2022v22n11 - HYFLEX LEARNING

Contents

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42 New Learning Pathways 46 Learning Tools

88 Quipper 92 Smarter Education 94 Enderun Design

Innovation Campus 96 TikTok Digital Literacy

Hub

AUGUST 2022

VOLUME XXII • Issue XI

COVERSTORY 50 Gadgets For Hybrid

Learning

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08 Asus ExpertBook B3

Detachable 12 Garmin Forerunner 14 Lenovo Thinkcentre Neo 18 Synology DS1522+ 20 OPPO Watch Free 21 OPPO Enco Air2 22 Epson Surecolor T-Series 23 Razer Ornata V3

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FEATURE

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Huawei Mate 4: Work, Elevated

54 Where Do We Go From

Here?

EDUCATION

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58 MOBILITY 58 Ford PH Launches Next-Gen Ranger, Everest 68 Mercedes-Benz GLB

Progressive 70 Toyota Lite Ace 74 Road To Progress 76 Yamaha Day 2022 78 YamahaxMakina 80 Petron XCS | Petron Blaze Racing Engine Oil 82 Suzuki Avenis, The New

Muscle Scooter 86 Bajaj Three-Wheelers

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INNOVATION 98 L’Oreal Brandstorm - Team Roque, Paper, Sisters 100 3M Inspire Challenge 2022 104 Infinix 3D Vapor Cloud Chamber Liquid Cooling

Technology

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GAMING Stray

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GADGETS LAB

ENTERTAINMENT 110 Spotify Video Podcasts

30 vivo X80 Pro 34 Glorious Model O Wireless 38 Xiaomi Pad 5

112 YouTube Billion Views

Club

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Contents

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114 Aasenso Ako! Master

Maya Business

AUGUST 2022

VOLUME XXII • Issue XI

ENTERPRISE

CYBER SECURITY

Series 116 Pinoy Dream Negosyo

Vishing

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128

The Future of PH Mobility

Secrets to Better WiFi in PH

PROPERTY

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WELLNESS 130 Tuberculosis Warriors 134 Care Despite the

Distance

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FINTECH

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PROMO Your Opinion Matters!

HOME

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136

GREEN

CSR

Join The Hapag Movement

HP Sustainable Impact Report

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148

The Latest in the World of Tech

Correspondence School

NEWSBYTES

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RELIC

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Asus ExpertBook B3 Detachable 2-in-1 Laptop

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DESIGNED FOR education and built for business, the all-new ExpertBook B3 Detachable features a slew of innovative, flexible, and productivity-enhancing features. These include a detachable design with ExpertStand, a versatile dual-orientation stand and cover; ExpertBoard, a detachable keyboard complimenting the ExpertBook B3; an expansive 16:10 multitouch screen; and an inherent adaptability that allows it to be used either horizontally and vertically — in traditional laptop style or as a handheld tablet.

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Powered by a fast, efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 Compute Platform for superb performance and serious battery life, the ExpertBook B3 Detachable is also engineered with a fast-charging, garaged stylus for easy notes or annotations; AIpowered noise cancelation for crystal-clear conferencing and calls; and dual cameras to empower face-to-face collaboration or quality photo captures.

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Efficient and Durable: Exceptional battery life and military-grade durability Whether you are at home, in the office, or outside meeting your clients, the ExpertBook B3 Detachable ensures a long battery life, rated up to 21 hours of screen time, lasting you the entire workday and even beyond.

With its military-grade MIL-STD-810H certification and stringent in-house testing, you are guaranteed that it can survive regardless of where it is for an assurance of serious durability. Built to survive every extreme, including freezing and scorching hot temperatures, high-speed shocks, and everyday knocks and bumps.

Everyday protection: ASUS Antibacterial Guard and TÜV-certified display The surface of any laptop harbors thousands of potentially harmful bacteria – so to keep the ExpertBook B3 Detachable clean and safe, it has been treated with ASUS Antibacterial Guard. This special coating protects the keyboard, touchpad, and palm.

ASUS Antibacterial Guard is also made to withstand alcohol-based

August 2022

cleaning products and hypochlorous acid water, so the surface of the ExpertBook B3 Detachable stays sanitary for longer — limiting the spread of harmful bacteria.

display has been certified by the experts at TÜV Rheinland for low blue-light emissions, helping to protect users’ eyes from potential harm during extended work or study sessions.

Its beautiful 16:10 multitouch screen provides intuitive input for modern learning and working experiences. This

Serious versatility: Laptop and tablet modes, garaged stylus, and dual cameras Detachable, magnetic and stain-

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This makes it ideal for online classes, study, work meetings, movies, and more.

The option of a garaged stylus further enhances the versatility of the ExpertBook B3 Detachable, helping users to get every detail just right — from drawing and taking notes to annotating illustrations or marking

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documents. The built-in holder keeps the pen close at hand and offers fast charging. It also benefits from a standard, user-facing webcam along with a highresolution 13MP world-facing camera.

This empowers users to enjoy the best of both worlds: the ability to conduct clear video and audio calls, and to capture high-quality photos and videos.

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repellent, the optional ExpertStand cover doubles as a dual-orientation prop, while the optional ExpertBoard connects just as easily for instant efficient input — meaning B3 Detachable is as versatile as it is mobile. It can be used in the hand as a tablet, or as a traditional laptop. It can also be stood vertically or horizontally for viewing documents or entertainment.

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Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar Smartwatch

PHP40,865 – Forerunner 955 Solar

THE GARMIN Forerunner 955 Solar is the brand’s first dedicated running smartwatch with solar charging.

Built for the long run, the new Forerunner 955 Solar features Power Glass solar charging lens, giving athletes up to 20 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and up to 49 hours in GPS mode. Designed with the runner in mind, the smartwatch features an alwayson, full-color display that is easy to August 2022

PHP34,995 – Forerunner 955 (Non-solar)

read in direct sunlight and a responsive touchscreen that complements the traditional 5-button design, allowing for fast access to everyday health features, easier control of maps, and more.

Designed to be worn all day, the Forerunner 955 Solar includes advanced health and wellness features. Wristbased Pulse Ox monitors blood oxygen saturation levels providing a clearer picture of sleep and altitude acclimation

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while Body Battery energy monitoring shows current energy levels which can help athletes find the best times for activity and rest. It also aids in analyzing women’s health features, including menstrual cycle tracking and pregnancy tracking, letting women log symptoms and receive insights for exercise and nutrition.

The Forerunner 955 Solar keeps the essentials on the wrist with built-in gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

music (download up to 2,000 songs from playlists on Spotify), and smart social and SMS notifications for alerts from an athlete’s Apple or Android smartphone.

Safety and tracking features provide peace of mind while training outside by sending an athlete’s live location to chosen emergency contacts — or automatically sending a message if an incident is detected. While riding inside, athletes can also control a Tacx Smart trainer via ANT+ technology right

from the watch for course simulation, automatic resistance changes, and workout prompts when using courses or workouts.

The Forerunner 955 Solar can also be personalized with custom watch faces, data fields, and apps and widgets from the Connect IQ Store.

The Forerunner 955 Solar is now available at Garmin Brand Stores, kinetic.com.ph, Lazada, Shopee, and the Garmin PH Viber Community.

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Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Desktop PC

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THE LENOVO ThinkCentre Neo offers a stylish and minimalist design for a contemporary look with a new terrazzo color and material finish.

Connectivity options and smarter online meeting experiences enable futuristic collaboration. ThinkShield compliance enhances security.

Sustainability commitments are reinforced with Lenovo’s first ever use of ocean-bound plastic in packaging and eco-friendly design using postconsumer recycled content and paint-free raw materials.

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ThinkCentre neo 50s

The ThinkCentre neo 50s is a small form factor desktop designed to provide performance and space savings in a 7.4-liter design. EPEAT Gold certified for energy efficiency and Intelligent Cooling Engine 5.0 ensures the desktop runs with optimal power consumption. TÜV-certified Ultra-Low Noise (ULN) and packaging made from ocean-bound plastic, as well as raw materials that are paintingfree, promise quiet performance and environmental friendliness.

PHP 50,999

ThinkCentre neo 50t

The ThinkCentre neo 50t is the ideal combination of speed and sustainability. The ThinkCentre Neo 50t tower is ideal for your growing business with its clean, minimalist design, and the impressive power it brings to your workday. This desktop PC packs a punch and helps tackle high-performance workloads seamlessly with 12th Gen Intel Core processors alongside a multitude of connectivity options for productive collaboration with low environmental impact.

PHP 46,799

August 2022

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ThinkCentre neo 30a 22

PHP 52,499

ThinkCentre neo 30a 24

The ThinkCentre neo 30a 24 is a collaborative all-in-one (AIO) desktop with a 23.8-inch FHD 16:9 WVA (Wide Viewing Angle) display, audio by Harman, and a retractable webcam. Focused on delivering a highly productive AIO and a smarter conferencing experience, it includes AI Meeting Manager that offers Real-time Translator, Voice to Text, Subtitles, Meeting Notes Editor, and Amazon Alexa Voice Interaction for a futuristic collaboration experience. Lenovo Smart Appearance enhances facial features and blurs the background for professional-grade video conferencing.

PHP 61,699

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Stylish and purposeful, the ThinkCentre neo 30a 22 is an All-in-One, 22” display that gives you the power of a desktop and even more desk to work with. This business PC comes with 12th Gen Intel Core processing, enabling you to get more done quicker. It also has smart, AI-based features to enhance your online meetings, as well as several green, eco-friendly certifications.

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Synology DS1522+

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NAS

THE NEW 5-BAY DiskStation DS1522+, is the latest in Synology’s compact solution in its Plus line of allin-one storage devices that help users of all sizes protect data, IT infrastructure, and physical assets professionally and securely while supporting a host of business, IT administration, and productivity applications .

Compact solution, boundless possibilities DS1522+ integrates well as the primary storage solution for smaller setups or as an edge node for multi-site deployments.

Powered by DiskStation Manager (DSM) 7.1, it features robust data management capabilities, comprehensive file sharing, collaboration, and video surveillance capabilities.

Scalable up to 15 drive bays with two DX517 expansion units, a fully expanded DS1522+ can reliably host

massive amounts of data while taking up minimal desktop or shelf space. A new network upgrade slot enables anytime 10GbE upgrades, while two built-in M.2 2280 NVMe slots can be used to speed up storage performance significantly.

