The PR & Events Circuit

As it continues to intensify its fight against scammers and other cyber criminals, GCash issues a stern warning against users who sell or lend their accounts, adding they will face the full force of the law.   These accounts are considered as money mules wherein they are used by scammers to receive stolen or illicit money and obscure the source of funds while keeping the criminals’ identity secret. While some money mules are aware that what they’re doing is illegal, others are more unwitting.   GCash has been receiving reports from authorities that fraudsters are now going to impoverished or rural areas and offering individuals P150 - P500 if they register to GCash using their phones and their identities. The SIM cards and the GCash accounts are then turned over to the buyer, who then sells them to other scammers.   “According to authorities, persons whose identity were used in scams also face jail time if it’s proven that these individuals voluntarily sold their accounts...

 PLDT Inc. and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. now power Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort, the first Marriott Resort in Cebu. Both groups have recently signed a contract wherein PLDT will be the resort’s telco provider for the following services: Premium Internet Service (I-Gate), Smart Enterprise Wireless subscriptions and IOT (Internet of Things).   “Over the years, we have seen AppleOne Properties’ growth in leaps and bounds.  Our business with you grew as well as you flourished. Rest assured that we will continue to be on the lookout for ways to support your growth through technology. Together we will go further,” said Kent De La Calzada, Head of PLDT Enterprise Visayas during the contract signing event.   AppleOne Properties, Inc. Chief Financial Officer Leif Bajarias relayed his congratulations, adding that Sheraton’s partnership with PLDT would bring customer-focused digital innovations and connect more people. “Our partnership would like to bring in th...

Where can your P50 or P100 take you? With PLDT Home Easy Speedboost, this can give you the biggest internet speed upgrade! This is the last chance to get this great deal as PLDT Home extends the Easy Speedboost promo until October 31 only. With Easy Speedboost, customers can get faster internet speeds for an additional monthly fee of P50 or P100, depending on their existing subscription. By opting in via SMS or email within the promo period, they can experience a speed upgrade of up to 600 Mbps. Here’s a quick guide to what customers will get when they avail of the Easy Speedboost: Availing of the Easy Speedboost is so simple and hassle-free. Eligible customers will be notified via email and SMS on a free Speedboost. They can simply reply YES to opt in and enjoy permanent upgraded speeds and unlock better productivity for them and their family at home. Easy Speedboost customers will also get 50 Rewards crystals equivalent to 10 raffle entries in the PLDT Home Grand Giveaway with a chan...

Mark your calendars because GCash is once again celebrating its birthday, and it's going to be a big one! From October 17 to 23, you're invited to join in the #ReadySetGBirthday festivities as GCash Birthday returns with bigger rewards and exciting deals everyday.  This year, the #GBirthday2022 celebration is going to be voucher-tastic, treating everyone to  7 days  of thrilling vouchers worth over 240M to get the best out of every transaction!   The #GBirthday2022 celebration offers a variety of exciting vouchers that you can look forward to each day to make every transaction extra special. And don’t forget to stay on the lookout for exclusive freebies and limited time offers from top GCash partners that will only be made available during birthday week.   Here’s a sneak preview of all the exciting deals you can look forward to at this year’s GCash Birthday: 1. Citibank Credit Card – Discount for the whole month of October! Apply for a Citi Credit Card and get 8...

GCash, the Philippines’ no.1 mobile wallet app, continues to lead the way in financial technology innovations in the country as it recently received two citations from The Asian Banker at its Financial Technology Innovation Awards 2022.   The prestigious award-giving body named GCash as the “Best Digital Wallet/Money Product in the Philippines” and “Best Digital Business Model in the Philippines”, making GCash the sole fintech company in the country to receive both citations. The award was a recognition of GCash’s relentless efforts in facilitating more effective digital business solutions and innovative digital financial services by streamlining its business process. lMr. Foo Boon Ping, President and Managing Director of The Asian Banker; Oscar "Ren-Ren" Reyes, Chief Commercial Officer, GCash; Christian Kapfer, Research Director, The Asian Banker “We at GCash are very honored and humbled to be the only fintech company in the Philippines recognized by The Asian Banker. These ...

  The Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF) has opened applications for a free, one-year technical vocational certification course that promises to open huge employment opportunities. “Iskolar ni Juan” offers a fully subsidized scholarship that covers tuition, transportation, school supplies, uniforms, accommodation and meals for underprivileged senior high school graduates and college undergraduates between 18 and 25 years old. During the  onboarding of 24 new scholars for Iskolar ni Juan Batch 15B, one of the programs of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF). Scholars will stay at the GBF Technical Training Center in Calamba City, Laguna for a seven-month academic term, followed by a five-month on-the-job training at Universal Robina Corporation’s (URC) plants. At the end of the program, scholars will earn a TESDA National Certificate Level II (NC II) on either mechatronics servicing or instrumentation and control servicing, making them fit for employment as a production/mac...

