PLDT, Smart and Tiktok PH team up to upskill more MSMEs in Visayas

PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) have partnered with Tiktok Philippines nc. through their eBiznovation Buy Local Bazaar Caravan, training micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Visayas to use the Tiktok platform to reach new customers and grow their businesses online.

The eBiznovation bazaar traveled to Borongan City in Eastern Samar, Municipality of Miagao in Iloilo, and Municipality of Sibalom in Antique.

“We are proud to spearhead this effort to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit of MSMEs, especially in the different cities and provinces in Visayas. With the right skills and support from partners like Tiktok, small businesses can tap into digital channels to showcase their products and expand their livelihood,” said Marylou Gocotano, PLDT and Smart Stakeholder Management Visayas Relations Head.

Through a whole-day training session with hands-on workshops, participants in the caravan learned best practices for creating engaging content, building their brand on Tiktok, connecting with more customers worldwide, and selling products through the platform.

Participants were also taught the basics of internet safety and introduced to the Maya Business App to streamline their payment processes, enabling safe and more efficient online transactions.

“I hope that our MSMEs will use this training to their advantage so they become empowered to thrive in the digital era. On behalf of the Municipality of Miagao, I extend my heartfelt thanks to PLDT and Smart for selecting us to be participants of this bazaar. This will forge a path of progress, bridging opportunities for local entrepreneurs through technology,” said Hon. Japhet Grace Moleta, SB Member of LGU Miagao.

PLDT Group is dedicated to advancing inclusive technologies, ensuring that progress leaves no one behind. Through initiatives like this, the group not only bolsters livelihood opportunities but also aligns with the government’s overall digitalization thrust, championing digital upskilling among Filipinos as a founding member of the Private Sector Advisory Council and supporter of the Go Digital Pilipinas Movement.

PLDT and Smart’s eBiznovation program is aimed at leveraging technology to enhance income and market access for MSMEs, cooperatives, and other key economic sectors. These iniatives are part of the PLDT Group’s broader agenda of contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.

Carousell Property Awards 2023 Honors Trailblazers in Real Estate

Carousell Property Awards is back once again to recognize the innovators and trailblazers in real estate who have shaped cities and communities for the better. Now on its third year, the annual recognition awards celebrates the extraordinary feats in the world of Philippine real estate.

“The Carousell Property Awards is a monument to the hard work, imagination, and unshakable devotion of people who pursue perfection in each and every brick laid and every space crafted. As we make our way through the tales of tenacity and innovation, let us celebrate you for your achievements that have not only redefined skylines but have also contributed to the nation's progress and broadened horizons,” shared Shine Resurreccion, Carousell Philippines’ market representative.

This year, some of the biggest names in the real estate industry  bagged multiple awards, starting with SM Development Corporation (SMDC) whose condominium properties were given special recognition under the “Development Awards” category: Bloom Residences for Best Wellness Residential, Gem Residences for Best Integrated Work from Home Development, Vail Residences which won Best Affordable Condominium, Twin Residences with Best Mid-Range Condominium, and Gold Residential – Offices won Best Highend Condominium.

In the same category, Dolmar Land was recognized as Best Affordable Housing for its project Northgrove Hills, and Best Mid-Range Housing for Bella Vista. PH1 World Developers was also a big winner as it was awarded Best Green Development and Best Housing Development for its project, North Scapes San Jose Del Monte. Isoc Land Inc. went home with two awards, namely, Best Design Condominium and Value for Investment Metro Manila for its project I-Land Residences Sucat. In Davao, Aeon Luxe Properties won Value for Investment and Best Luxury Condominium. 

Also recognized under the Development Awards category was Cityland Development Corporation which was named Best Lifestyle Development for Pioneer Heights 1; Shang Properties was named Best Luxury Development in Metro Manila for Shang Residences at Wack Wack. Completing the winners in the category is Regus PH which won Best Services Offices. 

Various developers were also recognized for their unwavering efforts and contribution to the Philippine real estate landscape. Under the “Developer Awards” category, SMDC was named the Best Developer Philippines, Empire East Land Holdings won Best Developer Metro Manila, Aboitiz Land Inc. was recognized as Best Developer Visayas, Aeon Luxe Properties won Best Developer Mindanao, Eton Properties won Best Mixed Used Developer, while RLC Residences was named Best Sustainable Developer

Under the “Brokerage Awards” category SN Homefinders won Highly Recommended Real Estate Agency while Nel Realty won Most Trustworthy Real Estate Agency. Lastly, BPI was also given a special award as the Highly Recommended Bank for Home Loans.

The awards ceremony concluded with heartfelt messages from Carousell property category team leader Melizza Hernandez and Bernadette Pambuan: “For many years, Carousell has been the preferred online platform of real estate developers, agents and customers searching for property listings. It is because of their unwavering trust in us that we continue to be the leading buying and selling platform in the country.”

