Sunday, June 30, 2019

AQUA PLANET TEACHES KIDS TO SWIM, ATTEMPTS TO BREAK A WORLD RECORD


CLARK, PAMPANGA – A total number of 1, 819 participants joined one of the biggest and most modern water theme parks in Asia, Aqua Planet, as it hosted the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL) on Thursday, June 20, 2019. It also aims to attempt to break the current Guinness World Record set by Florida, USA with 1,308 participants last 2014.

WLSL is a global campaign with 49 countries actively participating as a member of the World Waterpark Association (WWA) that helps the global aquatic industry to work together in providing basic swimming skills to children to prevent drowning.
World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that drowning is one of the major public health problems worldwide and third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death.

With the advocacy “Swimming Lessons Save Lives”, Aqua Planet, in partnership with Bert Lozada Swim School (BLSS), is committed to saving lives by spreading awareness and educating people, especially children, on how to be safer in and around water, and that learning proper and basic swimming techniques is not only for competitive sport but it can also save a life from drowning.
During his welcome speech, Dr. Irineo “Bong” Alvaro Jr., President of BB International Leisure and Resort Development, is exalted that a big number of children are willing to learn how to swim.


“This event does not only focus on breaking the Guinness World Record, but most importantly we focus on teaching the community, especially the children, on how to swim in a fun and exciting way,” he said.
Alvaro also emphasized that “learning how to swim can save not only your life, but you can save the life of others as well.”

As a staunch advocate of swimming as an essential survival skill, BLSS headed simultaneous swimming lessons highlighting the five basics of swimming, which includes breathing, floating, paddling or kicking, and proper swimming strokes to the children from Pampanga from elementary students from public schools, children from orphanages, indigenous communities, local government units, to children with special needs.
Filipino actor and swimmer Enchong Dee was also present in the event to give inspiration and to empower the children to swim.


“When I was a kid, I always pay attention to the swimming lessons taught to me because I know, when the need arises, it will all be beneficial to me and in helping others,” he said.
Aside from learning the survival skills on swimming, the children were also given some guidelines and safety reminders on what to do during an earthquake especially if they happened to be inside a water park.

This is the second year Aqua Planet has successfully held the event, exceeding its last year’s record of 1,273 participants, in underlining the importance of international water safety standards, and making it the first and only establishment in the Philippines to participate in this worthy cause.
Also partaking in this endeavor are Bert Lozada Foundation, Pocari Sweat, Salonpas, and The Gaming Beat Charity.

The other 48 countries that took part in the campaign are: Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Ecuador, Falkland Islands, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sudan, Switzerland, Thailand, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe.


Enjoy upgraded #WatermazingExperience with family, friends, and company at Aqua Planet. Weekend rate at 1180php for adults and 980php for kids (4ft. and below). Weekday rates at 950php for adults and 750php for kids (4ft and below). To learn more, like and follow Aqua Planet on Facebook and Instagram (@aquaplanetph), visit www.aquaplanet.ph, and/or contact 045-499-8277.

Saturday, June 29, 2019

Honorio Banario Will Not Waste His Second Chance In Lightweight Tournament


Team Lakay’s Honorio “The Rock” Banario will return to the Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila on August 2 to face Timofey Nastyukhin in the semi-finals of the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES.

Banario was eliminated from the tournament when he failed to overcome Lowen Tynanes’ superior wrestling and groundwork at ONE: HERO’S ASCENT. Banario ended up getting knocked out in the first round when he got caught in a mounted crucifix and Tynanes went on to advance to the semi-final round.

Due to unfortunate events, however, Tynanes has suffered another back injury amidst his preparations for Nastyukhin and was forced to withdraw from the tournament. This paved the way for the former world champion to get back into the mix of the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix.

Tynanes is the second to fall to injury in the tournament after Ariel Sexton was also sidelined on the other bracket.

“I’m truly grateful to be given this second chance at the Grand Prix by ONE Championship,” Banario said.

