The PR & Events Circuit

After making department store and convenience store purchases a breeze using cashless payments, Globe announced that its mobile wallet payment platform GCash is now accepted at select Fruitas stores. Fruitas Holdings, Inc. (FHI), the leading group in the food cart industry in the Philippines, now accepts payments using the GCash scan-to-pay feature in its pilot stores in Metro Manila. This includes two Fruitas stalls, Johnn Lemon, and De Original Jamaican Pattie Shop and Juice Bar in Market! Market! Fiesta, Bonifacio Global City; Fruitas, De Original Jamaican Pattie and Juice Bar, and House of Fruitas in Metro Gaisano Market! Market!; and Buko ni Fruitas and Johnn Lemon in Ayala Marikina. This means that with the help of the GCash app, customers may now purchase their favorite Fruitas beverage using the QR (Quick Response) codes present in Fruitas stores.   From L-R:  Calvin Chua, Fruitas Holdings Chief Financial Adviser;  Lester Yu, Fruitas Holdings Founder and ...

For his pilot episode in “The Atom Araullo Specials” this Sunday (April 1), GMA Public Affairs’ Atom Araullo goes on an underground journey to do an in-depth investigation and comprehensive analysis on some of the country’s most pressing issues. At the heart of Manila is the historical Jones Bridge, which serves not only as a transportation link, but as a shelter for the indigent. Atom meets Billa, a struggling mother amidst a chaotic city, who took refuge beneath the bridge. To better understand their daily plight, Atom immerses with Billa and her family by living in their makeshift house and helping them sell scrap materials. 

Buying new home appliances or electronic gadget requires a big amount of cash. For those who plan to purchase but are uneasy about withdrawing and bringing a lot of cash, using GCash scan to pay is one way you can eliminate the stress.  With GCash’s latest partnership with Robinsons Appliances Corporation, customers can now easily use the GCash scan to pay feature at its branches by simply downloading the latest version of the GCash App on their iPhone or Android phone, registering an account and loading up their GCash wallet at any of the 12,000 GCash partner outlets nationwide—including Robinsons Business Centers. Anthony Thomas, President and CEO of Mynt  with Hope Gokongwei-Tang, General Manager of Robinsons Appliances Corporation. Robinsons Appliances Corporation is the appliances and consumer electronics format of the publicly-listed Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc.—the second largest multi-format retail chain operator in the Philippines and now one of th...

Shakey’s Philippines, one of the biggest and most iconic pizza store chains in the country, has tapped Globe Telecom and GCash to allow its customers to order and pay for their pizza, pasta, chicken, and other favorite food and drinks with just their mobile phones.   Together with Globe Business, the information and communication technology arm of Globe Telecom, Shakey’s Philippines has expanded its order and delivery operations through number #77777 which will allow over 60 million Globe customers nationwide to order toll-free via their mobile phones and landlines. From L-R:  Anthony Thomas, Mynt President and CEO; Albert de Larrazabal, Globe Chief Commercial Officer; Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO; Vicente Gregorio, SPAVI President and CEO; Jorge Concepcion, SPAVI General Manager; and Peter Maquera, Globe SVP for Enterprise Group With the growing demand for delivery services, this mobile solution ensures greater reach and easier access for guest...

Globe is stepping up its "rainforestation" efforts in partnership with Hineleban Foundation, which now covers 34 hectares in Bukidnon. The leading telecommunications provider committed to donate P30 million within a 5-year period to cover 300 hectares of denuded primary rainforests in Bukidnon and Lanao del Sur.  “Our partnership with Hineleban Foundation for this  initiative is supportive of our environmental sustainability policy which seeks to lessen the impact of our operations to the environment. This partnership can truly make a difference because it is a sustained effort, using the tested and successful techniques of Hineleban Foundation to increase forest cover by 2021," Yoly Crisanto, Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications, said.  A portion of land at Barangay Kalugmanan, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon being prepared for Hineleban's reforestation program. Beyond reforestation efforts, Hineleban and Globe have been working togethe...

May Bargain Araw-araw, Aton Guid Ini!   Iloilo's favorite grocery - Iloilo Supermart , just opened their biggest and most modern branch yet, at Citymall Ungka last March 23, 2018.

