed their house made of mixed materials apart from floods they are usually experiencing. Sad to hear that Theresa’s six children are usually suffering from diseases taken from polluted water.  “I am always praying for a safe home and community for my children but typhoons has always wrecked it,” she said. 

Leading telecommunications company Globe Telecom announces the highly-successful pilot run of the Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP), the award-winning brainchild of Optus and Singtel first deployed in Australia. It was designed to increase high school students’ knowledge of digital citizenship and cyber safety by taking a critical look at their online behavior and helping them develop insights into the influences of the online world and the choices they are making. High school students listen intently to a Globe volunteer during a Digital Thumbprint Program workshop  “By empowering a generation of students with digital savvy and leadership skills, Globe is giving them a way to understand the individual impact of their decisions and actions as well as enhances their view of how technology can be used to create a #WonderfulPH,” said Fernando Esguerra, Director of Globe Corporate Social Responsibility. He added:  “The youth is greatly represented in the online community...

Many cherished Easter traditions have been with us for centuries.  Eggs, chicks, and rabbits are symbols of joy and new life that comes with the spring and Christ’s resurrection.  These Kinder Joy Chocolates come with a surprise toy makes Easter more egg-citing at  SM Snack Exchange.      Decorating eggs for Easter is a tradition that dates back to the 13th century.  It is said that eggs were formerly a forbidden food during the Lenten season, so people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of the period of penance, then eat them on Easter to celebrate.

Iloilo Bike Festival , now the grandest gathering of cyclists in Western Visayas, introduces on its third year the “Bike on Lights” parade contest, an innovative side event that features bikes decorated in colorful lights and then showcased creatively.  With the theme “Bike Safe Iloilo,” the parade contest is envisioned to emphasize the concept of road-sharing and promote a bike-friendly Iloilo City. Individual participants or in groups of 3 to 5 members will showcase in the night of March 19 their lighted bikes for the competition parade along Megaworld Boulevard.

Globe Telecom has forged a partnership with Bharti Airtel to give Airtel customers from around the world access to an affordable calling plan to the Philippines via Airtel’s voice calling app airtel talk. For as low as P700 per month, Airtel customers from around the world using the airtel talk app get access to unlimited calls to Globe/TM customers in the Philippines With the partnership, airtel talk users can make unlimited high-quality VoIP calls to their Globe and TM contacts in the country for as low as USD14.99 or P700 for a 30-day period, or only P23.30 per day. Available on both iOS and Android, airtel talk offers superior call quality, exclusive call me free service, multi-party conferencing, voice message chat, multi-device access, free audio/video app-to-app calling, and instant phonebook access.

The delectable traditional dishes of the Italian regions find their way to Iloilo City on March 18 to 20, 2016 with “La Buona Cucina Italiana”, prepared by an Italian chef for Seda Atria at Pison Avenue, San Rafael, Mandurriao.  APERICENA at Straight Up Bar at Seda Atria Guest chef Salvatore de Vincentis will be preparing well-loved Italian regional dishes presented in modern, creative ways– a first for Iloilo. These dishes will be as pleasing to the sight as they are to the taste buds as the chef will use only the freshest of ingredients, including famous cheeses and lemons from his country to ensure distinct and authentic Italian flavors. 

Tourism has become one of the major economic drivers in the Philippines, marked with strong, continued, and uninterrupted growth in both visitor arrivals and receipts, making the country ripe to become the world’s next tourism destination. According to the Department of Tourism, tourism remained profitable and accounted for an estimated US$5.0 billion or P227.62 billion worth of international visitor receipts in 2015. This is 5.92% greater than the 2014 total earnings, with the month of December 2015 yielding the peak of all tourism activities at P23.47 billion and the month of September 2015 registering the highest growth of 24.24%. Inbound tourists surpassed 5 million mark in 2015 with Korea topping list, Department of Tourism records show Korea continued to be the top spending market with visitor spending amounting to P66.55 billion for the year 2015. The United States ranked second with P42.31 billion, followed by Australia with P12.83 billion, overtaking Japan which pro...

Globe Telecom information and communication technology (ICT) arm Globe Business achieved another milestone as it recently earned an ISO 20000 or the Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) certification through its Technical Services Support Management Group (TSSM). ISO 20000 is an international IT standard certification awarded to companies which demonstrate excellence and embody best practices in IT management. It leverages on evidence-based benchmarks to ensure companies continuously improve delivery of their IT services. “This certification attests to our preparedness and readiness to address the needs of our partners and clients so we feel honored to receive it as testament to quality service delivery,” said Mike Frausing, Senior Advisor for Enterprise and IT-Enabled Services Group at Globe. TSSM provides end-to-end technical management for Globe Business clients, from service desk to service management.