“Opportunities like these in the world of martial arts are diamonds in the rough and this is definitely something that I will not allow to pass me by. It’s truly unfortunate about what happened to Ariel [Sexton] and Lowen [Tynanes] and I wish for their fast recovery.”

Nastyukhin has proven to be a formidable striker in his ONE Championship stint to date, including a recent performance at ONE: A NEW ERA where he knocked out four-time lightweight world champion Eddie Alvarez in the first round. 

Banario on the other hand has also had his fair share of highlight reel knockouts during his time in the ONE Circle. It will be difficult to distinguish who among the two powerful strikers will prevail, although Banario says he and Nastyukhin are quite different.

“I think Timofey and I have different striking skills,” Banario said.

“He is more explosive and aggressive while I prefer to be accurate and bide my time with my attacks. He is a very dangerous striker and I respect his skills as a martial artist but I will not allow myself to lose just yet.”


Banario has a lot to be thankful for lately and he wants to show his gratitude with the best performance of his entire career.

“I am not one to give a prediction but you can expect me to give everything I have and more until the very end,” Banario concluded.

“I want to show my appreciation to ONE Championship by giving them a performance worthy of a world champion as well as give my fellow Filipinos something to cheer about.”

GCash Forest Eyes 365 Thousand Trees Planted In 365 Days


Filipinos who want to contribute to environmental preservation can now conveniently use an innovative mobile phone app to help plant trees and increase the Philippines’ forest cover. Leading mobile wallet, GCash, Is introducing an exciting ”green” feature on the app called GCash Forest, which lets subscribers plant virtual trees that will have real-Iife counterparts. By the end of 365 days, GCash Forest aims to plant 365 thousand trees with the help of GCash subscribers. According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Forest Management Bureau (FMB), the Philippines is losing 47,000 hectares of forest cover every year. The FMB also reported the need to rehabilitate 1.2 million hectares of forest lands by 2022 to prevent landslides, ensure water availability, and preserve biodiversity. “GCash Forest is about making it easier, more convenient, and even rewarding for everyone to take care of our environment for the benefit of future generations,” said Mynt CEO Anthony Thomas. ”GCash is no longer just providing an excellent platform for accessible financial products and services but also enabling Filipinos to be more active in responding to real-life issues, such as climate change mitigation through reforestation. " GCash considers GCash Forest as a last mile initiative that fully recognizes the emergence of an all-digital Filipino lifestyle. To implement its tree-planting initiatives, GCash Forest partnered with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and The Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN). The DENR will provide land resources in lpo Watershed, an essential component of the Angat-Umiray-Ipo watersheds system supplying 98 percent of Metro Manila's water. WWF will be providing trees and manpower while BIOFIN will provide expertise on monitoring. Thomas added that recent findings on the Philippines’ vulnerability to climate-related hazards call for greater collective action. Results of the Global Peace Index 2019 identified the Philippines as the most susceptible country to the adverse effects of climate change. By leveraging the GCash platform and scale, GCash Forest aims to rally a coalition of individuals, non-government organizations, and international organizations to meet its 2020 targets.

To plant trees through GCash Forest, GCash users need to collect ”green energy" by frequently using the app. Users who get enough green energy can choose which species of trees they want to plant in a selected area at the lpo watershed. Once the trees are physically planted, users get to receive a certificate of ownership with a serial number, fun facts and updates on the growth of their trees on their GCash apps. ”Many Filipinos, especially the younger ones, care about the environment but a lot of them don’t know how they can actively take part in environmental protection. This is a barrier that GCash Forest addresses because they only need to use their smartphones-an already integral part of their daily lives-to make a difference,” concluded Thomas. The new featureis inspired by Alipay Ant Forest, a product operates by Ant Financial, an Alibaba affiliate n e parent company of the world’s leading payments and lifestyle platform, Alipay. Via the mobile platform, more than 500 million users have planted 100 million real trees and advanced a shared vision of sustainable and inclusive development. “The GCash Forest shows digital technology holds a huge power to mobilize people in support of sustainable development and the fight against climate change. And this power goes beyond border and is at our fingertips through our mobile devices,” said Yan Meng, Ant Financial’s Global Head of International Partnerships. “We’re more than happy to open up our technology and expertise to current and potential partners to make the world a better place.”