The globally critically-acclaimed film Birdshot continues to gain recognition as it launches worldwide in top video streaming platform Netflix. This is another exciting development for Philippine cinema as the award-winning indie film, directed by Mikhail Red and presented by TBA Studios, Globe Studios and Pelikula Red, can soon be viewed by audiences around the world.  Birdshot garnered international attention as the Best Film in the Asian Future Tokyo Film Fest 2016 and as the Oscar selection for the Philippines in 2017. It was also hailed by Variety magazine critic Richard Kuipers as “wonderfully directed and performed” and a “… a compelling study in the loss of innocence while offering potent commentary on the state of things in the Philippines.” He made special mention of lead actress Mary Joy Apostol for her magnetic screen presence that enabled her to hold her own in the company of reliable pros Arnold Reyes and John Arcilla. Birdshot will be the first Philippine cont...

Globe Telecom gets its volunteerism programs in full swing to help various communities affected by the siege in Marawi City in Mindanao. Photo above shows recent turn-over of bike donations to Marawi children. Just recently, Globe turned over a total of 20 bikes made by a total of 80 volunteers under its “Build-A-Bike” program. These bikes were donated to children in Marawi aged three to six years old in order to uplift their spirits following the tragic events that took in the city last year. Globe partnered with the Philippine Air Force and the Marawi Task Force to have these bikes delivered from Manila to Laguindingan Airport in Mindanao.

Joining the revolution of the environmental movement that has grown exponentially over the years all over the world, The Department of Environment and natural Resources 6, SM City Iloilo and other community partners and advocates gather together to celebrate Earth Hour 2018 onMarch 24. The movement has spawned and encouraged many worthwhile initiatives worldwide such as massive recycling efforts, passing of legislation against air and water pollution, stricter enforcements for marine life protection, among others.

Leading broadcast company GMA Network, Inc. takes a significant step in the continuous strengthening and improvement of the Network’s News Department with a P154 million investment on a Newsroom Automation System (NAS). A signing of agreement between GMA Network and Vizrt was held last March 14 at the GMA Network Center in Quezon City. Representing the Network were GMA Chairman and CEO Felipe L. Gozon; GMA President and COO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr.; and GMA Executive Vice President and CFO Felipe S. Yalong; while signing for Vizrt were its APAC President Michael Namatinia and CTO Petter Ole Jakobsen. Photo caption (from left): Vizrt CTO Petter Ole Jakobsen; Vizrt APAC President Michael Namatinia; GMA Network Chairman and CEO Felipe L. Gozon; GMA Network President and COO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr.; and GMA Network Executive Vice President and CFO Felipe S. Yalong. Also present from the Network were GMA’s Senior Vice President for News and Public Affairs Marissa Flore...

Beginning April 1, get ready for crazy yet delightful Sundays as Lip Sync Battle Philippines returns for its third season on GMA Network. This musical-reality competition offers a whole new level of entertainment as it treats its viewers with outrageous, amusing and even more exciting performances every week. Lip Sync Battle Philippines will still be hosted by Kapuso comedy genius Michael V. together with multi-talented TV host-actress Iya Villania-Arellano as color commentator. For Michael V., he is excited to present to its viewers the changes that will happen in this season. ‘Excited ako kasi sinala talaga namin yung mga battlers ngayon and magkakaroon ng bagong battles. So ang masasabi ko talaga, mas aabangan ito kasi yung mga napiling battler, ready talaga sila,’ he said.

Western Union, a leader in cross-border and cross-currency money transfer, and G-Xchange, Inc. have enabled consumers to receive Western Union® international or domestic money transfers into their registered GCash wallets 24/7– providing consumers with convenient access at their finger-tips.  Following an agreement between the two companies, Western Union’s global cross-border platform was integrated with G-Xchange, Inc’s world class e-commerce platform to enable GCash users to direct money transfers into their GCash wallets from almost anywhere around the world and from within the Philippines.  “We want to offer the best services to Filipinos abroad and their families in the Philippines,” said Anthony Thomas, CEO of Mynt. “We are confident that collaborating with Western Union will provide a reliable and convenient mobile wallet-based money transfer platform for our customers. Two leading companies in their respective sectors having the same vision of helping peop...

Ashoka, together with Globe Telecom, recently recognized social innovator and chief executive officer and founder of BagoSphere, Zhihan Lee, as an Ashoka Fellow. With this recognition, Lee will receive further support to provide high quality digital and soft skills training to rural and out-of-school youth through his work in BagoSphere.         Photo above shows Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto, with BagosSphere CEO & Co-Founder of Bagosphere Zhihan Lee at his recent induction as Ashoka Fellow . In 2017, Globe engaged Ashoka as the implementing partner for the Globe Future Makers: a nationwide social innovation program for initiatives that are using technology to help solve social problems. The program was patterned after the social innovation program of the Singtel group of companies within the Asia Pacific region. Launched in 2016 in Singapore and Australia, the program seeks to recognize the most innovativ...