Great finds, fabulous bargains and good value for money!  These are what to expect when you go shopping during the mall’s 3-day sale on March 18-20, 2016. . Shoppers can avail as much as 70% discount on great selections in any stores.  More Value for Your Money On March 18, there will be a SMAC Sale from 9am to 12 noon. SM Prestige and SM Advantage Card members will enjoy an extra 10% off on all items sold at SM Department Store, Ace Hardware, Our Home, Adidas, Surplus Shop & Toy Kingdom; and an additional 5% discount at SM Appliance Center.

Founded in 1866, Valvoline™, the petroleum industry's first U.S. trademarked motor oil brand whose lubricants, chemicals and car products are available in more than 160 countries and territories worldwide – has officially launched its 150th anniversary celebration, which will continue throughout the 2016 calendar year and include a series of commemorative initiatives.  "The unprecedented 150-year history of Valvoline is truly a milestone to be celebrated, with a heritage rivaling that of Budweiser, Johnson & Johnson, General Electric and Ford Motor Company, among others," said Sam Mitchell, Valvoline president. "We look forward to celebrating our storied history around the world as 2016 progresses."

Megaworld’s Iloilo Business Park is again hosting thousands of bikers in this year’s Iloilo Bike Festival. Riding to promote the use of bike lanes and healthy lifestyle in Iloilo,the 72-hectare township will serve as the host venue of the week-long festival, which officially starts today, March 13. It will be highlighted by various bike-related activities, leading to the grand 2016 Iloilo Bike Festival Fun Ride on March 19. Around 3,000 bikers participate in last year’s Iloilo Bike Festival at Iloilo Business Park. "Iloilo Business Park is committed to making Iloilo the the most bike-friendly city in the country. We welcome all participants to our township, which is a sustainable development that promotes the use of bikes, on our third year as venue host," says Jennifer Ann Palmares-Fong, vice-president for sales and marketing, Megaworld Iloilo Business Park.

Shop this March 18,19 and 20, 2016 at SM City Iloilo’s 3-Day Sale and get a chance to win a brand new Suzuki Address! Every P1000 single or accumulated purchase within the promo period from any participating SM mall establishment entitles shopper to one (1) raffle coupon.except for the following : SM Foodcourt - Customer gets one (1) raffle coupon with every P300 single receipt purchase, SM Cinema - Customer gets one (1) raffle coupon with every single receipt purchase of four (4) cinema tickets and SM Storyland - Customer gets one (1) raffle coupon with every P300 worth of ride tickets.Customers automatically get double raffle coupons for Saturday and Sunday purchases during the promo period. Customer can also present their SM Mobile App to avail of extra 2 coupons.

The children of Balasan and Lemery in Northern Iloilo were among the beneficiaries of the SM Cares Bears of Joy from SM City Iloilo. The shoppers and those who supported the project are a big part of this endeavor. For only P200.00, shoppers purchased a pair of Christmas Bears wherein they got to keep 1 and the other will be donated to the mall’s selected beneficiary/charity organization. 

Days Hotel Iloilo celebrates the Lenten with its Grand Easter Staycation promo from March 20 to 31, 2016. Guests can avail of the Family Room and/or Suite Room Packages starting from PhP 5,000 and if book for two consecutive nights - 3RD NIGHT is FREE! Inclusion for both packages are:  Daily buffet breakfast for two (2) adults and two (2) children 8 years and below. Free use of the gym Free wifi access Avail of Days Hotel Iloilo's Grand Easter Staycation promo by booking directly through telephone number (033) 337-3297.  On the same note you can also c elebrate the COLORS OF EASTER with a special lunch buffet at the Promenade at Days Hotel Iloilo on March 27, 2016 (sunday) from 11:00am to 2:00pm. Easter activities will start at 1:00pm.

Globe Telecom is staging its fifth Globe Media Excellence Awards (GMEA) this year to recognize excellence in journalism exemplified by print and online media as well as bloggers, and social media influencers in Visayas and Mindanao.  Globe Telecom first launched its Media Excellence Awards in Cebu and Davao in 2012 to promote freedom of the press and media excellence by recognizing media practitioners who demonstrate excellence in their field of work. Last year, GMEA expanded its coverage to Bacolod and Iloilo in Visayas, and General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga in Mindanao. In its fifth milestone year in 2016, GMEA is expected to become bigger, better, and grander. 