Beyond file storage Synology storage systems can easily be configured to become a crossplatform private cloud while still giving you complete control over your data.

Synology Drive enables intuitive file management and synchronization between platforms like Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, ensuring your data is accessible no matter where you are.

Synology Photos enables hobbyist photographers looking to manage their growing collection to quickly pull and back up media from their phones, sort and organize pictures, and make them easily shareable with robust permissions control.

Keep businesses running Keeping business endpoints, emails, and critical data secured and backed up is more necessary than ever with continuous and emerging cybersecurity threats. The DS1522+ includes data backup, snapshot, and replication automation to ensure files and LUNs stored on it can be backed up to other devices and cloud services automatically once set up.

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Synology’s Active Backup Suite allows IT infrastructure, such as Windows systems, Hyper-V/VMware VMs, and Microsoft 365/Google Workspace accounts, to be safely backed up onto the DS1522+ and easily restored when needed.

Compact surveillance and application server The DS1522+ also functions as a fullfledged video management system

that provides full local data ownership.

Synology’s Surveillance Station is a powerful VMS designed for businesses that already protects over 500,000 sites.

Flexible ONVIF support and over 8,300 validated IP cameras make deployment simple and easily suited to each location’s requirements.

Surveillance Station makes it easy to set up and manage up to 40 cameras on the DS1522+ with a modern and

customizable interface. For larger or multiple building environments, add in floor plans and overlay Google Maps or OpenStreetMap for maximum situational awareness. Retain important footage and increase resiliency with support for backup recording servers, multi-device management (Central Management System), and even support for end-to-end encrypted, simultaneous dual recording to C2 Surveillance.

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OPPO Watch Free

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Smartwatch

PHP5,499

THE OPPO WATCH FREE is a soughtafter device. You can never go wrong with its more comfortable, smarter, and contemporary feel. With a lightweight design of 33g and a scratch- and wearresistant 1.64-inch AMOLED display that produces ultra-clear image quality, it also leverages a 230mAh battery with a fast-charging feature that delivers up to 14-days of battery life.

Such a device can help increase your productivity with its basic features, such as message and incoming call notifications and a call rejection option that can aid you in choosing whom to answer or respond to urgently. It will assist in reducing extra time spent looking for updates and messages on your smartphone. The OPPO Watch Free also features a music playback control and real-time weather updates, among others.

On top of that, the smart wearable supports a series of fitness-encouraging features that include stand-up reminders, a 24-hour heart rate monitor, running courses, exercise modes, and many more.

In addition, it aids in minimizing your sleep issues with its OSleep feature. These can help increase your everyday hustle because it encourages a more fit and healthy lifestyle so you can perform your tasks efficiently.

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Oppo Enco Air2 Wireless Earbuds

PHP3,499

The OPPO Enco Air2 also has a unique Bass Booster that amplifies the chambers’ sound to deliver increased dynamic bass. This feature makes you feel as if you are attending

a live concert. It is accompanied by two Enco Live Sound Effects, which include the immersive Bass Boost and excellent Clear Vocals to provide a deeper, more powerful bass and detailed, richer vocals, respectively.

It can also play music for up to four hours when fully charged. Meanwhile, its translucent jelly case can charge the OPPO Enco Air2 numerous times, enabling users to have 24 hours of music.

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ENTERTAINMENT-WISE, we look for something that can give us an immersive experience, especially in audio. The OPPO Enco Air2 wireless earbuds offer this and more. With thumping bass, crystal-clear treble, and rich mid-range tones combined with doubled sound intensity provided by its 13.4mm Composite Titanized Diaphragm Drivers, it promises an extraordinary listening experience that adapts to your needs.

It is comfortable in the ear due to its ergonomic and ultra-light design, which weighs around 3.5g for each earbud.

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Epson Surecolor T-Series Wide Format Printers

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ARCHITECTURAL AND DESIGN firms work on the fundamental principles of precision and consistency when it comes to their work, as they rely on details to leave lasting impressions. With that, they require a means to showcase that their work aligns with these fundamentals, and even excel past it, providing a bestin-class accuracy to capture the finest details.

The Epson T-Series is small in footprint but large in output. The T-Series is notably sleek and minimally designed, allowing for non-invasive positioning in the office. Convenience is enhanced

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by the printer’s ability to hold on to printouts until the user initiates cutting, preventing the printout from falling to the floor.

No longer a requirement but a necessity, connectivity is a must. A majority of the Epson T-Series range has builtin connectivity features that support better workflow in today’s fast-paced environments. The T-Series is integrated with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct allowing you to print from smart devices anywhere in the office.

Although architectural and design firms differ in final output, a commonality

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is that each print needs to exceed expectations to best represent their business. Across the range of models, the T-Series is underpinned by a commitment to ensure that regardless of how they’re used—the quality is consistent and delivers a distinction against other printers.

In addition, as a leader in sustainable innovation, Epson’s extensive line of products addresses the continuously growing demand for sustainability.

Epson’s T3130X printer comes equipped with a refillable, ink tank system, using high yield ink bottles to minimize wastage.

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Razer Ornata V3 Keyboard PHP4,199 – Ornata V3

PHP2,590 – Ornata V3 X

With a more compact, modern design, it combines the best of both mechanical and membrane switch technology. The switches provide a soft cushioned touch

for gaming comfort, along with a crisp tactility for the most satisfying clicks.

For maximum durability, the ABS keycaps of the Ornata V3 are UV-coated to improve fade and scratch resistance.

The gaming keyboard is rounded off with Razer Chroma RGB with 10 lighting zones, backlit dedicated media keys and an ergonomic magnetic softtouch wrist rest for long hours of play which is not often found in this price range.

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Meanwhile the Ornata V3 X, offers the same compact yet full-size, low-profile form factor with durable UV-coated ABS keycaps and a spill-resistant design.

The Ornata V3 X has silent membrane switches, Razer Chroma RGB with 1-zone lighting, and a detachable wrist rest for gaming comfort.

The Ornata V3 and V3 X are the perfect ergonomic low-profile keyboards with a wrist rest for gamers.

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THE ORNATA V3 is Razer’s new entrylevel low-profile gaming keyboard with Razer Mecha-membrane Switches. With its new, smaller footprint and slimline keycap design, the Ornata V3 meets the needs of modern gamers looking for a full-size gaming keyboard with added value features at an accessible price point.

Feature

M

ore than any other time, we’ve all realized that the old laptop that we’ve been running for half a decade just won’t do anymore.

We need more, and we’ve needed it for a while.

More connectivity, more apps, and more of everything means we now need hardware that can keep up with the demands of this new working world.

Huawei knows what you’re looking for, and they have the answer with the MateBook and MateBook D Series, at the heart of which are a great design, a smart, intuitive user experience, and performance, for a laptop that we wish we had sooner.

HUAWEI MATEBOOK 14 WORK, ELEVATED August 2022

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HUAWEI MateBook D Series Huawei’s new MateBook D Series is the first series in the MateBook family—it is robust, intelligent, and perfect for everyday life. Its sleek, modern design incorporates a metal body, which is a feature unheard of in devices at this price range. On top of its minimalist, understated appearance--that’s frankly gorgeous in Space Gray or Mystic Silver--you have a full-featured device that’s a featherweight 1.56kg and 16.9mm thin in the MateBook D15. It’s more than just a looker though, packing a beefy 11th Gen Intel Core processor, and HUAWEI Super Device which allows you to seamlessly interact with other smart devices in Huawei’s lineup, right from your MateBook. The features don’t end there. You have the cleverly designed camera that pops into the keyboard for convenience and security, an integrated fingerprint scanner in the power button for hassle-free login, and a massive FullView display that boasts an impressive 87 percent screen-to-body ratio, and eye protection features that help prevent eye strain during long workdays.

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Feature

HUAWEI MateBook 14 If you’re looking for the perfect balance of productivity, function, and want nothing but the best smart office experience, Huawei has just the laptop for you in the MateBook 14. What’s so great about it? We’re glad you asked. Here are some of the reasons the MateBook 14 is the laptop we had sooner.

Number 1: The Display

There’s no understating how important a laptop’s screen is, since it’s the main thing you’ll be looking at while you work. The MateBook 14 has a beautiful 2K FullView display, with extra features to ensure a comfortable working experience. Eye comfort minimizes blue light emissions, and their anti-flicker technology uses DC dimming instead of the usual PWM dimming, to eliminate backlight flicker that causes eye strain over time. To top things off, you have a sharp 185 PPI display, so you don’t miss any of the fine details in your work.

Number 2: Computing Muscle

A great display isn’t going to be with much if it doesn’t have the power to match, and the MateBook 14 doesn’t disappoint. With an 11th Gen Intel Core processor, it delivers uncompromising performance in a portable package. Based on the 10nm SuperFin process, it delivers 30 percent better performance versus the previous generation. Pair this with Intel’s latest Iris XE integrated graphics and its 147 percent better performance over the last gen, and you have a device that’s ready to take on work or play.

The screen has a 100 percent sRGB color gamut and 1500:1 contrast ratio for lifelike colors, and deep blacks that make both work hours and downtime that much more immersive. Its 90 percent screento-body ratio and 3:2 display help put the information front and center, minimizing distractions, and help you maintain focus.

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Number 3: Innovative cooling

fast charging technology that Huawei has perfected in its line of mobile phones. If you’re in a hurry, its SuperCharge technology gives you up to 2.5 hours of power with just 15 short minutes of charge time.

One of the pitfalls of thin, light laptops has always been cooling. There just isn’t always enough space for a proper cooling solution in such cramped spaces. The MateBook 14 gets around this challenge with cleverly-designed Shark Fin dual fans, and dual heat pipes, the MateBook 14 has top-tier cooling to keep CPU throttling a thing of the past, even under load. The S-shaped fan blades provide massive airflow with low noise, while the dual heat pipes dissipate heat 50 percent better than before, so the MateBook 14 stays cool, even under load.

If your other devices start to run dry, the MateBook also offers reverse charging, even when it’s off, so you can leave your powerbank in the other room, building, or city, without suffering from battery anxiety.

Number 6: Super Connectivity

The MateBook 14 has WiFi 6, for blindingly fast, stable wireless connectivity, that’s vastly improved over the WiFi 5 standard. Whether it’s for work or play, you can say goodbye to a spotty connection, and slow transfers.

We can spend all day talking about any laptop’s hardware all day, but the MateBook 14 has Software tricks that really sets it apart from the competition.