Carousell Property offers over 120,000 sale and rental listings from both developers and direct home owners across almost 500 cities and suburbs across the country that you can search for in the comfort of your home. The platform also curates complementary categories such as furniture and moving services, so you can find all that you need in one app.

To know more about Carousell, visit https://www.carousell.ph/

Blacklist International Stars OhMyV33nus and Wise Share Their Seamless Experience With the OPPO A98 5G — An Ultimate All-Rounder Smartphone

Blacklist International's OhMyV33nus and Wise, collectively known as VeeWise, reveal what makes the OPPO A98 5G an ideal smartphone for Filipino’s every smartphone needs.

OPPO has consistently launched smartphones that suit and address a user’s demand. Whether you’re a young professional who lives an active lifestyle, a student who requires a phone’s assistance for everyday requirements, or maybe an avid TV/movie buff who binge watches for hours on the phone, an all-rounder smartphone that achieves more is a must-have.

The OPPO A98 5G is a suitable smartphone candidate because it has versatile features every user needs and wants. Blacklist International and OPPO Fam members VeeWise shared that the OPPO A98 5G impressed them with how it blends reliability and multifunctional performance in one device. Read on to know their thoughts on their favorite features of the device.

A Powerful Processor for Seamless Gameplay

A reliable, quality processor allows a smartphone to deliver a solid, all-around performance for everyday use. It ensures that the device is capable of smooth multitasking and worry-free gaming sessions.

The OPPO A98 5G is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G chipset that ensures exceptional performance and power efficiency, meaning even the most demanding games run smoothly without lag or hiccups.  “Personally, happy ako to have this OPPO A98 5G because I need a smartphone that has good performance and walang lag lalo na when I am playing mobile games. Buti  malakas yung chipset niya so sure and mataas yung ROM so sure na no lags.,” shares OhMyV33nus. “Everytime we have training or practice, this is the phone we use kasi less yung lag and long battery life kaya uninterrupted yung bawat run lalo pag in-game kami,” Wise adds.

Immersive Display that Brings Games and Visuals to Life

The display enhances the overall smartphone experience because it adds next-level excitement and intensity to the games and apps being used. Wise notes the significance of this feature for mobile gaming, “Kapag naglalaro na kami, nagiging kami yung heroes or avatar na pinipili namin, kaya okay yung visuals ng OPPO A98 5G kasi mas feel namin yung laro. Super clear ng screen at kitang-kita lahat ng visuals kaya nakaka gana mag laro”.

With a 120Hz refresh rate, every frame is rendered with unparalleled smoothness, eliminating motion blur and ensuring you never miss a beat. This means users can enjoy fast social media scrolling, a smooth transition from one application to another, better video streaming quality, etc.

Dynamic Audio to Elevate the Device Audio Performance

Gamers are well-acquainted with how changes in sound effects can transform the atmosphere, ramping up the excitement during gameplay. This significantly alters the thrill of the overall gaming experience. With OPPO’s technologies, the OPPO A98 5G’'s dual stereo speakers provide rich, detailed audio that transports gamers straight into the game. 

Another feature that pro gamer Wise loves from the OPPO A98 5G is its ability to amplify sound up to 200%. “Yung Ultra-Volume Mode feature ng OPPO A98 sobrang love ko kasi malakas talaga maka hype yung sound in playing games or kahit watching or streaming lang sa Youtube” Wise shares. Get a total feel when listening to an adventure game's addicting soundtrack or a battle royale's intense sound effects, as the device's immersive audio puts you right in the middle of the action.

Long-lasting Battery for Uninterrupted Gaming Sessions

Nothing is more disappointing than stopping a game to charge your phone, especially when you’re really into it. “Lakas makasira ng momentum pag biglang mag notify yung low battery, lalo pag nasa gitna ka ng intense na laro.” Ohmyv33nus agrees. “Buti mahaba battery life ng OPPO A98, so madalang kami mainterrupt sa mga games. “Tapos hindi ka pa masaydong mabibitin pag na lowbatt kasi sobrang bilis lang niya mag charge.” Wise added. 

Good thing that the OPPO A98 5G contains a massive 5000mAh battery that can power your gaming sessions for hours on end. And when you're ready to take a break, the 67W SUPERVOOC charging technology quickly replenishes your battery so you can get back to the game in no time.

Buy An OPPO A98 5G Smartphone for an Elevated Gaming Experience Today!

Get it from seasoned esports champions, the OPPO A98 5G empowers you to dominate the virtual world and experience gaming like never before. The OPPO A98 5G retails for Php 18,999 available for purchase at any OPPO store nationwide. 

To know more about OPPO’s A98 5G and the rest of the A Series, visit the official website https://www.oppo.com/ph/ or OPPO Philippines’ official social media pages on Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.