Globe Group’s 917Ventures, Ayala Corp and Gogoro introduce new era of sustainable transport in PH

 

Globe Capital Venture Holdings Director Bernie Llamzon, Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu, Gogoro Founder and CEO Horace Luke, 917 Ventures Managing Director Vince Yamat, and Director of the Energy Utilization Management Bureau (EUMB) of the Department of Energy Patrick Aquino officially launch the Gogoro Smartscooters^®  and Battery-Swapping GoStation ecosystem in the Philippines.

Globe Group’s 917Ventures, Ayala Corporation, and Gogoro Inc. on Monday made history as they launched Gogoro Smartscooters^® and battery-swapping in the Philippines. The companies are introducing a new era in sustainable transportation that brings together smart, convenient and accessible electric two-wheelers to customers.

 

The announcement was made at a ceremony at the Globe headquarters in Bonifacio Global City where the three companies also announced the commercial public release of Gogoro Smartscooters^® and battery-swapping stations in Metro Manila in Q4 2023.

 

“We in the Globe Group are very proud to bring Gogoro Smartscooters^® and battery-swapping to the Philippines, a transport ecosystem that marries mobility innovation and sustainability. This year, Filipinos will have access to these electric two wheelers and Gogoro’s convenient and cost-efficient battery-swapping technology, another first in the Philippines,” said Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu at the launch.

 

Gogoro’s launch is the Globe Group’s debut in the climate tech space, as it continues to deliver innovations that address Filipinos’ daily pain points. As a better transportation alternative, Gogoro aims to address commuter woes on expensive gas prices while helping curb carbon emissions, in line with the partners’ shared commitment to sustainability, and the Philippine government's sustainable development agenda.

 

It also marks the Philippine entry of Gogoro, a brand that has transformed two-wheel mobility in Taiwan and fostered a new smart mobility industry with a network of eco-friendly businesses and end-users. In addition to Taiwan and the Philippines, Gogoro is also operating in China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Korea and Israel.

 

Horace Luke, Founder and CEO of Gogoro, said the company is excited to bring the Gogoro ecosystem to the Philippines and is committed to replicating its success in Taiwan, where Gogoro has 540,000 riders and has deployed more than one million smart batteries at 12,000 battery-swapping stations. Gogoro riders have swapped more than 450 million total swaps, 400,000 per day, and Gogoro has saved more than 627,000 tons of CO2 since it launched.

 

“Our partnership with the Globe Group and Ayala Corporation in the Philippines is a major milestone in our mission to transform urban transportation and provide an accessible path for riders to adopt sustainable urban mobility and play a key role in battling climate change and making the world better for all. We look forward to working together to deliver a sustainable transport system that will improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions, and provide a superior riding experience for consumers in the Philippines,” Luke said.

 

At the event, the partners unveiled the first Gogoro battery-swapping station at The Globe Tower – the start of a network of Gogoro battery-swapping stations planned to be established initially in Metro Manila and eventually across the country.

 They also announced the Gogoro pilot in Globe, where 70 employees will be the first to try out the Gogoro Smartscooters^® and battery-swapping. They will test the system for two months starting in May and share insights on their experience to ensure an even better customer experience once the e-bikes become available to the public later this year.

 

"The Gogoro ecosystem is very convenient as its swap-and-go technology allows riders to swap out depleted batteries for charged ones in just seconds and go on their way. With the current traffic situation in the metro, these Smartscooters^® will serve as an eco-friendly alternative to ease congestion while at the same time reducing carbon emissions,”  said Bernie Llamzon, Globe Capital Venture Holdings Inc. Director.

 

917Ventures Managing Director Vince Yamat, meanwhile, thanked the government’s support for the shift to EVs as he cited the importance of enabling policy for electric vehicles to succeed in the country.

 

“The shift to EVs, particularly deploying Gogoro’s battery-swapping system, will go a long way with sustained government support that will allow private sector initiatives to prosper. Sustainable transportation projects are, after all, aligned with the government’s long-term agenda to promote environment-friendly transport options and foster digitalization as mobility needs of Filipino individuals and businesses rise,” Yamat said. 