Number 4: Design

Unlike other devices in its price range, the MateBook 14 has a gorgeous metal body that’s thin, sleek, and modern. To keep things tidy, it also has a fingerprint scanner in the power button so you don’t have to sacrifice security for design.

Number 5: All-day power

You definitely won’t notice it given the thin chassis, but the MateBook 14 packs a huge 56Wh battery for an astounding 11 hours of use on a single charge. To keep weight down further, Huawei has included an equally small power adapter that charges the MateBook 14 in 90 minutes. It’s barely larger than a mobile phone charger, and packs the same super-

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Feature

Number 7: Super Device

Super Device is built into the MateBook 14, and it lets multiple smart devices function seamlessly as one, so you can use your smartphone, Bluetooth speaker, and tablet as if they were all integrated into your MateBook.

Whether it’s sharing a display, playing audio through a separate speaker, or sharing files, Super Device has you covered. This greatly simplifies device sharing, and lets you focus on your work instead of worrying about settings.

and run it right from the desktop. If there’s a task that’s best accomplished by its own app, just run a quick search, install it, and open the app, without having to leave the laptop. You get all the features of your app of choice, with the large screen available on the MateBook 14. It’s extremely convenient.

Number 8: Mobile App Engine

Mobile App Engine is one of the aces in the MateBook 14’s arsenal. Have you ever been working on your laptop and wish you could have access to an app that just does the job a little better? Huawei knows your pain. With Mobile App Engine, you can install mobile apps from the extensive Huawei Mobile App gallery, Not all laptops are created the same. The Intel-powered MateBook and MateBook D series of devices stand head and shoulders above the competition, delivering great value, incredible work efficiency thanks to cutting-edge technology such as Super device and Mobile App Engine, and amazing build quality all in a package that, frankly, we wish we could have gotten our hands on sooner.

If you’re finally ready for a smart office experience it’s time to ditch your old laptop. Check out the MateBook D series of devices and the amazing MateBook 14 at the links below:

Huawei Online Store (MateBook 14)

Huawei Online Store (MateBook D 15)

Lazada

Shopee

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July 2022

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REVIEWED BY FRANCESKA AGUILA

VIVO X80 PRO SMARTPHONE

Smartphone companies never fail to surprise us with exciting new upgrades to their products and believe me when I tell you that I was most surprised about vivo. The vivo X80 Pro is a game-changer that can hold its own against other flagships out there.

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DESIGN When I received the package from vivo, it was a fun unboxing experience for me.

Everything about it looked luxurious, from the packaging to the actual phone.

Taking the vivo x80 Pro out of its box, the demo unit came in Cosmic Black and it looked sleek and out of the ordinary. It was packaged with the usual information packet and warranty card, sim ejector pin, earphones, phone case, and charger.

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The vivo x80 Pro has a stunning curved 6.7 AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s not as thin and lightweight as other vivo smartphones but it’s not much of an issue for me. This smartphone has an aluminum frame and glass front and back that still feels sturdy, although it doesn’t have Gorilla Glass. Its power button and volume buttons are on the right side of the phone, the sim card tray is at the bottom alongside the USB-C charging port, and speakers, the fingerprint sensor is embedded on the screen. At the front is the selfie camera and at the back is the quad camera attached to a slightly raised rectangular plate.

HARDWARE The vivo x80 Pro is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon and runs on the Android 12/Funtouch 12 operating system. Although it doesn’t have a dedicated SD card slot, the demo unit we have has 256GB internal storage and 12GB RAM. Its battery is a whopping 4700mAh with a USB-C 80W that charges your battery to 100% in under 40 minutes. vivo’s camera department has been exceptional, bringing in Zeiss to its game, so the vivo x80 Pro produces phenomenal photos and videos. The front camera features 32MP HDR that can also capture 4K at 30fps and 1080p at 30fps, while the rear main lens is 50MP partnered with a 48MP ultrawide lens, a 12MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP periscope lens.

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Vivo X80 Pro

USER EXPERIENCE I was in so much awe when I got to try the vivo x80 Pro, as everything was extraordinary. The camera is superb, producing HD photos and videos as if taken with a professional camera.

Although the bokeh effect didn’t do much for me and the 5x zoom didn’t really magnify that much, the rear and ultrawide lens took exceptional photos in different lighting conditions. The colors were precise and the details were sharp, although zooming in diminishes sharpness. One of my favorites is taking portrait pictures, where the focus was unbelievable compared to other smartphones in the same price range.

Shooting a video in 4K resolution resulted in an almost cinematic effect, and just like the photos, the colors came out sharp and crisp, with very detailed images even in low-light settings.

loud without the earphones plugged in, but with occasional crackling sounds.

Gaming at high-quality settings, the graphics were smooth and crisp. In medium to low-quality, gaming was okay, and the pixels were very visible but didn’t affect performance. There were minor overheating issues while playing, but I didn’t experience any crashing or lagging.

VALUE Priced at PHP59,999, the vivo X80 Pro is a bit expensive. However, if you’re invested in mobile photography, this smartphone is probably one of the best options in the market right now. It produces great photos and videos, and its overall performance is worth the price.

Performance-wise, the vivo X80 Pro didn’t disappoint. Gaming was such a fun experience for me. I tested out my favorite games — Call of Duty Mobile and League of Legends: Wild Rift — which turned out all right. Audio was

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SPECIFICATIONS CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile Platform Operating System: Funtouch OS 12 (Based on Android 12.0) Storage: 12GB RAM, 256GB internal storage Display: AMOLED Display, 120Hz Dimensions: 165.57 x 75.03 x 9.10mm Front/Back: Glass Battery: 4700mAhm 80W USB-C charger Camera: Front 32MP / Rear 50MP+48MP+12MP+8MP Fingerprint: In-display Fingerprint Colors: Cosmic Black Package includes: Phone case, USB-C 80W charger, 3.55mm jack earphones, sim ejector pin

 Rear and ultrawide camera Reliable battery Stereo Speakers Enormous 6.78in screen

WHAT'S NOT  Bloatware  Rear camera design is a bit awkward  Aggressive battery optimization notifications

BOTTOMLINE The vivo x80 Pro is a worthy smartphone if you’re looking into a new and advanced flagship with top-quality camera.

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WHAT'S HOT

REVIEWED BY GABRIEL PE

GLORIOUS MODEL O WIRELESS gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

WIRELESS MOUSE

PC mice have been silently evolving over the years. Of course, this comes from the changes in the demand of PC users. Just in the last couple of years we’ve seen a diverse line of PC peripherals — mice included — hit the market from ergonomic peripherals for those who want comfort, to cute and mainly aesthetic-based products to liven your workspace. Then there’s the gaming line with its RGB and over-the-top performance. One of the gaming stalwarts is Glorious, a peripheral maker dedicated to PC Gaming. The Glorious Model O Wireless mouse is one of the most popular in the scene, mainly because of its size and weight.

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DESIGN The Glorious Model O Wireless has that instantly recognizable Honeycomb design. The honeycomb is a trend in gaming mice to make the device lighter while providing a bit more cooling for those sweaty gaming sessions.

As a gaming-centric mouse, it also has a bit of RGB. It has three zones consisting of two small strips on each side as well as on the mouse wheel. You can actually control the RGB on the free Glorious Core software.

Color-wise the Model O Wireless comes in either black or white. I choose white to match with the white theme I had going with my own PC.

HARDWARE The Model O Wireless has six programmable buttons, these are the standard left and right click and the mouse wheel, and the additional two buttons on the left side of the mouse as well as the DPI changer. You can program these on the Glorious Core app as well as tinker with the DPI setting.

Speaking of DPI, the Model O Wireless features the Next Gen BAMF Sensor which allows up to 19,000 DPI and a max tracking speed of 400 IPS. Another thing to note about the mouse is that it uses Glorious’ own switches which the brand rated for up to 80 million clicks.

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Since the mouse is wireless, it also comes with a USB Type-A 2.4GHz Wireless Adapter and an extender dongle in case your PC is obscured. You’ll also be happy to know that instead of batteries, it charges via USB-C, and the included braided USB Type-C cord is one of the best I’ve seen.

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Glorious Model O Wireless

USER EXPERIENCE When you take the Model O Wireless out of the box, the first impression you’ll get is how light it really is. Coming at just 65g, I was astounded at how light it was compared to my older daily driver, and that was already a gaming mouse, albeit on the entry-level side.

That said, one of the cons of the Model O Wireless was the battery life. While Glorious did advertise that 71hr (with RGB off), if turned on I find it lasting less than a day. Charging time is also a bit long. The good thing is that you can actually use the mouse even while it is charging.

What I think sets the Model O Wireless apart is the sheer number of

personalizations you can make with the Glorious Core app. Aside from the standard DPI settings, you can customize the RGB with up to eight lighting modes, you can also assign macros, shortcuts, and other functions.

All of the personalization can be saved as profiles on the mouse which you can actually export to bring to another PC or import a friend’s settings to try out.

Then there’s the size of the mouse. The Model O Wireless is the smaller version of Glorious’ Model O. For someone with small hands and who uses a palm grip, the size was just right. It actually just fits my palm and is comfortable enough for long gaming sessions.

What I like the most and drew me to the Model O Wireless was the rechargeable battery. My previous wireless mouse often failed me during crucial gaming clutches, losing battery when I’m in the middle of a fight. With the Model O Wireless, I’m easily notified of its power level by the RGB light on the mouse wheel, plus the USB Type-C cable is already accessible to the mouse so you won’t have any downtime.

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VALUE

High Battery

Full RGB

The Model O Wireless is priced at USD79.99 on the Glorious website. But you can actually get it from local sellers like Data Blitz and Game Xtreme for as low as PHP3,890. That sub PHP4,000 price makes it one of the cheapest rechargeable gaming mice available in the market. Add the light weight and outstanding performance, and you get one of the best gaming mice you can have right now.

SPECIFICATIONS

WHAT'S HOT  Small and lightweight Glorious Core personalization

WHAT'S NOT  Short battery life

BOTTOMLINE The Glorious Model O Wireless is a PC gamer’s best friend.

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Sensor: Glorious BAMF Sensor Switch type: Glorious Switches (rRated for 80 million clicks) Number of Buttons: 6 Max DPI: 19,000; remappable default DPI Max Tracking Speed: 400 IPS LED: 16.8-million color RGB with 8 effects Weight: 65g Connection: USB, Wireless (2.4GHz)

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REVIEWED BY GABRIEL PE

XIAOMI PAD 5 TABLET

In the February 2022 issue, I reviewed the Xiaomi Pad 5, a bangfor-the-buck tablet. After using it for over six months, here are some additional thoughts on the tablet.