After the success of its debut season on Netflix in 2017, the horror-comedy series Santa Clarita Diet is finally back headlined by the endearing Hollywood personality Drew Barrymore and award-winning Timothy Olyphant.  Enjoy brand new episodes with 6 months access to Netflix on Globe Postpaid The show is immensely enjoyable for Barrymore’s fans, as she brings the same bubbly charm to the screen reminiscent of her other onscreen heroines in movies such as Ever After, 50 First Dates, and The Wedding Singer. 

VisMin real estate powerhouse Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) ended 2017, 6 months after it became a listed company, with a record 66% increase in net income surpassing the P1.2-billion target. CLI reported a net income of P1.294 billion last year with revenues reaching P3.929 billion, another record-setting 66% hike from its 2016 earnings of P2.361 billion. Casa Mira Coast, CLI’s first project in Negros Oriental brings CLI’s sought-after affordable housing community to 881 units. Two more Casa Mira developments in Bacolod City and Iloilo City will be unveiled within the year. ‘’We are proud of the exceptional 2017 performance of the company and are grateful for the trust given to us by our buyers and shareholders. It’s our banner year and in 2018, we will continue to deliver outstanding value as we aim to become the leading local real estate developer in the VisMin region,” said Jose R. Soberano III, CLI chairman and CEO. Jose Soberano III, Cebu Landmasters Chairman and ...

For the third straight year, Globe wins at the Kidlat Awards this time for its unique execution of #PlayItRight’s “Piracy Vs. Piracy,” the company’s homegrown advocacy to encourage Filipinos to download or stream content from legitimate sources. “Piracy Vs. Piracy” was recognized for three awards - Creative Use Of Media, Branded Corporate Social Responsibility and Digital Activation and Campaigns - at the Ad Summit Pilipinas 2018 held last Saturday, March 10, in Subic. Tackling the issue of piracy head on, the campaign delivered its message by using the channels where piracy happens: torrent and streaming websites. During the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival, Globe uploaded copies of the participating films and other blockbuster Filipino movies online.

Globe Telecommunications is stepping up its bid for stronger partnership with global leaders in IT solutions and technological innovations in line with the company’s goal of developing a robust digital economy in the country. Globe Chief Technology & Information Officer Gil Genio (extreme right) and Globe Chief Information Officer Pebbles Sy-Manalang (center) pose with representatives of key IT providers at the recent 2nd ISG Movers Award ceremonies recently held at The Globe Tower in Bonifacio Global City. In line with this commitment, Globe recently held its 2 nd Annual ISG Movers Awards (AIM), aimed at highlighting the importance of the company’s collaboration with its IT partners. “By cultivating a stronger partnership with our IT providers, we hope to ensure stable and agile operations of our systems with best user experience to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in the IT organization,” Globe Chief Information Officer Pebbles Sy-Manalang said.

Mobile payments pioneer GCash has partnered with Puregold, one of the country's biggest supermarket chains, to implement quick response or QR payments acceptance starting at Puregold Qi Central in Quezon City. This marks Puregold’s shift towards embracing modern and convenient payment methods and makes Puregold the first national supermarket chain to accept GCash QR. From L-R:  Pamela P. Co, Puregold Director; Ferdinand Vincent P. Co, Puregold President; Susan Co, Puregold Vice-Chairman; Lucio Co, Puregold Chairman; Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO; Anthony Thomas, Mynt President and CEO The GCash QR scan to pay feature is now accepted in 233 Puregold stores in Metro Manila and nationwide. With over 300 stores nationwide, the supermarket chain has been an inspiration for close to two decades in serving all classes of Filipinos with its vast array of products, ranging from consumables, apparel, and even household equipment.

Prices of lots in Alabang West Village of Megaworld’s subsidiary Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI) have gone up by as much as 50 percent, just a little over three years after its launch. From P47,000 per square meter in November 2014, Alabang West Village lots are now sold at P70,868 per square meter. The entire village, composed of 788 prime residential lots with a combined current value of around P14-billion, is now 90 percent sold. “We see property values in Alabang West to even double within 5 years as we witness this side of Alabang to be growing rapidly,” says Rachelle Peñaflorida, vice president for sales and marketing, Megaworld Global-Estate, Inc. In 2016, independent research firm Cuervo Far East identified the Southern Manila West Growth Area (WGA), which includes Alabang, to experience a remarkable average annual appreciation of property prices by around 10 to 15 percent due to new developments within the area.