 

The Globe Group, 917Ventures and Ayala Corporation consistently lead the way in utilizing technology to enhance the lives of Filipinos and safeguard the environment through their innovative change-making initiatives.

 

Taking productivity to an epic level: Samsung's latest innovation combines everything you need to be productive in one neat device

 Today's professionals are always on the go and when you have a full schedule, you need a smartphone that will enable you to stay productive anytime, anywhere.

That’s why the new Galaxy S23 Ultra was designed to deliver epic productivity with its powerful processor, magnificent display, long-lasting battery, and the upgraded S Pen – so you can stay at the peak of productivity from day to night.

See more, do more

Got a packed day? The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra allows for a clear reference on your agenda with its Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen that can deliver a maximum brightness of up to 1750 nits, delivering clear, colorful details on the 6.8-inch QHD+ display. It also includes Vision Booster to adjust to three levels of brightness instead of two, so you can catch every detail even in broad daylight.

An epic processor

 

Packed with the Snapdragon^® 8 Gen 2, the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s powerful processor allows you to navigate through apps swiftly with a new designed CPU micro architecture which boosts the processing abilities of the Galaxy S23 series by about 41 percent compared to the Galaxy S22 series.  The Galaxy S23 Ultra also comes with a Super Smooth 120Hz refresh rate to ensure there’s little downtime between tasks.

 

The redefined S Pen

For a jam-packed day of meetings, events, working on the desk, and other engagements, the upgraded S Pen becomes a reliable assistant. The digital stylus is smooth like a writing pen which is also enabled with scribble sounds. You can also easily unlock your smartphone with the S Pen by pressing the stylus button, which connects to the smartphone via Bluetooth. You can also mark dates on your Calendar app, scribble notes that can be converted to digital texts, and do illustrations.

The S Pen also offers Smart Select and Screen Write for clearer screenshots. Smart Select allows you to create a custom screenshot by manually selecting the area to capture with the S Pen, while to use the Screen Write feature, you can annotate the screenshot with text or drawings.

Meanwhile, the One UI feature allows for the translation of texts without the assistance of Google Translate. When it comes to multi-tasking, the S Pen also allows minimizing an app as a thumbnail with the Quick Open feature. You can also get a clearer look at text or image with the Magnify feature that can Zoom on the portion of the screen by hovering it with the S Pen.

After everything is checked on your “To Do” list, storing the S Pen inside the phone allows it to charge wirelessly.

Take photos and game like a pro

Shooting cinematic photos and videos is easier with the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s Nightography feature, which includes its most advanced camera sensor and fastest processor to accommodate low light and reduce noise so you can take clearer shots at night. Capturing stunning photos in low light requires trillions of calculations per second, so Samsung Galaxy’s highly efficient NPU architecture has been optimized by 49 percent to balance performance and power while using an AI algorithm to help users take epic photos and videos.

 

The new Adaptive Pixel 200MP sensor which enables high resolution images allows you to take clear photos in any light while the camera also allows for the background to blur when exposed in low light to focus on the subject’s face.

 

There’s also no need to worry about the draining the battery with a marathon gaming session. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G is powered by a long-lasting battery (charges up to 50% in 30 minutes with the 40W charger) that is equipped with a rated capacity of 5000MAh. It also comes with Super-Fast Charging 2.0 and Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 so you can seamlessly go from day to night, work to play, with no downtime for your device.

 

Championing sustainability

 

The Galaxy S23 Ultra was not only designed for productivity but with the planet in mind. The front and back glass of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G contains an average of 22% recycled content while the back glass deco film contains a minimum of 80% recycled content which includes Glass PET film, recycled glass and ocean-bound plastic that received environmental claim validation (ECV).  The S Pen inner cover located within the S Pen slot also contains a minimum of 20% ocean-bound polyamide (PA). Its paper packaging is made of 100% recycled paper, excluding the seal label and shrinkage vinyl, while its window protection paper is made of 100% recycled paper.

Get PHP 5,000 off on the Galaxy S23 Series

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is available in three storage options priced at PHP 81,990 (256GB), PHP 89,990 (512GB), and PHP 95,990 (1TB). It comes in four unique colors - Green, Phantom Black, Lavender, and Cream.