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HARDWARE

The Xiaomi Pad 5 has an 11-inch IPS display with a WQHD resolution (2560x1600), a 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10 and Dolby Vision support. The display has served me well as the tablet became my usual Netflix machine.

The Xiaomi Pad 5 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 processor with Adreno 640 graphics. It has 6GB of RAM and my unit has 128GB of internal storage.

The display is still vibrant as the day I got the tablet. I have also since then found the display to be good, even under direct sunlight. I found it a joy to use when I needed to work outside since most laptops can’t handle extreme sunlight.

As for the color, there is no visible discoloration on either the body or display. I have been using the separate keyboard case, so the tablet is still free of scratches. Even the display has no visible scratches despite constant use of the Xiaomi Smart Pen. Another thing I noticed about the tablet was how much of an eye-catcher it is.

People would usually ask what it was before asking how it performed.

I am honestly surprised at how well the Qualcomm SD 860 continues to perform, despite it being a three-yearold chip, having been launched in April 2019. I was expecting it to have slowed down considering its age, the tablet’s age, and the myriad of software updates rolled out by Xiaomi; but amazingly, the tablet continues to perform beyond expectations.

normal use. For me, the only limiting factor is the 128GB storage space. If you’re working with the tablet, you’ll see the not expandable storage slowly fill up over time and routine file cleaning is needed.

The Xiaomi Pad 5 has a 13-megapixel shooter at the back and an 8-megapixel selfie camera. I only used the rear camera for scanning documents. As for the selfie camera, I mainly use it for video conferences, and it looks really good, even better than some laptop webcams. The only qualm I have is the placement since it is on the left (when landscaped), and my attention usually looks awkward since I’m used to webcams on the middle.

There’s also the 6GB RAM, which I thought would be a limiting factor. While I wouldn’t recommend getting a device with only 6GB of RAM in 2022, so far I have not found it lacking. As my on-thego work device, I usually open multiple programs on the tablet so I expected that the RAM would be my first complaint.

It’s not. In fact, I barely utilize it all in

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DESIGN

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Xiaomi Pad 5

USER EXPERIENCE The Xiaomi Pad 5 has been my school and work partner for a while now. On the schoolwork side of things, it easily handles the job. The separate Xiaomi Smart Pen and Keyboard case have been amazing to use, transforming the tablet into an Android laptop essentially.

downside is that it is still not officially supported on the Xiaomi Pad 5, and you’ll need to tinker a little bit to enable it.

streaming, the Xiaomi Pad 5 offers Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, for great video streams.

As for media and gaming, the Xiaomi Pad 5 is a beast. It ably handled most of the games I threw at it, even Genshin Impact.

That said, my main gaming use for the Xiaomi Pad 5 was for Steam Remote Play.

The 11-inch display makes remote play really enjoyable. For Netflix and other

Lastly the battery. I forgot to mention this during my initial review, but the battery is also pretty decent. I can manage at least two to three days of straight use with the 8720mAh battery. If I do run out, it only takes an hour or two to fully charge the device with the included 33W fast charger.

That said, I feel that to fully maximize the device’s productivity potential you’ll need one of the two accessories which each an extra PHP3,000+. Ideally, I suggest going for the stylus and just grabbing an aftermarket Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

For work, I found that while the Xiaomi Pad 5 can handle most office tasks, the Android system still has a lot to cover if it truly wants to be a Windows replacement.

Then there’s the software side of things.

Last year, Xiaomi released PC mode to the Mi Fold but still not on their tablets.

The PC mode actually makes working on the tablet a whole lot easier. The only

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VALUE Coming at PHP17,990 for the 6GB + 128GB variant, the Xiaomi Pad 5 remains a top all-around tablet. Would I recommend it as a laptop replacement?

Honestly, no. We all wish the Android system would evolve enough to be a laptop replacement, but for the moment, there are still some tasks that a Windows device can handle that a tablet cannot.

SPECIFICATIONS

WHAT'S HOT  Processor is still good  Great display  All-around workhorse

WHAT'S NOT  128 GB of storage is limiting

BOTTOMLINE Still a worthy tablet for anyone who’s in search of one.

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Display: 11-inch IPS LCD WQHD+ (1600x2560) resolution with 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10, Dolby Vision Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 OS: MIUI 13 Memory: 6GB Storage: 128GB (256GB also available) Camera: Rear: 13-megapixel, Front: 8-megapixel Audio: Quad speakers with Dolby Atmos support Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi, USB Type-C Dimensions: 254.7 x 166.3 x 6.9mm Weight: 511g Battery: 8720mAh Li-Po Battery with 33W fast charging

Cover story

NEW LEARNING PATHWAYS Words by Gabriel Pe

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ver the last two years, the world stood still.

Everything was suspended, from face-to-face work to family gatherings and holiday trips. But the most severely affected were the children, especially since schools also shut down and were not allowed to hold face-to-face classes.

Still, learning prevailed even during the pandemic. Schools were able to adapt quickly, taking their classrooms online.

While it was a tough first year adjusting

for students and teachers alike, online learning is likely here to stay, in some form or another, offering a new learning path for students and parents alike.

There are different ways online learning is currently being incorporated by educational institutions. There’s Blended Learning, Hybrid Learning, and, lately, HyFlex Learning. On paper, these three learning methods may appear the same, as they’re often mistakenly interchanged.

But there are differences in how the methods are applied.

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Cover story

Blended Learning The most familiar online learning modality Blended Learning, which complements traditional teaching with online resources. This was easy to adopt as, even prior to the pandemic, many schools had already integrated this method in some parts of the curriculum. Blended learning allows students to expand their knowledge beyond the confines of the classroom and is reinforced by the teacher when they return to school.

Hybrid Learning Hybrid Learning, unlike blended learning, does not combine online resources with traditional learning methods. Instead, it is a mix of the traditional classroom setting with online schooling.

In Hybrid Learning, the student has the option to attend school in a traditional

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classroom setting or online from a remote location. The teacher conducts the class simultaneously for students attending in-person and online. Hybrid Learning incorporates elements of both Synchronous and Asynchronous online learning. The student who joins the classes online is required to attend class sessions with other students (synchronous) but they can also be assigned tasks that they can do in their own time (asynchronous).

Hybrid Learning gained popularity in the country at the height of the pandemic when schools were not allowed to hold face-to-face classes or were required to limit classroom capacity.

Distanced vs Hybrid Hybrid does not necessarily mean completely online. A distinct features of Hybrid is that the student is still required to join the traditional

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classroom setting. This is the reason why the terms Blended and Hybrid are often interchanged, as both require school presence at some point.

HyFlex Learning An emerging trend, HyFlex Learning, stems from Hybrid Learning. In fact, its name comes from the words Hybrid and Flexible, with emphasis on the word ‘Flexible.’ In HyFlex Learning, it is the student who chooses how he or she will participate in the education process. It can be offline and in-person, online but synchronous, or purely asynchronous.

As a combination of all three, HyFlex caters to most students, ensuring that no one would be left behind. HyFlex, like Hybrid, gained traction during the pandemic. One example of a HyFlex implementation would be recording a synchronous online class which can later be given to students who were unable to attend.

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Is it effective?

A key question, especially from parents, is the effectivity of these new learning pathways. Studies indicate that a personalized study method is highly effective for students. Hybrid Learning is essentially that. It offers flexibility while giving learners the resources to fully absorb their studies.

Why the need for new learning approaches There are a couple of reasons why new learning pathways are important.

Obviously, the need for an alternative method of learning and teaching is needed for unexpected scenarios. The pandemic has shown that the traditional way of learning cannot work when mobility is restricted.

It can also be argued that these learning pathways can somehow enhance a student’s learning capabilities. Blended learning expands the students’ knowledge of what is taught in class, whereas Hybrid gives them

an opportunity to take learning at their own pace and be guided by teachers later on.

Meanwhile, HyFlex answers the call that no student should be left behind.

By providing access to all the learning resources, students are assured that they won’t miss a single thing from class while proceeding at their own pace.

Of course, there are also monetary benefits to both students and parents. The less time needed for face-to-face classes means less money for transport and other miscellaneous expenses.

But looking at it from a different perspective, the adoption of new learning pathways didn’t need a reason. Educational technology has evolved to the point where the changes were bound to happen eventually, regardless of the pandemic.

The global health crisis only hastened the inevitable, and the past two years proved that learning and education are essential human processes that will adapt to our changing world.

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Cover story

LEARNING TOOLS Words by Jewel Sta. Anaz

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f there’s something good that the pandemic has brought us, it is undoubtedly the digitalization of education. Some may disagree about the effectiveness of remote learning, but one thing is for sure —online education is here to stay. As institutions of learning ease their way to faceto-face classes, school administrations recognize the need for a hybrid setup as one of the keys to improving the Philippines’ education system. Let’s look at some of the innovations that optimize how academic professionals are teaching — and students learning — in the comfort of their own homes.

INTERACTIVE TOOLS

Apart from network connectivity and the availability of gadgets, one of the main obstacles to online learning is the limited interaction between students and teachers. To make online classes more engaging to students, professors adopt various digital Interactive tools in their class discussions.

Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) helps teachers edit their live stream or recorded videos. It allows them to unleash their creativity by including photos, background music, and even backdrop videos related to the subject matter that they are discussing with their students online. OBS users may utilize plugins for flexible customization.

Students may also use this software for interactive presentations of their reports, thesis, and research papers.

Kahoot, on the other hand, is a game-based learning platform where users can create and host live quizzes. To gain more points, participants must answer accurately at a given time. They can answer remotely by using a desktop, laptop, tablet, or even a smartphone. To ensure security, the platform provides a unique PIN to the host.

Participants can only access the quiz hosted through Kahoot by entering a PIN. If you’re on a budget, apps like Quizlet and Brightful offer similar features for free.

Other interactive tools that aid in building student-teacher engagement are interactive activity and quiz builders such as Rolljak and Kahoot. The former offers free to a paid subscription for implementing enrichment activities and quizzes online. It allows students to talk in timed breakout rooms, sketch and scribble on an assigned topic, and provide constructive criticism through equal and anonymous peer evaluation.