Fan favorite couple Luis Manzano and Jessy Mendiola-Manzano aren’t just two of the most popular personalities in Philippine showbiz. Millions of Filipinos also enjoy them on YouTube as incredibly relatable video creators that consistently produce highly entertaining content. Across their individual channels, the Manzanos have a combined 2.78 million subscribers on the platform. It’s a whopping amount that proves that their fans love to keep coming back for their bright and bubbly personalities, while discussing a wide variety of engaging topics, and must-see guests. When he’s not documenting trips and adventures together with Jessy, Luis likes to talk to his many friends and fellow showbiz personalities in his “Luis Listens” series. Luis’ natural knack for comedy and good vibes pulls in hundreds of thousands of views for every video. Meanwhile, Jessy loves giving fans glimpses and looks into her everyday life, as well as making fun videos with her friends. From unboxing videos, travel ...

The Globe Media Excellence Awards (GMEA) has served as a significant platform for thousands of stories in the past nine years, recognizing authentic and outstanding work by media practitioners from different parts of Visayas and Mindanao. As it turns 10, the longest-running media awards in Visayas and Mindanao marks this important milestone by celebrating innovations that uplift lives with compassion, care, and kindness under the #OneDigitalNation theme. This is part of Globe’s long-standing commitment to use technology for the common good and the promotion of responsible digital citizenship. “Powered by innovations from Globe, the media delivers a message of hope for a future we can be proud of. Every effort towards uplifting the lives of Filipinos in fintech, health tech, ICT, adtech, e-commerce, and other digital solutions deserves to be told. These stories should be celebrated,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer. Globe plays a...

The Philippines’ leading airline, Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB), continues to boost its Mindanao hub network as it announces a new connection from Davao to Siargao, bringing the total domestic routes from Davao to eight. On November 07, 2022, CEB will begin flying directly from Davao to Siargao thrice weekly, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. CEB also flies direct to seven other Philippine destinations, namely Bacolod, Bohol, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Iloilo, Manila, and Zamboanga. “We are delighted to continue with our ramp-up outside Metro Manila as we acknowledge the increasing demand for travel. As the airline that proudly operates the widest domestic network, this new route supports our promise to making travel accessible for everyJuan,” said Xander Lao, CEB Chief Commercial Officer. To make this launch even more special, CEB announces a PHP 188 sale from today until October 16, 2022. Travel period is from November 7, 2022 to January 31, 2023. CEB continues to implement a multi-layered a...

Iloilo City is undeniably one of the sought-after investment hubs in the country. Many want to do business here.  The opportunity to start business in the city is being grabbed not only by big investment companies but even local entrepreneurs. As the city continues to grow and positions itself as the country’s economic bright spot, many Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and local brands have thrived and started making names in the local business industry side by side with the city’s development. Located at the upper ground floor Northpoint of SM City Iloilo, Bluejay is one of the frequent places for coffee loving Ilonggos.  For some aficionados, the coffeeshop is part of their daily itinerary; their day won’t be complete without a dose of Bluejay coffee coupled with great conversation with coffee buddies. To date, many homegrown or local brands – from restaurants to coffee shops and other businesses – flourish in the city of love and this is made possible through the ...

Festive Walk Iloilo invites all BTS fans to watch a free live streaming of the group’s most-awaited “Yet To Come” concert in line with the celebration of Oktoberfest in Festive Walk Parade this October 15 at 5PM. Global K-pop phenomenon BTS will be holding the free concert at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium in Busan, South Korea, and will also stream it for free on different online platforms for their fans all over the world.  Stream the Yet to Come concert together with fellow ARMYs! In partnership with BTS Iloilo PH and Iloilo Korean United Community Association, Festive Walk Iloilo will host the free concert live streaming to bring the enjoyment closer to the Ilonggo community. The venue will be open to everyone, with pre-livestreaming activities and performances from 2:30pm to 4:30pm, before the concert starts at 5pm. Fans will also be treated to giveaways from event sponsors and freebies from individual member fanbases.  The seven-member group, composed of Korean superstars ...

Mobility is a key feature of a smart and livable city, a goal which the local government here envisions for itself. As Iloilo aims to be one of the country’s most livable highly-urbanized cities in the Philippines, local leaders have been taking bigger steps toward sustainable urban development.  Positioning Iloilo City as the “Bike Capital of the Philippines” is a right step in this direction. Biking is seen to play a key role in the city’s intention to adopt more sustainable, economical and efficient mobility.  According to an initial count of various advocacy groups, there are more than 8,000 bike users in the city and bike usage keeps surging as the local government, supported by the private sector, continues to invest in bike-friendly infrastructure, facilities and programs. The COVID-19 pandemic also paved the way for people to look for alternative modes of transport such as bikes and walking. A survey by the Social Weather Stations showed that when the pandemic happened...

  In line with efforts to combat scammers and fraudsters, leading Philippine financial app GCash further intensifies its security measures. It is migrating transaction confirmation messages to the app inbox and  removes clickable links in all emails and text messages to users. New measures part of heightened efforts to combat scams, fraud   GCash is removing clickable links in official emails and text messages sent to customers followed by an aggressive information campaign that users will no longer receive messages from GCash that contain website links.   These come on the heels of the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) order to block links in text messages which is seen as a significant deterrent against scammers. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), for its part, also called on its regulated financial institutions to undertake several steps in cracking down on cyber fraud and other attacks to financial services.   "These changes are in line with...