GMA Network gives a romantic treat to all Kapuso viewers with a romantic special entitled “Time to Love” airing this Sunday (March 11). Featuring the beautiful weddings of three Kapuso couples that made a mark in 2017—Max Collins and Pancho Magno; Rochelle Pangilinan and Arthur Solinap; and Kapuso Comedy Queen Ai Ai delas Alas and Gerald Sibayan, witness how their love stories began that led them to their happily ever after.

The Wanderland Music and Arts Festival, powered by Globe, is coming up and fans are counting down the days when they can see their favorite singers and bands perform. This year’s lineup features Kodaline, Jhené Aiko, FKJ, Daniel Caesar, Lauv, and Bag Raiders, along with performances from top local acts Jess Connelly, QUEST, IV of Spades, Ben&Ben, Asch, Basically Saturday Night, and Carousel Casualties. While the artists line up continue to change every year, you are likely to encounter six kinds of people who could make the event livelier, interesting, or sometimes a pain. Check out this list and maybe, you can even see yourself in them! 

Drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) will be among the first to enjoy the benefits of safer, worry-free travel through TNT SecureLoad—a revolutionary prepaid airtime load offer of Smart Communications, bundled with free accident micro-insurance in partnership with emerging market insurance player, BIMA. TNT SecureLoad aims to provide members of the transport sector access to personal accident insurance using one of the most ubiquitous tools of today—the mobile phone. A PUV driver and member of Pasang Masda transport group (right) discusses with a TNT representative the details of the new free insurance service offered by Smart and BIMA. “We are happy to provide this innovative service to Filipinos. Aside from giving more value to their prepaid airtime load, our new TNT SecureLoad offers open the door to broader financial inclusion, literacy, and security for the beneficiaries of this service,” said Ramon R. Isberto, public affairs head for PLDT and Smart. 

Alex Gonzaga is on a mission: to look for WiFi hunters in public places and give them the new Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi. To celebrate having reached 500,000 subscribers on YouTube, Alex received Globe At Home prepaid WiFi units so she could share fast and reliable internet with people who need the connection. Globe At Home’s newest ambassador Alex Gonzaga searches for WiFi hunters in a mall in this wacky, viral clip. In her new viral clip, Alex Gonzaga visited a mall to find internet users who typically use the free WiFi provided. There, she learned that many people don’t have WiFi at home, relying instead on connections in malls and coffee shops.

Weekday mornings with the whole family will be more exciting as GMA Network brings to light a romantic-comedy series that both parents and kids can enjoy with the launch of Ang Forever Ko’y Ikaw. Slated to premiere on March 12, this program is headlined by Camille Prats-Yambao and Neil Ryan Sese together with Ayra Mariano and Bruno Gabriel. Ang Forever Ko’y Ikaw revolves around the lives of Ginny played by Camille and Lance portrayed by Neil: two single parents who are still both attached to their past but are hoping to somehow get a new chance at love. Their lives are almost intertwined since they live in the same condo; have the same taste in coffee; and they even follow each other's 'alter-ego' accounts online.

As SM City Iloilo holds its 3-Day Sale this March 16-18, 2018, you might as well arm yourself with helpful tips on how to get the most of your bargain shopping to get the best deals on top of the up to 70% discount on selected items and more. It’s always exciting during sale events but having to work your way to get the best discounts is a little tricky since expectedly, a lot of people will flock the mall and buy their favorite items just as you do. Having a list of the sales items ahead of time and having some kind of a plan can save you a lot of time and effort during the sale day itself.