Friday, June 28, 2019

8th PHILIPPINES – FRANCE JOINT ECONOMIC COMMISSION (JEC) MEETING


28 June 2019 – MANILA, The Philippines – The Philippines and France vowed to closely collaborate on sectors of mutual interest thru promotion/more frequent business visits, technical capacity building exchanges in emerging industries, and promote greater trade and investments given the strong complementation of the two countries.

Capacity building programs for animation services, green design, content development, satellite development, and data sharing were among those identified during the said JEC, a high level economic dialogue platform which enables the Philippines to engage partner countries to discuss areas for trade, investment, business cooperation, and other related matters to advance bilateral economic ties.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon M. Lopez who together with French Secretary of State for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean Baptiste Lemoyne, opened the 8th Philippines-France Joint Economic Commission (JEC) also exhorted business leaders from both sides to engage their counterparts more frequently by exchanging business missions and participating in each other’s startup events and key trade expositions such as the DTI-CITEM organized Manila FAME and the International Food Exhibition.

In his address, Secretary Lopez encouraged France to “closely look into the vast opportunities for growth in trade and investment between our countries.”

Secretary Lopez cited the significant increase in trade and investment figures posted by both countries in 2018, but challenged the French to further engage their counterparts from the various Philippine business sectors considering the strong macro-economic performance of the country, and the opportunities already being aggressively explored by other investors from Asia-Pacific, the Americas, Middle East and the rest of Europe.

During the JEC, the Philippines also conveyed its interest to pursue cooperation with France in the areas of renewable energy, e-commerce, collaborative research and development, shipbuilding and buoy-making, auto-electronics, IC design, and electronics design with space legacy, including accessing technical expertise from France.

Possible cooperation ventures between Philippine and French entities were also identified, including a Memorandum of Understanding between ASCIEL Alliance Electronique and the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries of the Philippines, Inc. Foundation (SEIPI). Updates were also provided in the implementation of previously-signed agreements in the maritime industry, aerospace, infrastructure and transportation including feasibility study projects on cable cars and an international food terminal.

In 2018, total trade between the Philippines and France grew to USD2.64 billion, up by 52.43% from its 2017 level of USD1.73 billion.

Philippine exports to France in particular was up by 38.48%, from USD807.63 million in 2017 to USD1.118 billion in 2018.  Top items included vessels of transport, electronics products, and parts of airplanes. Philippine exports to France represents about 10% of total products sent to the EU.

French exports to the Philippines on the other hand was up by 64.63%, from USD924.81 in 2017 to USD1.522 billion in 2019.  The Philippines purchased airplanes and its parts, and medicaments from France in 2018.

The total trade figure placed France as the 15th largest country-trading partner of the Philippines, behind only two other EU countries - - Germany and the Netherlands.  France was also the country’s 16th largest country-source of products, and the Philippines’ 12th largest export destination.

The Joint Economic Commission meeting between the Philippines and France was co-chaired by DTI Undersecretary and BOI Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo, and French Ministry of Economy and Finance Deputy Director for Bilateral Affairs Christophe Bories.

It was participated in by representatives from the Philippine and French governments, Philippine business leaders and a delegation from the Mouvement des Enterprises de France - Internationale or MEDEF International, the French business confederation group that is considered the “most representative organisation of the French private sector at an international level.”

FFCCCII Helps Rehabilitate Fishing Boat & Supports Livelihood of 22 Fishermen


In response to the June 9, 2019 unfortunate incident involving 22 Filipino fishermen and their fishing boat at Recto Bank (Reed Bank), the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc.(FFCCCII)---as an organization which advocates Philippine social and economic progress---is today June 28, 2019 giving our immediate assistance and support to our fellow countrymen the 22 fishermen.