From April 15 to April 30, customers can enjoy a PHP 5,000 cashback with every purchase of the Galaxy S23 Series via Samsung Experience Stores and Authorized Stores nationwide. For more information, visit www.samsung.com/ph/smartphones/galaxy-s23-ultra/ and www.samsung.com/ph/smartphones/galaxy-s23-ultra/.

 

Achieve stylish lifestyle with HONOR sleek and stunning Midnight Black smartphones

 Not really into the colorful trend of smartphones nowadays? Here’s a guide of HONOR gadgets in sleek Midnight Black that will surely catch your interest. Best thing about this, HONOR is now more accessible with the recent opening of its experience stores in SM City Fairview and SM City Consolacion Cebu.

“With our top-of-the-line design and technology, we are providing quality service to our HONOR fans and tech enthusiasts across the country. Watch out as well for our back-to-back store openings nationwide,” said Stephen Cheng, HONOR Philippines Vice President.

HONOR X9a 5G Midnight Black

By far the thinnest and lightest smartphone to feature a battery larger than 5000mAh, the limited-edition HONOR X9a 5G Midnight Black has a 120Hz Premium OLED Curved Display and an outstanding 64MP Triple Main Camera.

HONOR 70 5G

Industry’s first 54MP IMX800 Super Sensing Main Camera, HONOR 70 5G brings users incredible enhancements in smartphone photography. It sports HONOR’s revolutionary Solo Cut Mode, an innovation enabling users to simultaneously produce a group video and a portrait vlog that spotlights a specific person.

HONOR X7a

HONOR X7a strikes the right balance between mobility and battery life, packing in a super powerful battery that could last for 3 days, a TÜV Rheinland certified eye-protection FullView Screen, and a quad camera module within its 8.27mm slim body.

HONOR X8a

This DSLR smartphone captures meaningful moments with its 100MP Main Rear Camera, supported by both a 5MP Wide & Depth Camera and a Macro Camera. With HONOR X8a, users can capture high-definition images in vivid details and clarity. It also features a 16MP Front Camera, perfect for your captivating selfies.

Run, don’t walk to an HONOR experience store or partner dealer stores near you to get these or online at Lazada (https://bit.ly/3ZsS0Jx), Shopee (https://bit.ly/3J1Zv5n) and TikTok Shop (https://bit.ly/3IMaizo).

Select HONOR devices are also available via Globe Postpaid Plans. You can get HONOR X6 when you avail GPlan 799 with one-time cash out of Php 1,200 while GPlan 1999 lets you get HONOR 70 5G with 0 cash out and a FREE HONOR Band 6 worth Php 1,990.

For more announcements, you may visit HONOR’s website www.hihonor.com or social media platforms: Facebook (Facebook.com/HonorPhilippines), Instagram (Instagram.com/honorphilippines/) and TikTok: (Tiktok.com/@honorphilippines). To check out HONOR’s complete list of retail stores, go to https://www.hihonor.com/ph/retailers/.

C is Coming: Kathryn Bernardo Teases TCL's Newest QLED TV Series Release

 

Get ready to C the brilliance unfolds as TCL, one of the world's leading TV brands, announces its newest addition TV Series line-up. The new models are said to be equipped with cutting-edge technology that promises to deliver an immersive viewing experience.

 

Adding to the excitement, TCL has also revealed that popular actress Kathryn Bernardo, TCL’s brand endorser, will be featured in the brand's upcoming digital video commercial. Known for her captivating performances and stunning beauty, Kathryn embodies the spirit of TCL's new TV series – an exquisite display of elegance and innovation. As the perfect embodiment of the brand, Kathryn takes us behind the scenes of her upcoming digital ad, where she shares her excitement in working with TCL and invites everyone to C the brilliance of the new TV Series.

 

With the launch of the new TV line-up, TCL is taking entertainment to a whole new level. Whether you're streaming your favorite shows, gaming with friends, or watching a movie with loved ones, this new line-up is sure to provide an unparalleled viewing experience that will leave you in awe. Witness the brilliance in action and get ready to C the difference.