To further ensure that students understand current and recently discussed topics, there are learning assessment tools like Slido, which can elicit student perspectives on a particular topic.

Teachers can create live polls, host questions and answers, test the knowledge of students through short quizzes, and get insights from the class discussion. This tool also promotes inclusivity by allowing students to ask questions and vote on the poll anonymously.

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ALL-IN-ONE LEARNING PLATFORMS

For most academic institutions, learning management systems (LMS) are a necessity. Since most LMS come with an annual or monthly subscription, a big chunk of this is charged on the students’ tuition fees. These online learning platforms offer an all-in-one solution covering administration, documentation, tracking, delivery, and sometimes, offering of learning programs. It is a portal where teachers and students communicate, upload course material, post and schedule homework, submit activities and quizzes, and give grades on student performance. In the Philippines, the more commonly-used LMS are Google Classroom, Canvas LMS, and Blackboard Learn.

On the other hand, a university’s independent online portal usually handles only internal processes and transactions between the school administration and the student.

This includes application and submission of documents, viewing of subject grades, checking of the academic calendar, subject enlistment, processing of enrollment, application of leave of absence, submission of online and cash payment for tuition, and more. For example, each campus of the University of the Philippines has its own online learning spaces and computerized registration system.

PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS Since online learning requires more file sharing, having cloud storage for remote file storage is important. Depending on their university’s plan, most college students are entitled to avail of the minimum paid subscription for file sharing services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive.

Apart from storing large files, these cloud-based filesharing services allow students to create, edit, and save changes to their documents with or without the internet. Google Drive and OneDrive offer offline access and editing which are more convenient for those who have network issues.

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If the school cannot afford the cost of an LMS subscription, some teachers resort to communications apps more commonly used in corporate settings. Discord, more popular among gamers, has become a communication tool for learning with its relatively low data consumption compared to other chat applications. It allows a class to send messages through video calls, voice chat, and text. Lastly, members of a specific server can stream video to a maximum of 50 participants and use bots to moderate channels on a specific server. The best part is that it breaks the barrier of limited audio calls.

learning platforms range from short courses to postgraduate and Ph.D. programs. There are options to claim virtual certificates and print them upon completion of a program. Of course, this requires the user to pay for the certificate online.

Last but not least, study timers are essential tools for keeping your focus. Most students and professors are familiar with the Pomodoro Technique. This is a time management system where you break your study time or work day into chunks. Each chunk is 25-minutes long separated by a 5-minute break. After repeating three rounds of Pomodoro, you can take a longer break. Digital study timers such as Pomofocus and Forest allow users to keep track of their progress without wasting their time.

The former is a multiplatform timer that allows users to list their tasks for the day and check their activity summary. Meanwhile, the latter motivates users to grow their virtual forest by staying on the app and keeping the countdown timer running. Users who earn in-app virtual coins from Forest can spend them to plant real trees.

For more participants per meeting, there is Microsoft Teams that can accommodate up to 100 participants for up to 60 minutes. The free subscription allows file sharing, polling, data encryption from files and chats (text/video/ audio), and free 5GB of cloud storage per user.

And when you can’t get enough of the joy of independent learning, you can pursue free and paid online courses remotely from premier academic institutions through Coursera and Course Hero. Programs offered on these online

Regardless of the ongoing debate about its effectiveness and implementation, we can collectively agree that online learning has revolutionized how people teach and learn. There are still some gaps and holes that need to be filled in, but it has opened opportunities for those who are far from the schools and universities where they work and study. With proper planning and implementation, I believe that online learning can improve the nation’s literacy rate despite the challenges of the past two years.

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t the onset of the pandemic in 2020, our government didn’t have emergency plans, so we were left to fend for ourselves. But as time went by and multiple quarantine protocols were imposed, we managed to adapt to a new normal where everything is online or hybrid, including work and education. In the early months, online classes were a struggle, as many did not have access to the internet and not everyone had a desktop or even a smartphone to attend classes with. Eventually, as protocols eased, students were given the option to attend either or both face-to-face classes at school and classes online.

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Cover story

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? Musings of graduate students on their online learning experience Words by Chris Noel Hidalgo

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he COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift to online learning for the entire country — a shift that while necessary for educational continuity, has been marred by undeniable social, psychological, technological, and socioeconomic implications, among other issues of inequity and inaccessibility.

But what do graduate students think of remote learning? Juggling both work and their education, graduate students have a unique point of view. Not only do they return to the academe armed with real-world knowledge, their studies are also more advanced in nature, preparing them for higher-level specializations and critical analysis of their fields of expertise.

Curious about the online learning experience in the postgraduate world, I interviewed some of my friends — Wen, a communications officer in a Philippine banking institution; Cap, a Philippine-based virtual program coordinator for a Thai social impact startup; Trix, a marketing communications officer at a European financial services company; and Dadat, a Philippine-based marine science researcher. Here’s what they had to say.

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Classes in graduate school are done either during the weekends, or as I have experienced, during weekday evenings as the assumption is that students are working during the weekday. It was exhausting having to beat the morning rush to clock in to work at 7:00 AM, put in my 8 hours for the day, hurry to my in-campus evening class, and finally commute home — all these up to three times a week. Coupled with having to catch up on tons of reading and research work up to and even during the weekends, graduate students practically have no time for themselves.

The mainstreaming of online education and remote work arrangements changed all this. “Since everything is remote, I save a lot of time because I don’t have to commute anymore,” said Trix. With her freed-up schedule, Trix has been able to focus more on self-care, as well as attend online classes even when on a vacation.

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Cap also took the opportunity to find virtual work opportunities alongside his graduate schooling. “When I started my master’s degree, I did not have work as I was a full-time student. Remote learning gave me the time I needed to consider virtual work opportunities. Since I don’t have to think about transportation, I could dedicate my energy to efficiently juggle both work and school.”

On the other hand, while Wen also acknowledged that the flexible learning and work environment is easier on the schedule, the setup does have its pitfalls: “It is not for everyone.”

A Different Kind of Responsibility Unfortunately, online learning did not bring just joy to these graduate students.

Despite the time he regained, Wen found the online learning process to be quite challenging, saying “I had a hard time managing my focus. I couldn’t seem to

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regain that learning readiness that I had in-campus. I struggled to the point that I noticeably performed poorly in online classes throughout this pandemic.”

Likewise, Cap mentioned that on top of Zoom fatigue, asynchronous class activities necessitated additional effort on the part of the student. Using discussion boards (akin to social media posts and their comments) in an online learning platform as an example, Cap explained “In synchronous classes, whether virtual or face-to-face, people can get feedback immediately. For asynchronous activities, you do not need to immediately respond. You do it at your convenience. Therefore, it takes much longer for students to see through discussions.”

Dadat also noted that student evaluation activities, such as exams, have evolved.

“Looking back to pre-pandemic classes, in-campus exams were quite objective.

Now, exams are more creative. They are no longer based on memorization;

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Photo by Josefa nDiaz on Unsplash

Juggling Work and School

rather, they now focus on testing our application of what we learn in class.

Instead of asking ‘what,’ exam items are now asking ‘how’ and ‘why’.”

Hybrid is the Preference Given these advantages and disadvantages, what mode of learning do these graduate students ultimately prefer moving forward?

Trix mentioned that although she does miss in-person interactions with professors and classmates, as well as time in the library, the benefits of online learning ultimately outweigh the downsides. “Remote classes have been very effective for me. My lifestyle has changed for the better. I have been able to rededicate all the time and energy I save towards taking care of my physical and mental health,” explained Trix.

learning could be very beneficial to all students.”

Cap also highlighted his preference for connecting with people in person. “I would personally prefer a hybrid learning setup moving forward as education can continue to integrate aspects that give the best of both worlds. You can get the conveniences of virtual education, while also being able to meet with teachers and fellow students in-campus and establish connections that you just can’t get online.”

With Philippine education apparently bound to fully return in-campus in a few weeks, one wonders whether schools — specifically those that have invested

heavily into making the online learning experience work — will completely revert to an exclusively face-to-face setup. In my experience, the experiences written above, as well as the unwritten experiences I have heard from graduate students from various walks of life, it seems that the ideal scenario is to ensure options in the future. Full face-to-face, fully online, and hybrid options should be made available to ensure each student can utilize the mode of learning that works for their personal situation and the kind of learner they are.

No matter the mode though, the challenge always remains—how can we make education work better?

Photo by Karl Edwards on Unsplash

Conversely, Dadat, Wen, and Cap prefer the hybrid scenario for their future studies. This is most especially true for those in the hard sciences like Dadat. “We need hands-on laboratory experience.

Our experiments and field work require access to special equipment that are only accessible in-campus. At the same time, there are classes which can be done remotely.”

Wen said “I miss the campus ambiance that just gets you in the mood to learn.

Plus, library resources, student-friendly meals, and the camaraderie of being with like-minded learners. As such, a balanced execution of remote and in-campus

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MOBILITY

FORD PH LAUNCHES NEXT-GEN RANGER, EVEREST August 2022

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ntroduced at the 2022 Ford Island Conquest experiential test drive event were the completely redesigned nextgeneration Ford Ranger and Ford Everest. During the launch, Ford Philippines announced that customers will get to enjoy a worry-free ownership experience with a longer 5-year warranty or a total mileage of up to 150,000 kilometers, whichever comes first.

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MOBILITY

FORD RANGER The much-awaited next-generation Ford Ranger is the smartest, most versatile, and most capable Ranger ever.

It features improved capability and comfort, advanced technologies, and smart connectivity that deliver new and improved experiences to pick-up customers.

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NEW LOOK, NEW CAPABILITIES Visually, the next-generation Ranger is bold and confident, with a purposeful exterior that shares Ford’s global truck design DNA. The design features a defined new grille and signature C-clamp headlight treatment at the front while a subtle shoulder line down the sides incorporates a new wheel arch design that gives the Ranger a surefooted stance. Consistent with the look in front, the LED taillamps clamp onto the new tailgate, now proudly stamped with the RANGER badge.

The next-gen Ranger incorporates several intuitive designs, making the pick-up truck more user-friendly for any lifestyle. A rear box step makes accessing the cargo area easier and safer. Clamp pockets allow users to attach timber or tools to the tailgate workbench, which can also be concealed with spring-loaded caps when not in use.

REDESIGNED INTERIOR AND ENHANCED CONNECTIVITY Inside, the next-gen Ranger uses premium soft-touch materials to go with a roomy cabin. At the heart of its connective experience is the large 10-inch or best-in-class 12inch touchscreen in the center stack.