We at the FFCCCII are donating P1,200,000.00 pesos for the complete rehabilitation of their damaged fishing boat, and we are also donating P250,000 pesos as livelihood assistance for the 22 fishermen.


We the FFCCCII shall also allocate a donation of five (5) public school buildings from our nationwide civic project “Operation Barrio School” for San Jose municipality, Occidental Mindoro province through our local chapter the Mindoro Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

The FFCCCII as a Filipino business and civic organization, we give this assistance to our fellow countrymen in distress---the fishermen, the fishing boat owner and their families---hoping that this humanitarian act can help alleviate their plight.

We express our sincere concern for their welfare and our solidarity with them.

Get Your Vivo Smartphones For Up To 60% Off On Shoppee From Now Till 7 July 2019


Kuala Lumpur, 28 June 2019 – Vivo is offering its smartphones for up to 60% off with free gifts and vouchers in conjunction with Shoppee’s Orange Madness Sale available exclusively on Shoppee from now till 7 July 2019.

Malaysia’s most loved smartphone will delivered the next day with the new Shopee24 Express Delivery. Shoppers just need to look out for the red tag that says ‘Shopee24’. Orders need to be made before 2pm, during business days, to enjoy the next-day delivery service to addresses within Klang Valley.

Shopee will deliver the next shipment for free if the shopper does not receive their package the next day.

Shoppers are encouraged to chat with Vivo representatives via the Shopee Live feature to find out more about the products on offer here http://bit.ly/vivoshopeepost.

About Vivo

Vivo is a leading global technology company committed to creating trendsetting smart mobile products and services. Vivo is devoted to forming a vibrant mobile internet ecosystem, and currently owns and operates an extensive network of research operations, with R&D centers in the US (San Diego) and China (Dongguan, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Beijing and Hangzhou). These centers focus on the development of cutting-edge consumer technologies including 5G, AI, mobile photography and next-generation smartphone design.

Vivo has over two hundred million users enjoying its mobile products and services around the world. Vivo is present in 18 markets globally and features offline retail stores in over 1,000 cities worldwide.

Thursday, June 27, 2019

ASUSPRO and Intel Launch the Exclusive “Ultimate Creativity Pack”


PASIG, Philippines, June 27, 2019 — Your perfect business partner just got even better now that ASUSPRO partnered with Intel for the launch of the Ultimate Creativity Pack, exclusive to select ASUSPRO desktops and laptops powered with Intel Core i7 or Core i9 processors.

Ideal for designers, content creators, and those looking to further their creative vision, Intel’s Ultimate Creativity Pack offers amazing value, with free access to 14 premium creativity apps, including those for audio, photo and video editing, streaming, and even virtual reality.

Intel Ultimate Creativity Pack – free software bundle worth PHP26,000+
·         Painter Essentials 6 (Full Version Download)
·         Video Studio Pro X10 (Full Version Download)
·         Luminar 3 (Full Version Download)
·         Aurora HDR 19 (Full Version Download)
·         Photolemur (Full Version Download)
·         GRFX Studio Pro (3 Month Access)
·         Vegas Movie Studio (Full Version Download)
·         ACID Music Studio (Full Version Download)
·         Music Maker 2019 Plus (Full Version Download)
·         Fastcut Plus - (Full Version Download)
·         VR Studio - (Full Version Download)
·         DxO Photolab - (Full Version Download)
·         Mixcast - (1 Year Access)
·         XSplit - (3 Month Access)

A Master Key with access to these 14 apps will be bundled in with every qualifying purchase of ASUSPRO commercial desktops or laptops powered by Intel Core i7 or Core i9 processors from June 28, 2019 – November 30, 2019. The promotion is open nationwide via participating ASUSPRO resellers.
Redemption of Master Keys is until January 31, 2020. Complete promo mechanics as well as the complete list of participating ASUSPRO partner resellers can be found via the link below - <FB post link>
Qualified ASUSPRO desktop and laptop models:

MODEL
FORM FACTOR
SPECIFICATIONS
SRP
https://channel.asus.com/materialfiles/imagefiles/6fadc2446_153660_b.jpg
ASUSPRO B9440FA-GV0012R
Laptop
14” FHD IPS display
Intel Core i7-8565U
16GB RAM
512GB SSD NVMe
Windows 10 Pro
3 Years International Warranty with onsite service
₱91,995.00
https://channel.asus.com/materialfiles/imagefiles/442029472_153150_b.jpg
ASUSPRO P2540UB-DM0035R
Laptop
15.6" FHD display
Intel Core i7-8550U
8G RAM
1TB HDD
MX110 2GDR3
Windows 10 Pro
3 Years International Warranty
₱61,995.00
https://channel.asus.com/materialfiles/imagefiles/BC6E6A428_151765_b.jpg
ASUSPRO P1440UA-FQ0095R
Laptop
14” HD Anti Glare display
Intel Core i7-8550U
8G RAM
512GB SSD
Windows 10 Pro
3 Years International Warranty
₱61,995.00
ASUSPRO P1440UA-FQ0093R
Laptop
14” HD Anti Glare display
Intel Core i7-8550U
8G RAM
1TB HDD
Windows 10 Pro
3 Years International Warranty
₱56,995.00
https://channel.asus.com/materialfiles/imagefiles/5B39A6B05_140180_b.jpg
ASUSPRO D340MC-I78700012R
Desktop (Tower)
Intel Core i7-8700
8GB RAM
1TB HDD
Nvidia GT720 2G
350W 80+ PSU
DVD RW 8X
Windows 10 Pro
3 Years International Warranty with onsite service
₱52,995.00
https://channel.asus.com/materialfiles/imagefiles/B1BBA92CF_140154_b.jpg
ASUSPRO D540SA-I78700009R
Desktop (Small Form Factor)
Intel Core i7-8700
4G RAM
1TB HDD
250W TFX PSU
DVD RW 24X
Windows 10 Pro
3 Years International Warranty with onsite service
₱52,995.00

Promo period runs from June 28, 2019 until November 30, 2019.  Master Keys can be claimed up until December 31, 2019, while the redemption of the free software is until January 31, 2020.
Complete promo mechanics can be found here.
Take advantage of this amazing bundle from ASUSPRO and Intel now! Get the latest offers on ASUSPRO commercial desktop PCs and laptops by going to the ASUS For Business inquiry page.
Stay tuned for news on these incredible new devices on the ASUS social media channels and the ASUSPRO website.



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About ASUS

ASUS is a multinational company known for the world’s best motherboards, PCs, monitors, graphics cards and routers, and driven to become the most-admired innovative leading technology enterprise. With a global workforce that includes more than 5,000 R&D professionals, ASUS leads the industry through cutting-edge design and innovations made to create the most ubiquitous, intelligent, heartfelt and joyful smart life for everyone. Inspired by the In Search of Incredible brand spirit, ASUS won thousands of prestigious awards in 2018 and ranked as one of Forbes’ Global 2000 Top Regarded Companies, Thomson Reuters’ Top 100 Global Tech Leaders and Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies.

AC BONIFACIO RELEASES “SLIDE INTO MY DM” - AN ODE TO MODERN DAY ROMANCE


The long wait is over! Dance sweetheart and popular multimedia personality AC Bonifaciowill be releasing her next single and music video this July 5, 2019.

These days one can find love by just a couple of taps on their phone. Hitting someone’s online inbox up, or more commonly known as “sliding into one’s direct messages (DMs),” is the new way of introducing yourself to someone and potentially starting a romantic relationship. The millennials do it; the Gen-Zs do it. This century’s love stories require a good internet connection.

This is what sings about in her upcoming single, Slide Into My DM. With its upbeat melody and lyrics that every social media enthusiast can relate to, the song is set to be the newest bop anthem to blast through everyone’s speakers.