 

 

 

Stay tuned for more updates on TCL's new models and Kathryn Bernardo's upcoming digital ad as TCL showcases its most  anticipated product launches of the year. C the brilliance and magic in action and get ready to C the difference. Visit TCLPhilippines’ Official FB Page and C Kathryn’s behind-the-scene video ad. 

Rex Education partners with PSSC, PNHS, and PHA in enhancing content of textbooks

 Rex Education, in partnership with the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC), the Philippine National Historical Society (PNHS), and the Philippine Historical Association (PHA), formally introduced the fellows of its “Saliksik Kasaysayan: A Fellowship Program to Develop a Compendium of Philippine History” program last February 17, 2023.

“Saliksik Kasaysayan” is a 10-month program that aims to take stock of and secure articles, materials, and references on different periods in Philippine history. The main proponents of the program are selected fellows knowledgeable in the different time periods of Philippine history, ensuring the accuracy and credibility of each learning resource.

The program was launched last September 2022, where REX and its partner organizations reaffirmed the importance of curating materials that would be reliable references for generations of academics and students. “This fellowship program brings together the academe, civil society, and private sector toward the common goal of serving Filipino learners,” REX Chief Executive Officer Don Timothy Buhain said during the event. “REX believes that an important next step in enabling our learners, teachers, and communities entails looking back at where we all came from.”

The 11 academics were awarded a generous grant to work on period or subject areas in Philippine history ranging from the pre-colonial period to the Fifth Republic and with special volumes on Muslim Mindanao and Indigenous Peoples Communities.

During the program launch, Excelsa Tongson, DSD, Chairperson of the PSSC, delivered the opening remarks, followed by a message from Don Timothy Buhain, CEO of Rex Education. Lourdes M. Portus, PhD, Executive Director of the PSSC, introduced the fellowship program, and Ma. Luisa Camagay, PhD, President of the PHA, had the privilege of introducing the fellows.

Each fellow was given a chance to speak about the respective periods of their research. Michael L. Tan, PhD will be looking into the Pre-colonial period. Svetlana T. Camacho, PhD is set to investigate the Spanish rule period during the years of 1521 to 1872, while Grace Liza Y. Concepcion, PhD will study the Spanish rule during 1873 to 1898.

Ricardo T. Jose, PhD will cover the American rule and Japanese occupation period. Ferdinand C. Llanes, PhD will be studying the Martial Law era of 1972 to 1986. Jose Victor Z. Torres, PhD has committed to being the fellow for the Fifth Republic, encompassing the years of 1986 to present times. Meanwhile, Calbi A. Asain, PhD will be doing research on the Historiography of the Muslim Filipino.

Three fellows will also be tackling special volumes on the indigenous peoples’ communities in the three major island groups of the Philippines. Mary Jane B. Rodriguez, PhD will be covering Luzon, Alicia P. Magos, PhD will be studying Visayas, and Cecilia B. Tangian, PhD will be tackling Mindanao.

To end the program, Bernardita Churchill, PhD, President of the PNHS, delivered her closing remarks virtually from the United States.

History as a means of moving forward

As per DepEd Order 20, Philippine history was removed from the high school curriculum to pave the way for the K to 12 program. Instead, the topic was integrated into the Araling Panlipunan (AP) curriculum at the 5th and 6th grade levels. While the revised K-12 program has allotted discussions for Asian Studies and World History topics in Social Science classes, there is no dedicated subject for Philippine history for grades 7 to 10.

A 2019 pedagogy review conducted by the FEU Public Policy Center (FPPC) asserted that the goal of AP education should also be the development of student’s critical thinking skills apart from examination, interpretation, research, and communication skills, among others in DepEd’s goals. In their review, FPPC concluded that existing textbooks do not give a complete view of Philippine history.

There has been a consequent call to arms for academics, historians, and scholars to be better engaged in the production of materials regarding Philippine history, whether through co-authorship or fact-checking. The end goal would be to ensure textbooks with historical accuracy and sound pedagogy, which is achievable through the effective use of primary sources.