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It complements the fully digital instrument panel and is loaded with Ford’s latest SYNC 4A with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto capability.

A 360-degree camera makes crossing and parking a breeze in tight urban spaces. There are also clever storage and useful features for owners, such as a digital owner’s manual, a new climate system, and wireless charging. In addition, the door pockets are designed to carry more, the wide dash conceals an upper glovebox, and there are storage bins under and behind the rear seats.

IMPROVED RIDE AND HANDLING To develop the ride and handling expected of a truck customer’s use for a wide range of work, family and play, Ford engineers focused on the fundamentals and made improvements on the chassis and suspension. They moved the front wheels forward by 50mm for a better approach angle and outboard for better off-road articulation, both of which improve the off-roading experience. They also shifted the rear suspension dampers outboard of the frame rails to give drivers and passengers a better ride both on- and off-road, no matter if they’re carrying heavy cargo for work, or just taking the family out for dinner.

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MOBILITY

RELIABLE DRIVETRAIN AND DRIVE MODES The next-gen Ranger gives customers a choice of engines to suit their needs and lifestyles.

The 2.0L Bi-Turbo mated with a 10-speed automatic transmission is available on the 4x4 Wildtrak variant capable of 210PS of maximum power and 500Nm of maximum torque, while the 2.0L Single Turbo mated with a 6-speed automatic or manual transmission is available for the other Ranger variants, capable of 170PS of maximum power and 405Nm of maximum torque.

The next-gen Ford pick-up also allows customers to explore new horizons through selectable drive modes that include Normal, Eco, Tow Haul, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, and Sand. These drive modes allow the Ranger to tackle any destination and deliver optimized performance for different surfaces, road conditions, and vehicle usage.

SMARTER AND SAFER THAN EVER Safety remains at the core of the nextgen Ranger with its suite of smart driver-assist technologies that include Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-andGo and Lane Centering, Lane Keeping

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System with Road Edge Detection, Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Aid & Lane Departure Warning, Pre-Collision Assist with Intersection, among others.

It also comes with up to seven airbags, providing exceptional protection for everyone inside the vehicle.

The next-gen Ranger also has an Intelligent Oil Life Monitor (IOLM), a smart new feature that tells the owner when to have an oil change based on actual engine data, operating conditions, and owner driving habits.

PRICING

The next-gen Ford Ranger will be available in eight variants.

VARIANT

PRICE

Ranger 2.0L Bi-Turbo Wildtrak 4x4 AT

PHP 1,875,000

Ranger 2.0L Turbo Wildtrak 4x2 AT Ranger 2.0L Turbo Sport 4x4 AT Ranger 2.0L Turbo Sport 4x2 AT Ranger 2.0L Turbo XLT 4x2 AT Ranger 2.0L Turbo XLS 4x2 AT Ranger 2.0L Turbo XLS 4x2 MT Ranger 2.0L Turbo XL 4x4 MT

PHP 1,569,000 PHP 1,594,000 PHP 1,474,000 PHP 1,374,000A PHP 1,273,000 PHP 1,198,000 PHP 1,198,000

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MOBILITY

FORD EVEREST The next-generation Ford Everest blends adventure-ready capability with exceptional comfort and customer-focused technology in a rugged, refined, and fun-to-drive SUV. Armed with more customer feedback than ever before, the objective behind the development of the next-gen Everest was clear: Tough on the outside, sanctuary on the inside, amazing capability underneath.

Rugged Outside A wider track and longer wheelbase give the next-gen Everest its more progressive, muscular appearance, with a dramatic swell over the wheels that comes from a strong shoulder line that runs from front to back enhancing the strong and modern look.

A mix of horizontal and vertical elements on the front end adds to a more stable look, with Ford’s global design DNA reflected in the C-clamp headlamps and horizontal upper grille bar. The LED taillights set in a fullwidth design emphasize its increased track.

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The panoramic moonroof available in the Titanium variants allows fresh air to get into the cabin at the touch of a button, while the hands-free power liftgate allows easy and quick access into the Everest’s spacious trunk with a kick of one’s foot under the sensor.

A Sanctuary Inside Inside, the next-gen Everest boasts of a roomy interior with plush leather seats, premium finishes, and ambient lighting in areas where they can be appreciated best.

The sense of spaciousness is amplified by the full-width instrument panel and center console with dual cupholder recesses, plus dash-mounted ‘pop out’ cupholders for front seat occupants.

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Thanks to the second-row seats’ ability to slide further forward than before, access to the third-row seats is much easier. Additionally, all occupants have more places to store their things, and can charge their devices through power outlets in all three rows.

Ford prioritized flexible seating — the second-row slides with a 60:40 split seatback and the 50:50 split third row in the seven-seater configuration can be folded at the touch of a button on high-series models. Both the second- and third-row seats are designed to fold flat to allow for long loads to be carried safely.

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opens with a simple kick, allowing users to open the back door of the vehicle even with their hands full — enabling easier cargo loading.

The sophisticated and comfortable interior is underpinned by an updated chassis, wider track, and refined suspension tuning. Simply put, the next-gen Everest offers a balanced ride performance, whether on the highway or on rough terrain.

Customer-focused Technology Fully equipped with the latest connectivity features, depending on the variant, customers can enjoy either

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an 8 or 12-inch digital instrument cluster. It also features a large and high-resolution 10 or 12-inch touchscreen infotainment screen with the latest SYNC 4A, which is linked to a 360-degree camera with a display that helps drivers with parking and cruising through off-road terrains. It also comes with a wireless charging feature to keep everyone inside connected at all times.

It also has an Intelligent Oil Life Monitor (IOLM), a smart new feature that tells the owner when to have an oil change based on actual engine data, operating conditions, and owner driving habits. gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

Powerful Drivetrain and Drive Modes The next-gen Everest gives customers a choice of engines to suit their needs and lifestyles.

The 2.0L Bi-Turbo mated with a 10-speed automatic transmission is available on the Titanium+ 4x4 variant capable of 210PS of maximum power and 500Nm of maximum torque, while the 2.0L Single Turbo mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission is available for the other Everest variants, capable of 170PS of maximum power and 405Nm of maximum torque.

With the next-gen Everest’s terrain management system, drivers are given command of six on- and off-road drive modes (Normal, Eco, Tow Haul, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, and Sand) to help master every terrain. The Drive Mode Selector provides drivers with an easy way to shift drive modes easily, while the E-Shifter brings a new level of hightech control to your fingertips with

optimized performance for different surfaces, road conditions, and vehicle usage. All these exciting features are exclusively available on the Titanium+ 4x4 variant. Additionally, all Everest models come standard with the electric parking brake.

Safety In Its Core The next-gen Everest comes loaded with new and enhanced driver assist technologies and safety features that are designed to take the stress out of driving and help drivers to remain focused. These technologies include seven airbags standard across all variants, Active Park Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go and Lane Centering, Lane Keeping System with Road Edge Detection, Forward Collision Warning, Evasive Steer Assist and Reverse Brake Assist.

Pricing There are five variants for the nextgeneration Ford Everest.

VARIANT Everest 2.0L Bi-Turbo Titanium+ 4x4 AT Everest 2.0L Turbo Titanium+ 4x2 AT Everest 2.0L Turbo Sport 4x2 AT Everest 2.0L Turbo Limited 4x2 AT Everest 2.0L Turbo Trend 4x2 AT

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PRICE PHP 2,495,000 PHP 2,179,000 PHP 2,089,000 PHP 1,999,000 PHP 1,799,000

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MERCEDES-BENZ GLB PROGRESSIVE

he GLB is the most versatile premium compact SUV of Mercedes-Benz with its long wheelbase, striking SUV design, and impressive widescreen cockpit. This compact SUV proves that it is possible to fit capability and space into a small frame. It is both versatile and functional – your partner wherever you go and your companion on your adventure trips.

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THE GLB CHARACTER Long wheelbase, striking SUV design — the GLB demonstrates a generous take on space. It has a distinctive SUV design that represents modern and classic Mercedes-Benz elements which make this SUV stand out above the rest. Its Progressive design line underscores the exclusivity with a

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simulated underguard at the front and rear in high-gloss chrome to underline the vehicle’s off-road nature. From the front, the upright section already impresses at a first glance with its radiator grill with two single louvers.

Special highlights come with LED high-performance headlamps with daytime running lights and 19-inch 10-spoke light-alloy wheels. gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

multimedia system in the GLB keeps you fully in the know at all times. With smartphone integration, you can easily connect your mobile phone via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It gives convenient access to the most important applications on your smartphone, such as Spotify, Waze, etc.

MORE COMFORT FOR YOU

SPACE IS A PRECIOUS THING The GLB offers a reasonably roomy headroom and spacious cabin for the driver and passengers, and 570L of cargo space behind the second-row seats. Whether it is people or equipment you are packing, the GLB provides plenty of options. It is a compact SUV that demonstrates how many people, things, and adventures you can pack into your next journey.

LUXURIOUS AND MODERN CABIN Inside the cabin, the GLB is a true SUV right down to the fine details, from its eye-catching features including the 7-inch digital instrument display, ARTICO man-made leather seats, and distinctive SUV modern design elements. The 10.25-inch MBUX

Stay flexible and make yourself at home on the GLB. Transport every day and leisure items even more practically and safely with its large, variable loading compartment. It gives more convenience with its EASY-PACK tailgate that can be electrically opened and closed at the press of a button. The GLB raises the bar for a compact SUV that gives unprecedented comfort.

EVERYTHING THAT MAKES THE GLB EVEN SAFER The GLB is packed with extensive safety and convenience features. Active Brake Assist, Active Parking Assist with 12 ultrasonic sensors, and Cruise Control are standard on the GLB. The GLB is also equipped with safety technologies including Attention Assist drowsiness detection; Seven Airbags — twostage deployment airbags for driver/

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passenger, window bags for driver/ front and rear passengers, and knee bag for driver; and ISOFIX child-seat mountings.

The Mercedes-Benz GLB 200 Progressive is the most versatile premium compact SUV because of its ample cargo space. Its powerful proportions and expressive design features lend it an unmistakable SUV character. The aesthetic design, highclass technology, and extensive safety systems represent the modern luxury of this SUV. The GLB 200 Progressive line starts at PHP 3,990,000. It is available for viewing at all Mercedes-Benz showrooms. You may also visit www. mercedes-benz.ph/GLB to know more.