With the full implementation of the K-12 program this June with onset of the additional 2-year senior high school program, an education technology company out to improve the teaching and learning experience is now offering its services in Cebu.  Yuki Naotori, Country Manager of Quipper, said the launching at Tisa Elementary School, which is plagued by many of the same challenges besetting high schools nationwide, exemplifies the company’s vision for a world where everyone has easy access to quality education.  “This year is a pivotal one for Philippine education, with an estimated 1.2 to 1.6 million students beginning grade 11 in June. By providing excellent, K-12 aligned content on a platform that helps teachers streamline their teaching methods and class management while simultaneously providing students with an engaging yet effective learning experience, we hope to make this transition easier for both public and private schools in Cebu and the rest of the country,” ...

UPDATE: Official render of SM BPO TOWER Iloilo SM City Iloilo is building an 18-storey twin tower along Diversion Road to the tune of PhP 1.7B. This was revealed today during a meeting for a city council endorsement needed for the project to be accredited by PEZA. To be located beside the 21-storey Injap tower, SM BPO Tower though less in the number of floors will be taller than it's neighbor - sources say. Though plans are NOT YET FINAL and subject to changes as construction starts. Councilor Dra. Candice Tupas presides over the Committee Hearing of the Iloilo City Committee on Trade and Industry of which she is the Chairperson with regards to the request of SM for their Peza Accreditation for their planned twin tower BPO building. 

The Iloilo Visual Arts Collective(IVAC) formally opened an exhibit entitled ""Babaye: Dugos sang Kabuhi""  last March 5, 2016.  To be found at the lower ground floor new wing(near Chika-an) of SM City Iloilo, it showcases the works of recognized and respected Ilonggo artists in celebration of Women's Month. 

Property giant Megaworld, along with its subsidiary brands Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI), Empire East Holdings, Inc., and Suntrust Properties, Inc., are allocating P55-billion in capital expenditures (CAPEX) this year as it aggressively expands its rental portfolio, particularly its mall and office businesses. Seventy-five percent of the capital spending for the year will be used for development projects, particularly on the construction of new malls, commercial centers, office buildings and residential projects in townships, while 25-percent will be used for land acquisition and investment properties. This year, we will start developing our new townships in Pasig City, Bacolod and Pampanga while we ramp up our office and mall developments across our existing townships. We are bullish on the office and retail sectors because we see a remarkable growth in these businesses,” says Jericho P. Go, senior vice president, Megaworld.

MANILA, 6 March 2016 – AirAsia and AirAsia X are offering 3 million promotional seats for its highly anticipated Red Hot Seat Sale* which will connect travellers to over 100 destinations across 22 countries including flights to/from Manila, Kalibo, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, Davao, Tacloban and international destinations in Korea, Malaysia, China, Macau and Hong Kong. The promotional seats start from P1.00 base fare, excluding applicable taxes and fees. It is available for booking from 7 to 13 March 2016 on the airline’s website – www.airasia.com for the travel period from 1 October 2016 to 22 May 2017. This promo is also available on AirAsia’s mobile site mobile.airasia.com.

Globe Telecom’s Data Center has added another feather to its cap as it has been recently assessed and certified in accordance to new requirements of the latest version of Information Security Management System. This forms part of the telco’s strengthened approach in managing sensitive enterprise information for a fully-digital and fully-secure enterprise community in the country. Globe Senior Advisor for Enterprise and IT Enabled Services Group Mike Frausing (second from left) receives the Information Security Management System registration certificate from AJA Registrars Inc. Vice President Paul Bagatsing (second from right).  Joining them are Globe Vice President of Delivery & Support for IT Enabled Services Group John Manoloto (left) and Globe Product Manager for Data Center Rhock de la Cruz (right). Globe received an ISO 27001:2013 for Information Security Management System (ISMS) from AJA Registrars Inc.  An ISMS is a systematic approach to managing sensitive...

In celebration of its 30th year anniversary, all SM Supermalls mobile app users can get a chance to be 1 of 30 lucky winners daily.  Starting February 29, all those who have signed up in the mobile app is qualified to win free mobile data, free Spotify, Facebook, Games, Unli-call and Unli-text for Globe, Touch Mobile, Smart, Sun and Talk & Text subscribers.*  Upon signing up in the app, a “Download & Win” digital scratch card will appear on the phone screen. Just scratch off the gray area with your finger to reveal your luck for the day! Non-winners will have the chance to play again the next day until the end of the promo period. 