REX, PSSC, PNHS, and PHA believe in the importance of Philippine history in making whole the learning experiences of every Filipino learner. Through “Saliksik Kasaysayan,” the program fellows embark on their journey of gathering and scrutinizing resources on Philippine history, with the ultimate goal of paving the way for Filipino learners who can understand and appreciate the nation’s past from credible materials and learn from it as they move forward.

Igloo underscores importance of device and health protection for mobile gamers

 

eSports is experiencing incredible growth globally with analysts projecting that the eSports market as a whole will grow to US$5.48 billion by 2029 from US$1.44 in 2022.

 

The Philippines is one of the countries where eSports is becoming increasingly popular. The country is home to the biggest eSports organization in Southeast Asia and to some of the most talented esports players in the world, ranking 8th in the world in terms of skills. As a rising gaming juggernaut, 95.8% of Filipino internet users play video games across different devices. In fact, 76% of Filipino gamers prefer to play on mobile phones due to its affordability and accessibility.

 

​​With the continued growth of the industry and its recognition as an official sport in events including the Olympics, it’s not surprising that many Filipinos are beginning to view becoming a professional gamer as a career option and are investing in good quality gear to upgrade their gaming experience and performance.

 

Improving one’s skill takes time and logging in hours upon hours of playtime can lead to the wear and tear and damage in gamers’ devices. Continuing to play on a damaged phone or one with a cracked screen not only presents challenges to gameplay performance, it can also cause injuries to the player.

 

Regional insurtech Igloo understands that fixing damaged parts or in more serious cases, replacing the entire phone itself, can be very expensive, which is why it introduced various insurance products to not only protect mobile devices from unwanted incidents such as cracked screens and water damage but also the health of mobile gamers.

 

With the Cracked Screen Protection and the 360-degree Phone Protection, mobile users are provided complete protection for their mobile devices for as low as P21 a month through the GCash GInsure Marketplace and Shopee.

 

“The global gaming industry is growing at such a rapid rate, with Southeast Asia accounting for over 50% of this growth. At Igloo, we aim to provide insurance products for every kind of lifestyle and that includes mobile gamers,” said Igloo’s Country Manager for the Philippines Mario Berta. “Through products like the Cracked Screen Protection and the 360-Phone Protection, we aim to ensure that Filipinos are able to access affordable comprehensive protection through convenient, easy-to-use platforms like GCash and Shopee.”

 

The health risks of mobile gaming

The loss or damage of one’s gaming smartphone isn’t the only risk when embarking on a mobile gaming career as long hours of gaming and spending hours in one position can also lead to health issues such as carpal tunnel syndrome or even heart attacks.

 

The World Health Organization has sounded the alarm over Video Game Addiction or Gaming Disorder as legitimate illnesses that plague gamers from all over the world. Understanding its role in providing protection to mobile gamers, Igloo, together with leading Indonesian e-wallet platform DANA, introduced Gamers’ Protection last year.

 

The award-winning product provides coverage for heart attacks and carpal tunnel syndrome, illnesses that can be caused or exacerbated by frequent and long gaming sessions.

 

“While we share the world’s enthusiasm for mobile gaming, we understand that gaming for long periods of time can also pose health risks for gamers. Understanding our role as an insurtech company providing protection, has spurred us to create Gamers’ Protection,” said Mario. “Gaming is more than just having the best device or skills–it’s also about having protection for yourself and your devices to unleash your full gaming potential.”

 

Gamers’ Protection is currently available in Indonesia but Igloo is looking to bring the product across Southeast Asia in the near future.

 

“We’ve seen how this insurance product has benefited gamers from Indonesia and are currently seeking to introduce said product to other countries within the region in the near future as we believe Southeast Asian gamers will benefit from the protection this product provides,” Mario added.

 

One Meralco Marks Earth Day 2023 with Two Million Nurtured Trees

 

RAISING AWARENESS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. Meralco employees join a tree planting activity in Siniloan, Laguna as part of the One for Trees program of the One Meralco Foundation. The One for Trees program recently marked a significant milestone with two million trees planted across the country.

One Meralco has marked a significant milestone in its sustainability journey with the successful planting of over two million trees across the country as the world celebrates Earth Day 2023.

 

A total of 2,037,450 trees have been planted and nurtured in different parts of the country under the One for Trees environmental advocacy program led by One Meralco Foundation (OMF), the corporate social responsibility arm of Meralco.