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MOBILITY

TOYOTA LITE ACE KASOSYO SA ASENSO

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(L-R) Senior Vice President and Overall Head of Marketing, New Mobility Business and Vehicle Logistics Department Jing Atienza, TMP President Atsuhiro Okamoto, Vice Chairman David Go and Senior Vice President for Marketing Masatoshi Toiya

he country’s leading automotive and mobility company Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) has reintroduced one of its most iconic nameplates, the Toyota Lite Ace, as a light commercial vehicle (LCV) stepping in as the reliable business partner for Filipino business owners and entrepreneurs.

Toyota to introduce a light commercial vehicle,” TMP president Atsuhiro Okamoto told spectators at the unveiling event. “We are confident that the All-New Lite Ace is a game-changer, not just in uplifting the auto industry, but more importantly in improving the way homegrown businesses move people and goods.”

The All-New Toyota Lite Ace was officially unveiled at Farmers Plaza in Araneta City, Quezon City – one of the busiest commercial centers and marketplaces in the country that serves as a hotspot for flourishing businesses.

TMP is taking pride in the reach of its 72-strong dealership network nationwide to bring the All-New Lite Ace to more businesses in various industries across the country, especially in regions where efficient transportation is critical to the timely delivery of goods and services.

“With the introduction of the All-New Lite Ace, we are responding to the long-time request of our customers for

TMP’s entry into this new category is also boosted by Toyota products’

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signature QDR (Quality, Durability, and Reliability) that suits the demands of MSMEs needing the most returns out of their every investment. This also translates to minimal downtimes for the vehicle, ensuring business continuity and avoiding time and financial losses or extra expenditures for repairs. With this, we are assuring that the All-New Lite Ace is an easy-to-acquire vehicle, giving MSMEs ease when purchasing.

LITE ON THE POCKET, HEAVY ON PERFORMANCE Through Toyota Financial Services Philippines (TFSPH), TMP is offering the All-New Lite Ace under unique financing packages that allow customers to acquire units under a weekly August 2022

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“TMP is taking pride in the reach of its 72-strong dealership network nationwide to bring the All-New Lite Ace to more businesses in various industries across the country, especially in regions where efficient transportation is critical to the timely delivery of goods and services.” payment scheme with rates that go as low as PHP2,903.50 per week (pickup).

This makes investing in a Toyota commercial vehicle easier and more accessible for those who are looking to start or expand their own local businesses.

The All-New Lite Ace currently comes in two variants — the Pickup with an open bed for fast and flexible loading, and the Panel Van with a sliding enclosure for more secure cargo transport. Both the Pickup and Panel Van have heavy-duty and wide capacity, perfect for any heavy-load transportation needs.

The Panel Van is ideal for businesses like e-commerce parcel transportation and the Dropside Pickup can be utilized for agricultural and industrial needs.

TMP will continue to grow the lineup as the Aluminum Van ideal for dry goods transport and the Utility Van fit for

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transporting manpower are expected to be introduced by September 2022.

The All-New Lite Ace is powered by a 1.5L gasoline engine and 5-speed manual transmission. It also comes with practical convenience features like electric power steering and airconditioning system. Aside from being a reliable partner in efficiency, the All-New Lite Ace also gives importance to the safety of its users through SRS Airbags, Anti-lock Brake System and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) for the Panel Van. The Pickup Lite Ace retails at PHP570,000 while the Panel Van Lite Ace has a retail price of PHP655,000 and both come in White color. It is being offered with Free Periodic Maintenance for one year or 20,000kms.

For more information about Lite Ace, visit the nearest Toyota dealership near you.

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ROAD TO PROGRESS Isuzu Philippines 25th Anniversary

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suzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) celebrated its 25th inaugural anniversary by announcing the company’s new Road To Progress vision. Held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, the event was well attended by shareholders, dealers, suppliers, banks, media, VIPs from industry associations, and IPC executives and employees.

IPC President Noboru Murakami thanked the shareholders, dealers, and business partners who contributed to the success of IPC, saying: “The main reason why IPC has attained these countless achievements throughout the years is because we have the unwavering support of each and every one of you.”

In addition to celebrating the past 25 years of success, IPC also shared the company’s sustainable development goals through their new vision: Road To Progress, which is going to be the underlying motive of their business activities and goals moving forward.

According to IPC President Murakami, the Road To Progress vision aims to realign IPC’s business processes through a new perspective focusing on the environment, as well as social and governance aspects. One of the steps IPC is taking to protect the environment is by shifting its energy source from coal power plants to renewable sources like solar power, thus decreasing the carbon footprint

of its manufacturing plant. IPC is also encouraging its dealers to follow its lead in switching to renewable energy in the next years, envisioning a lower carbon footprint for the entire Isuzu dealer network.

IPC’s new vision takes the tagline “Your Responsible Partner” to a new level. It goes beyond providing durable, fuelAugust 2022

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(L-R) IPC Executive Vice President Shojiro Sakoda, IPC President Noboru Murakami, House of Investment Senior Vice President and Car Business Operations Head Johnny Fetalvero, and AC Motors Automobile Group President Antonio “Toti” Zara III

efficient, and environment-friendly products to give the best transport and business solutions to Filipinos. Being a responsible partner is forging a new path to a more sustainable and greener future.

Isuzu Philippines also received congratulatory messages from shareholder representatives namely: Isuzu Motors Ltd. executive officer Koji

Nakamura, Mitsubishi Corporation’s Division COO Kyoya Kondo, AC Motors Automobile Group president Antonio Zara III, and House of Investment senior vice president and car business operations head Johnny Fetalvero.

In the anniversary video shown during the program, pioneer IPC employees from different divisions — Myrna

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Valle (administration), Arnel Deunida (manufacturing), Joseph Bautista (sales & marketing), Edward De Guzman (after-sales), and Arthur Balmadrid (SVP), also shared their significant Isuzu experiences during the early years. The values instilled then now serve as the foundation so current employees can attain new achievements in the years to come.

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MOBILITY

YAMAHA DAY 2022 he commemoration of Yamaha Day 2022 is extra special because it also marks the company’s 15th anniversary.

The celebration lasted a week and included special activities and events for everyone associated with the brand.

This year’s theme is Ties That Bind, highlighting the unprecedented link between the company and the lives it has touched since the beginning. By being ingrained within the Filipino culture, this celebration extends to every customer, enthusiast, and aspiring rider with a passion for motorcycles.

From July 18-20, in-office activities were held for employees to strengthen August 2022

their bonds and showcase their passion.

The offices were also decorated, with entertainment and prepared meals for everyone to enjoy.

On July 20th, the company unveiled the History Board at their Batangas headquarters. This illustrated the legacy of Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd., which began in 1887, to the establishment of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. in 1955, all the way to today. The board also depicted Yamaha Motor Philippines’ beginnings and the events that shaped the company.

And these memories are made special because they were shared with the Filipino people and their enthusiasm for riding.

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On July 21st, YMPH treated all of its employees to a fun-filled day at Aqua Planet in Pampanga. The trip to the water park provided a welcome break from the daily grind of work and allowed everyone to unwind. The morning program focused on the theme Ties That Bind, with Yamaha executives all holding ropes connected to an installation that revealed a kite-themed emblem of the Yamaha Day 2022 logo. This represented the bond that everyone has with the brand. Yamaha Club riders from Luzon and media guests were present to witness the event.

Yamaha Club members from Visayas and Mindanao also commemorated the event with their own rides across their gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

regions. Employees were entertained in the evening by DJ Arra, Juan Karlos, Morissette, and Kamikazee. To cap off the evening, 15 lucky raffle winners received Yamaha motorcycles.

They traveled to the Kingsborough International Convention Center on July 22nd to conclude the celebration.

During the program, more raffle winners were announced, as well as the winners of an online competition that

valued their expression and passion for Yamaha. Finally, one lucky employee won the grand prize in the raffle, a brandnew Yamaha Mio Fazzio. The most important aspect, as presented by Yamaha executives, is the strengthening of brand importance and understanding. It was also the official debut of ‘Revs Crush,’ a signature hand motion in which you form a half heart and pump it. This gesture is part of Yamaha’s digital campaign for the public where they can join in on the fun.

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The week-long celebration was the first since the 2020 lockdown, and it was a welcome opportunity for all Yamaha employees to reunite.

It is clear that the bonds that bind remain strong and will only become stronger in the years to come. This is also a promise to all Yamaha enthusiasts that the company will continue to cultivate its relationships through its products, service, and activities.

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YAMAHAxMAKINA: FASTER SONS EMPORIUM LIVE AT THE MAKINA MOTOSHOW

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022 is the moment of a comeback!

After years of battling against the pandemic, this year is giving everyone the power to claim their lost freedom to do everything they could think of. In the moto industry, events are being set again, inviting every motorcycle enthusiast to join the activity face-to-face. As busy as it gets, Makina Motoshow is back on-ground and August 2022

Yamaha Motor Philippines has set its full-blown support for Zach Lucero.

RECOLLECTION OF HISTORY ENVISIONS OUR PRESENT With a 360-degree display of Faster Sons Emporium, YMPH showcases its sport heritage lineup in a classic yet modern booth design. It was designed with a

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retro vibe for the customers to have a timeless experience highlighting the Yamaha machines. In this three-day event in SMX Convention Center, the newest version of XSR900 was revealed on day 1, giving all the spectators a full glimpse of the Sport Heritage emperor. This motorcycle exemplifies the Faster Sons philosophy in action.

Its high performance is the living gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

proof of decades of hard research and development, drawing design influence from some of Yamaha’s renowned historic machines.

The experience doesn’t end there. On day 2, YMPH made an avenue for the customers to envision their imagination.

By submitting a digital sketch of custom-build XSR155, the three finalists competed for the Bolt-on challenge LIVE in SMX. This competition unleashed their potential of bringing their sketch to life with a fusion of history and creativity.

On the last day, Yamaha continued its

showcase offering the customers a Faster Sons experience through its machines.

THE COLLABORATION OF YAMAHA AND MAKINA REAWAKENS COLLECTIVE HISTORY Makina Motoshow made the moto industry closer than ever. Through this event, motorcycle enthusiasts were able to share their passion and riding memories, and YMPH will always have its best foot forward to give not just a display of history but a future that awaits them in Yamaha.