AC Bonifacio is known for being the first-ever Grand Champion of ABS-CBN’s Dance Kids alongside Lucky Ancheta in 2016, as well as placing third in Your Face Sounds Familiar in 2017. She has also been featured on The Ellen DeGeneres show and in Ariana Grande’s concert in Vancouver. AC was also recently part of the reality talent show “World of Dance Philippines” as a co-host for World of Dance Online. AC also won as MYX Celebrity VJ at the 2019 MYX Music Awards.


AC has also previously released “Sumayaw, Sumaya” and “In And Out” (with viral sensation LAVAADO), both under Ivory Music & Video.

“Slide Into My DM” by AC Bonifacio will be available in all digital music stores on July 5, 2019.

KNOW MORE ABOUT AC BONIFACIO THROUGH THESE LINKS:

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

More than 3 million GetGo Points up for Grabs in #GetGoTheDistance: Points Boost Promo


There’s no better time than now to start making holiday adventures and weekend getaways happen. For any Juan who has been waiting all year for a sign to travel, GetGo’s latest #GetGoTheDistance: Points Boost Promo will have you marking your calendars with plans to visit your dream destinations.
With the #GetGoTheDistance: Points Boost Promo, GetGo is not only turning everyday activities more rewarding with points to fly for free, but also more exciting with a chance to turn purchases to flight tickets. From now up to August 31, 2019, points earning transactions will earn members a chance to be one of the 25 lucky winners of up to 300,000 bonus GetGo points. 
Joining the promo is easy! Existing members who will shop, dine, and fuel up with GetGo’s lifestyle partners, or even book flights with Cebu Pacific will receive raffle entries based on actual points credited during the promo period, following the conversion rate and turnaround time of the program partner.
Meanwhile, new GetGo members who will earn points for the first time can enjoy twice the raffle entries on their first points earning transaction. So that’s 2 raffle entries for every 1 GetGo point earned from every transaction, giving new members a taste of the exciting GetGo lifestyle.
The higher the points earned, the higher the bonus points that may be awarded to participating members following this prize scheme:  
Number of points earned
Prize
1 – 500 points
5 winners of 50,000 Bonus Points
501 – 1,000
5 winners of 75,000 Bonus Points
1,001 – 5,000
5 winners of 100,000 Bonus Points
5,001 – 10,000
5 winners of 150,000 Bonus Points
10,000 and up
5 winners of 300,000 Bonus Points

Aside from earning points through partners and Cebu Pacific flights, members can also use their CEB GetGo Visa Cards to receive points from daily purchase. Every successful swipe of CEB GetGo Prepaid, Debit, Credit, and Platinum Credit Cards with GetGo’s program partners will earn more points, giving more raffle entries for a chance to win massive GetGo points boost!
With this much GetGo points, you can treat yourself to that solo trip you’ve always wanted or you can surprise your family and friends with an unexpected getaway to the most beautiful places in Asia and around the world. Already bought your Cebu Pacific ticket? No worries, you can also use your GetGo points for add-ons such as baggage allowance, pre-ordered meals, and even seat selector so you can enjoy a more comfortable flight experience.
Hurry and start earning points with GetGo’s lifestyle partners and you might just get that much-needed boost to make your travel goals come true! Promo runs until August 31, 2019. Per DTI-FTEB Permit No. 10737 Series of 2019.
For more information on promo mechanics, visit www.getgo.com.ph. Never miss out on exclusive member offers and the latest news on partner promos by subscribing to GetGo email alerts. Just log in to your account, go to ‘Profile’, select ‘Preferences’, click ‘My Settings’, and choose ‘Count Me In’. You can also like and follow GetGoPH’s official pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Photo caption
25 lucky GetGo members can win points and fly to more destinations faster with #GetGoTheDistance: Points Boost Promo. The more GetGo points you earn, the further you can #FlyForFree!  

Shop and earn points from GetGo’s roster of lifestyle partners and you can spend a weekend with the family at the rejuvenated island of Boracay!