 

According to OMF President and Meralco Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer Jeffrey O. Tarayao, the successful planting and nurturing of over two million trees is a testament to the power of grassroots partnerships to impact lasting change.

 

“One for Trees goes beyond reforestation and embraces sustainability by working with communities to ensure that the trees they plant will also benefit their own families,” Tarayao said.

The One for Trees program, Tarayao explained, advocates multi-dimensional sustainable solutions to address reforestation and environmental protection and conservation in the Philippines while empowering communities through economic and social development.

 

Since its launch in 2019, One for Trees has contributed to a greener future in different parts of the country including Bohol, Bukidnon, Aklan, Agusan del Norte, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, Quezon City, as well as Panay, and Cebu, where reforestation sites of Global Business Power Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Meralco PowerGen Corporation, are located.

 

One for Trees also provides new sources of income for tree-farming families through partnerships with people’s organizations. These strategically contribute to the program’s aim to plant five million new trees by 2026 in biodiverse landscapes in the Philippines.

 

“Our reforestation efforts are in line with One Meralco’s wholistic approach to embed sustainability not just in our business operations, but also in the development of the communities we serve. As we continue to engage more stakeholders in environmental protection and conservation, we remain committed to helping ensure that the responsibility and benefits of investing in our planet is shared by all,” Meralco President and Chief Executive Officer and OMF Vice Chairman Atty. Ray C. Espinosa said.

 

Centered on preserving and protecting the planet, One for Trees is a key initiative under One Meralco’s sustainability agenda called “Powering the Good Life” which is deeply rooted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

 

 

HONOR starts opening experience stores nationwide, unveils limited-edition HONOR X9a 5G Midnight Black

HONOR GTM Manager Steven Yan, Vice President Stephen Cheng, HONOR Star Sanya Lopez, Brand Marketing Manager Joepy Libo-on, and PR Manager Pao Oga

HONOR Philippines, the leading global provider of smart devices, celebrates the opening of the first-ever HONOR Experience Store at SM Fairview, 3/F Cyberzone last April 15.

“In just four months this year, HONOR has introduced four new HONOR X series devices that truly uplifted the lifestyle of our consumers. Aside from that, we’ve expanded our brand presence and partnerships with our dealers, establishing more than 500 kiosks across the country,” said Stephen Cheng, HONOR Philippines Vice President. 

Experience HONOR nationwide

In addition to HONOR’s early feat, the leading technology brand, has officially announced the start of the opening of experience stores in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao targeting at least 100 experience stores to unveil until the end of the year. 

“We truly felt the support of our HONOR fans that’s why, starting today, April 15, we will commence at opening HONOR Experience Stores nationwide to provide best service to our consumers,” added by Mr. Cheng.

Here is the upcoming schedule of HONOR Experience Store Openings :

Undeniably stunning in Midnight Black 

Due to popular demand, the limited-edition HONOR X9a 5G Midnight Black is finally here!  This crowd-favorite sports a 120Hz Premium OLED Curved Display bringing users a large screen with an impressive screen-to-body ratio. HONOR X9a 5G has an impressive 64 MP Super Triple Camera and a 2-Day Battery Life.

To get first dibs on this viral smartphone, visit the HONOR Experience Store in SM Fairview or any HONOR kiosk and partner dealer store near you to reserve. HONOR X9a 5G Midnight Black will officially be available on April 20 including your favorite online stores Shopee (https://bit.ly/3oh9VGt), Lazada ( https://bit.ly/3L0VuyT), and TikTok Shop (https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS8WXk7ow/), priced at P16,990.

HONOR has also announced its Summer Video Contest where fans can win an HONOR Smartphone! Interested participants can just capture their best summer trip and post a video on their social media accounts with the hashtags #HONORPH, #GoBeyond, and #HONORPHSummer2023.

For full mechanics and more announcements, you may visit HONOR’s website www.hihonor.com or social media platforms: Facebook (Facebook.com/HonorPhilippines), Instagram (Instagram.com/honorphilippines/) and TikTok: (Tiktok.com/@honorphilippines).