Marco Polo Plaza Cebu is elegantly situated in Nivel Hills, Cebu City and is the eighth addition to the internationally-renowned Hong Kong Hotel Group.  This classic structure graces the city’s skyline and around 30 minutes from the Mactan International Airport and a mere 10 minutes from Cebu City;s major business and commercial centers. A grand lobby welcomes guests as the hotel readies to let them experience fi rst-rate facilities, exceptional accommodations and exemplary service.

The recent Broadband Policy study released by USAID and the Foreign Chambers of Commerce said that tower sharing could be a solution to increase broadband speed and make it more affordable.  The telco industry has indicated that even with tower sharing, this will not help address the issue of speed and affordability since the cell site towers of both telcos are similarly located.  The Philippines ranks between Malaysia and Cambodia with 15,000 physical cell sites. “What we need is to increase cell site density by building more cell sites,” said Globe General Counsel Froilan Castelo.    Based on the study made by TowerXchange in February 2016, the number of unique physical cell sites in the Philippines is one of the lowest in Asia with a combined 15,000 cell sites.   China has the highest number with 1.18 million cell sites, followed by India with 450,000, Indonesia with 76,477 cell sites while Vietnam has 55,000, Thailand with 52,483, Pakistan with 28,0...

Following the massive success of Clash of Clans (CoC) around the world, Helsinki-based mobile game developer Supercell has launched another much anticipated game, 'Clash Royale,' in the Philippines, and you can now make the most of it with Smart Prepaid’s PasaData, which allows you to share your data with friends anytime and anywhere for more online gaming fun. Filipino gamers can now enjoy Clash Royale, the latest mobile game of Clash of Clans creator Supercell. Download it for free on the App Store and Google Play, and fuel your game with Smart Prepaid. An exhilarating card and strategy mobile game, 'Clash Royale' pits you in a duel with other online players in a race to knock down each other’s castle. To achieve this, you draw from a deck of eight cards containing familiar CoC characters, defenses and spells and unleash all their powers in the arena.

The annual music and arts festival, Wanderland is gearing up for another musical fete with this year’s anticipated line-up of international and local talents. Together with the leader in digital lifestyle, Globe, on March 5, 2016, Saturday, at the Globe Circuit Events Grounds, festival aficionados are in for tons of special treats as they experience the excitement of the Globe Galaxy. Enter the Globe Galaxy Globe Galaxy takes Wanderland 2016 to the next level through its interactive activities, and games that everyone can explore and enjoy. The digital lifestyle is brought to life with this all-in-one interactive hub made up of 7 planets - Zero Gravity, Lifestyle Odyssey, Movie Planetarium, Space Race, Astro Rocks, GCash Vortex, and The Transporter  On Zero Gravity, guests can defy gravity on the trampoline and shoot the coolest videos ready to upload on YouTube and upload their GIF photos on Instagram; Lifestyle Odyssey lets one take OOTDs and discover new content fro...

GrupoEmperador Spain S.A. has completed the purchase of Bodegas Fundador from Beam Suntory today.  In a special ceremony in Jerez, known to be Spain’s brandy capital, Emperador was welcomed by the employees of Fundador and Spain’s local officials. The formal turnover was attended by Emperador chairman Dr. Andrew L. Tan,Jerez Mayor Carmen Sanchez,Philippine Ambassador to Spain Carlos Salinas and other city officials of Jerez.  GrupoEmperador Spain S.A. Managing Director Jorge Domeq said the turnover of one of Spain’s most iconic, largest and oldest brandy production facility to Emperador is a major milestone for the company. "With the combined brandy production facilities of Emperador and Fundador, the world's largest brandy company is born. We now have almost 1,500 hectares of vineyard land in Spain, around 1,000,000 sqm of cellar and bottling facilities, and four distilleries here in Spain,” declares Domecq.

As the leader in the digital lifestyle, Globe Telecom is gearing up to welcome the newest Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge to the Philippines. With this, the mobile savvy will now be able to take their digital lifestyle to the next level as they complement these latest devices with the topnotch Globe myLifestyle plans.  Soon, Globe customers can take their digital lifestyle to the next level with the new Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge Designed to cater to the evolving digital lifestyles of Filipinos, myLifestyle plans allow customers to personalize their plans to fit their interests and bring them closer to what they love.  With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, Globe customers will be able to fully enjoy the best content from Globe such as movies from online entertainment service HOOQ or the latest game updates from your favorite teams in the NBA.