Financial education, technology are crucial in the new normal—Home Credit and CIC

As a developing economy, it is no surprise that the Philippines still has a long way to go when it comes to financial literacy. Just before the government imposed the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) conducted its 2019 Financial Inclusion Survey (FIS), which revealed that Filipino adults could only answer 1 in 3 financial literacy questions correctly. Only a small number of respondents (8%) got all three questions correctly, while almost one-fourth (24%) obtained a zero score. 

LRMC boosts LRT-1 capacity, assures safety of passengers

Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), the private operator and maintenance provider of LRT-1, assures the safety of passengers as it increases capacity of trains in support of economic recovery.

Following the Department of Transportation (DOTr)’s directive to gradually increase the maximum passenger capacity of trains and adhere to OPLAN AIR (ADD PUVs, routes, trains, INCREASE speed, capacity, REDUCE travel time, headway), LRMC will adjust passenger loading capacity to 30% gradually up to 50% later on. Passenger control will be implemented using the PLPP (passenger limit per platform) strategy, wherein a defined number of passengers are allowed to board per station.

Let's VoLTE in for simultaneous browsing and voice calls. Is your device ready?

There’s another acronym inching its way into the consciousness of Filipino consumers.  After 3G, LTE, 4G, and 5G, comes VoLTE which is short for Voice over LTE, a technology designed to allow simultaneous mobile browsing and voice calls, as well as, provide higher quality mobile phone calls.

Prior to VoLTE technology, mobile phones connected to an LTE/4G or 5G signal needed to fall to a 3G or even 2G connection when receiving or making a phone call. This meant that browsing on your mobile would get interrupted as soon as you receive an incoming call and just resume browsing after the call has ended. 

Erik Matti’s “Food Lore: Island of Dreams” bags 2 awards at the 2020 National (Philippines) Awards by the Asian Academy Creative Awards

Erik Matti’s “Food Lore: Island of Dreams” and Angeli Bayani recently brought home the “Best Single Drama/Telemovie/Anthology Episode - Philippines” and “Best Actress in a Leading Role - Philippines” respectively during the announcement of the 2020 national winners by the Asian Academy Creative Awards (AAA) in a livecast in Singapore yesterday. 

“Food Lore: Island of Dreams,” was the pilot episode of the said HBO Asia anthology.

The said episode explores the life of the Nieves (Angeli Bayani), an ambitious and hardworking woman, who left her husband and children to work as a domestic helper in Metro Manila to provide them with a better life. Returning home for their annual fiesta, Nieves realizes that she may have grown estranged to her family due to unexpected changes in her life. 

Digital piracy hurting Filipino industry and economy

 Content producers urged government to block illegal streaming websites to stop the damaging effects to legitimate local content producers and cybersecurity risks in downloading pirated videos.

In a virtual town hall discussion organized by Stratbase ADR Institute  (ADRi) on “Digital Risks in the New Normal”, ADRi president, Prof Dindo Manhit said, “Formerly face-to-face activities, have all undergone a rapid digitization and transitioned to online platforms. It comes as no surprise then that there are now more cases of phishing attacks, online scams, and other cyber-security threats since the onset of the pandemic.”

Asian Video Industry Association (AVIA) General Manager Neil Gane called for the blocking of websites that give access to pirated content. He cited how Indonesia has effectively curbed online piracy by 69% and increasing legal platforms by 30%.

Kris Aquino Joins The Shopee Family Just In Time for 11.11 - 12.12 Big Christmas Sale

The cat is out of the bag, Kris Aquino is revealed as the newest brand ambassador of the online shopping brand Shopee. She will have appearances on TV and Shopee Live, a special charity drive, and a brand-new TV commercial. 

Shopee introduces the Queen of All Media, Kris Aquino, as its new brand ambassador for the Shopee 11.11 - 12.12 Big Christmas Sale. Together with Kris Aquino, Shopee celebrates the festive season with weeks full of exciting in-app games, a star-studded TV special, and tons of amazing deals and promos this Shopee 11.11 - 12.12 Big Christmas Sale. 

Improving the Way that Your Home's Exterior Looks and Functions

It is easy to believe that the inside of your home matters more when it comes to its appearance and overall function.  After all, you may spend way more time inside of the house than you do outside in the yard.

Still, the outside of the house also can be important in how it looks and also how functional it is to you as a homeowner as well as your guests.  You can learn how to hang new doors and windows, strengthen or rebuild a balcony, and how to build stairs for a deck when you visit the home improvement page online.

DIY and Contractor Projects

If you are like many homeowners, you may possess a certain level of know-how when it comes to keeping your home in good condition.  You may be able to landscape your lawn, paint or reside your house, clean out the gutters, and even hang new shutters outside of the windows.

All of these simpler tasks are important to adding value little by little to your home.  However, some jobs, such as building a set of steps from scratch, maybe well beyond your skill level.

NOVUHAIR Petite Conversations with Cory Quirino

Love yourself just a little bit better. Be more aware. Be more diligent in choosing products that you will embrace as part of your health and beauty care. That’s the first step. But how? 

NOVUHAIR®, nature’s answer to hair loss, partners with the country’s Health, Beauty & Wellness Icon Ms. Cory Quirino in spreading the brand’s advocacy campaign and reaching out to more Filipinos around the world in celebration of its 10th successful year in the market.

Look good, feel good! https://youtu.be/iZCOLcB9wBM

“With little acts of loving kindness towards the self, you can achieve the perfect 10,” she emphasizes. “In order to look good, you have to feel good. And in order to feel good, you’ve got to look good. Start with self-love. Begin with self-care. Start with your hair.”

Electro-pop band Dustybuns offers reassuring comfort on new single “Seasons”

Dustybuns, an electronic pop duo formed by Charles Baltazar and Jok Oloquina, has finally released their second single “Seasons”—out today on indie record label, Lilystars Records.

Expanding the eclectic pair’s sonic palette with delicate harmonies, bright keyboard tones, and subdued arrangements, “Seasons” delivers an effortless, almost slick sound pulled from vast music resources that range from indie pop to chillwave, electronic music to ‘80s pop.

Despite its incredible mélange of influences, the song remains confident in its delivery and intent. In fact, “Seasons” stands out as an anthem that offers reassuring comfort and warmth. It packs a punch, while also inspire listeners to stay strong even when the going gets rough. 

Globe removes consumer 3G SIMs across distribution chains

Globe announced the completion of the removal of consumer 3G SIMs across its retail and distribution chains. The move, which started early last year,  was in line with the company’s goal to shift its customers to 4GLTE/5G-ready SIMs for improved mobile internet experience.  

3G or short for third generation technology for mobile brought an important breakthrough in terms of basic mobile internet access two decades ago. However, new and better technologies like 4G LTE have been introduced since then, prompting many telecom companies across the world to stop offering 3G services while others are already in the process of doing the same.