Upping their Insta game is probably one of the most important things Wanderland Music Festival goers will have on their list! While it’s easy to snap the day’s most memorable events, it’s the on-point captions that tie it all together for a social feed that’s guaranteed to get those double taps. For those having a tough time thinking of captions, song lyrics are one way to go! Here are a few of our recommendations, based on the lyrics of the artists performing on March 10, 2018 at the Filinvest City Event Grounds, Alabang:

GMA News Pillar Jessica Soho marks another milestone in Philippine broadcast history, this time around becoming the very first Filipino news anchor to become a finalist at the prestigious New York Festivals Television & Film Awards. Soho is shortlisted in the Best News Anchor category for GMA News TV’s flagship newscast State of the Nation with Jessica Soho (SONA). Soho holds the distinction of being the country’s most awarded broadcast journalist with nearly 300 local awards and more than 30 international awards to date. She is also the first Filipina recipient of the highly acclaimed George Foster Peabody Award for her documentaries on the illegal trade of kidneys and the harrowing plight of Filipino boxers. She is a 7-time recipient of the “Most Trusted News Presenter” award of Reader’s Digest Asia.

GCash and National Book Store are taking their partnership to another level. National Book Store, with over 230 stores nationwide offering books, school and office supplies, will be adapting GCash scan to pay cashless payment service in all of its stores by the end of May this year. “The expansion of Globe and National Book Store’s partnership is a testament to the growth of GCash in the country,” says Ernest Cu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Globe. National Book Store Managing Director Xandra Ramos-Padilla tries the GCash scan to pay feature while (from l-R): National Bookstore VP and CFO Adrian Ramos, Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu, and Mynt President and CEO Anthony Thomas look on “National Book Store is one of the most recognizable names in the Philippines, and being able to extend GCash’s reach to Filipinos is a big step for us in encouraging more and more people to have a better shopping experience,” says Anthony Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of My...

VisMin property developer Cebu Landmasters, Inc. (CLI), on its first 9 months being a publicly-listed company, recently announced in a board meeting the declaration of a regular  cash dividend of P0.15 per share with a record date of March 23 and payment period on April 23.The board also approved a Php250 million buyback program that will cover a period of 24 months.  CLI’s Latitude Corporate Center in Cebu Business Park is targeted for completion by the last quarter of 2019, it will be home to corporate and business process outsourcing offices. CLI is expected to surpass its Php1.2 billion net income target in 2017. It had on-time completion record and exceptional reservation sales registering at P4.58 billion or 13.7% higher than its P4 billion target and a 55% increase vs. the 2016 value. The company generated Php960 million in attributable profit in the first nine months of 2017 or 77% higher than the 2016 figure. Revenues rose by 67%.

Multi-platform media company beIN Asia Pacific today announced the official launch of beIN SPORTS CONNECT, an online streaming football player, in the Philippines. In partnership with PH’s number one mobile brand, Globe, local fans will now have unparalleled access to some of the greatest football action from around the world including Premier League, LaLiga, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Ligue 1, MLS, Superliga Argentina, Turkish Süper Lig, Hyundai A-League, and more. “The Philippines is one of the oldest football nations in Asia and has a great pool of passionate football fans.  With the launch of beIN SPORTS CONNECT, Filipino fans can finally have the ultimate football experience and enjoy unlimited access to their favourite leagues, teams, and players - all in one destination,” said Mike Kerr, Managing Director - Asia, beIN Asia Pacific. 

Property giant Megaworld is set to open its first school venture in the Visayas at its 30-hectare The Mactan Newtown township in Cebu this coming school year. With the assistance of the De La Salle Brothers through the Lasallian Schools Supervision Services Association, Inc. (LASSSAI), the school is officially named ‘ Newtown School of Excellence .’ Located in an almost 1-hectare campus near the entrance of the township along Mactan Circumferential Road, the  Newtown School of Excellence  will initially offer classes for the primary school this new school year.  Megaworld has spent P240-million in building the school since 2014. “This school inside The Mactan Newtown will primarily cater to the children of the township homeowners, particularly those who live in our condominium developments. We will also cater to the children of the expat community and residents of Lapu-Lapu City and nearby towns and cities as well as the children of those working in nearby busine...

The country’s tourism industry has just recently reached an all-time high tourist arrival of 6.6million, an 11 percent unprecedented growth compared to last year. As a result, a growing demand for quality service and five-star experience in hotel and restaurants is expected over the next years as the Philippine landscape evolves into a hub for both tourism and food culture. On the other hand, the food sector has also been seen growing over the recent years with over 2,000 registered restaurants that opened and a noticeable rise of food parks around the metro in 2017. Globe myBusiness booth at the Food & Hotel Expo Manila Despite the business opportunities mushrooming across the country, most small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are still struggling to survive in the market. And while competition is tough, Globe myBusiness has opened its boundaries to further reach out to its users and consumers by offering affordable digital solutions that are keys to upgrading their busi...