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PETRON XCS | PETRON BLAZE RACING ENGINE OIL OFFICIAL FUEL AND ENGINE OIL OF THE 2022 TOYOTA VIOS CUP August 2022

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"With PETRON XCS as the official fuel of the 2022 TGR Vios Cup, competitors are assured of enhanced engine power and responsiveness for the most optimal track performance." media personalities. The series consists of 3 legs, running in July, August, and November.

The race cars competing in the TGR Vios Cup 2022 are all powered

by PETRON XCS, a 95-octane premium gasoline formulated with a high-performance additive system containing a unique combustion catalyst and excellent detergent additive for optimum performance. The additive technology used in PETRON XCS ensures quicker engine response, excellent engine protection, and optimal fuel efficiency.

Speaking to some of the competitors at Leg 1 held last July 2 at the Clark International Speedway, professional racer and motoring personality Mike Potenciano was able to gather excellent testimonials about the official fuel.

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ndustry leaders Petron Corporation and Toyota Motor Philippines have strengthened their motorsports partnership in the 2022 edition of the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Vios Cup, now with PETRON XCS as the official fuel and PETRON BLAZE RACING ENGINE OIL as the official engine oil of the event.

TGR Vios Cup 2022 includes two main events, with the Circuit Championship showcasing the country’s top racing teams, and the Autocross Challenge featuring celebrities, influencers, and

For instance, keen competitor and consistent podium finisher Iñigo Anton says: “Amazing! PETRON XCS works very well with our Vios Cup race cars and, of course, our road cars. It is good that Petron also supports local racing championships as it brings in more racers and a lot more competition.”

Meanwhile, Red Diwa, a Super Sporting Class competitor, observes: “The XCS fuel is the number 1 fuel in the Philippines. There was no power drop from start to finish and it was very strong and powerful.”

Joaquin Garrido, Sporting Class rounds 1 and 2 winner for Leg 1, echoes the observations: “It is a very, very good fuel for racing and for the road as well!

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There was no difference in power for the whole race.”

Finally, Gerald Loy, who finished first in the Super Sporting Class of the leg’s second round, notes: “Ang XCS natin ok na ok. Kahit sobrang init, from start to finish, walang problema.”

With PETRON XCS as the official fuel of the 2022 TGR Vios Cup, competitors are assured of enhanced engine power and responsiveness for the most optimal track performance. In fact, as the most widely used gasoline in the country, race drivers are familiar with the superior qualities of PETRON XCS in powering their everyday drives, protecting the engines of their personal cars, and enjoying savings due to fuel economy.

Perfectly complementing and optimizing the performance benefits of PETRON XCS is the official engine oil for this competition season, PETRON BLAZE RACING ENGINE OIL Formulated with a Thermal Stress Stabilizing System (TS3) that keeps the oil stable even at extreme temperatures, this line of gasoline engine oils provides the ultimate protection from engine stress while maintaining superior engine cleanliness.

Having served the fuel needs of the country for almost 90 years, only Petron has a deep understanding of the unique driving conditions on Philippine roads. Created by Filipinos for Filipinos, Petron fuels and lubricants are designed to meet the motoring needs of everyone, whether for everyday road use or on the highly competitive racetrack.

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SUZUKI AVENIS, THE NEW MUSCLE SCOOTER uzuki Philippines has launched the AllNew Avenis, a muscle scooter to add to its growing lineup of automatic motorcycles.

It is sure to captivate every rider’s attention with its sporty, aerodynamic design and fuel efficiency that is affordable and suitable for the modern rider’s active and on-the-go lifestyle.

The Avenis is a breakthrough, unconventional sporty bike creating a new category in the market called the Muscular Sporty Scooter. With the current trend in the Philippines of developing one’s passion into a side hustle such as a small business or a means to earn additional income, the Avenis becomes a practical mode of commerce to transport people and commodities. It is the perfect mode of transport for people who would like to do more and achieve more in life, a scooter that is meant for those who want to follow their passion.

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Adding value to the unique styling and advanced technology present in the product is the Avenis’s affordability and good quality, which are hallmarks for good value for money.

MUSCULAR AND SPORTY DESIGN The All New Suzuki Avenis exudes a compelling presence with its muscular and sporty design. It is defined by its sharp and edgy styling which also promotes agile and nimble movement. It is decked with a 3D emblem that conveys a premium look with an LED headlight and tail light for better visibility. The muscular headlight has an air duct for better aerodynamics while the sporty split-type tail light adds up to the aggressive and unique look of the Avenis. It is adorned with an ergonomic and non-slippery two-tone seat cover with a newly designed lightweight grab bar for easy grip.

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The muffler cover is lightweight and has excellent heat shielding ability with an edgy end cap design while the meter visor has a three-dimensional shape for a more sporty look.

POWERED BY SUZUKI’S RELIABLE TECHNOLOGY Engineered by Suzuki’s signature manufacturing and engineering, the Avenis is equipped with the Japanese giant’s reliable technology. Powered by a 4-stroke, single-cylinder, 125cc fuelinjected Suzuki Eco Performance (SEP) engine giving one the best of both worlds – powerful output at optimum fuel efficiency, it generates 54km/L fuel economy (based on World Motorcycle Test Cycle).

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It sports a fully digital instrument panel that provides comprehensive information about your ride: • Eco-Drive Indicator showing if the motorcycle is at its most fuel efficient speed • Engine Temperature to make sure your engine does not overheat • Digital Clock providing real-time information adding convenience to your daily ride • Fuel Gauge showing accurate fuel status so you can plan your trips accordingly • Change Oil Indicator reminding the rider to change the engine oil at the preset kilometer • Dual Trip Meter which easily keeps track of the distance between trips • Fuel Consumption that lets you

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know the Fuel Efficiency of your ride • Battery Voltage Indicator for better monitoring of battery life The Avenis has a 1L lidded front glove box that can carry 0.5kg load with a USB charger for convenience wherever you go. It also has a Front Disc Brake with Combined Brake System for superior running performance and control.

SAFE & CONVENIENT The All New Suzuki Avenis is designed with the rider’s safety and convenience in mind.

It features an external hinge-type fuel cap inspired by an aircraft fuel lid which is convenient for refueling and also deters theft and misplacing of the cap while gassing up.

It is equipped with a side stand interlock which ensures safety when it is engaged. It also features a brake lock system which ensures that the tires are securely latched when parked. The bike’s integrated engine start and kill switch allows one push to fire up the engine and turn it off easily. It also has one-push central locking for a safer locking system.

ergonomic large floorboard with a cutaway design provides ease when stepping down the bike.

The All New Suzuki Avenis comes in 3 edgy colors — Metallic Matte Black, Pearl Mirage White, and Pearl Blaze Orange. Be bold and achieve more with the Suzuki Avenis for an introductory price of PHP77,900!

It boasts of a large 21.8L underseat compartment with a loading capacity of 10kg, while hooks are placed strategically for baggage with 1.5kg capacity for each – all for convenient carrying of your luggage. The

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BAJAJ THREEWHEELERS THE RIGHT WAY TO DELIVER

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ustomer satisfaction in receiving a much-awaited parcel delivery is the “last mile delivery” goal of every logistics company. A better operating experience awaits as Bajaj Threewheelers enter the scene.

Reduced delays and damages in parcels have made companies like LAZADA, LIBCAP, and JRS EXPRESS acquire Bajaj Three-wheelers. According to testimonials and research, the main reason for this undertaking is fuel efficiency, bigger carrying capacity, and safety.

FOUR LITERS OF GASOLINE FOR 200 PARCELS DELIVERY Abdulmajed Marandacan, a Bajaj courier hero from Makati City, shared his firsthand experience in an interview in 2021: “Matipid sya sa gasolina, equivalent ng gasolina ‘nya parang sa motor. Gagasolina ako ng 200 kasi yun talaga yung budget ko sa kanya, ‘yun nagdedeliver ako, kinabukasan tanghali nanaman bago ako mag-gasolina ng 200.”

Thanks to Bajaj Three-wheeler’s fuel injection technology, riders earn more

because of low fuel consumption while offering cheaper delivery fees for consumers.

HASSLE-FREE DELIVERY, EVEN FOR BULKY PARCELS Experts say the average cost of last-mile delivery in the Philippines is PHP500.

One of the main reasons for this high cost is the limited carrying capacity of riders. However, with a built-in compartment and a maximum payload of 310 to 515kgs, Bajaj Three-wheelers can deliver more parcels to your doorstep, even the bulky ones.

TRUSTED BY LEADING LOGISTICS COMPANIES More and more logistic companies trust Bajaj Three-wheelers because of their efficient features. Riders can deliver even in bad weather, thanks to the solid resin roof and built-in windshield.

In addition, its front fork suspension absorbs bumps from the ground, so fragile parcels are guaranteed to be delivered delay-free and damage-free.

Achieve delivery diskarte too, with your own Bajaj Three-wheeler, now for as low as PHP8,888 down payment thru this link: https://bit.ly/bajajinquiry.

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Education

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY FOR HYFLEX LEARNING

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s the country transitions into opening up the economy and schools, Quipper, a Japanese education technology company, is taking the lead to help educational institutions, as well as students and their parents, navigate these changes.

The Philippine education sector has seen significant shifts over the last two years. The COVID-19 outbreak forced educators and over 27 million students to shift to various alternative learning modalities, such as remote and blended learning, to cope with the situation. This reality amplified the importance of using technology to allow remote learning.

As the country prepares for the next normal, educational institutions are recalibrating their teaching models. In the next academic year, the Department of Education encourages schools to have in-person class schedules in blended learning setups. This means there are days for face-to-face classes and separate days for home-based learning. The agency also emphasized the need to continue utilizing and improving digital learning to catch up with the global trend.

The role of technology in post-pandemic education Some institutions are embracing the HyFlex model, a term coined from the words “hybrid” and “flexible.”

Hybrid learning combines various teaching modalities, such as return-to-classroom setups, online learning, modular distance learning, and TV/radio/onlinebased Instruction, among others. All students in a hybrid course are expected to undergo the same combination of online or distance learning and inperson activities.

On the other hand, HyFlex’s “flexible” aspect refers to the flexibility given to students, allowing them to choose how they participate in the course and engage with the material in the mode or platform best suited to them.

“Nowadays, educational institutions need to provide their students with more engaged learning experiences while ensuring their well-being and meaningful connections. All these elements are critical for a successful learning experience now and in the future.

Leveraging the right technology and platform can help educators transition to all types of setups for learning,” said Yusuke Takagi, CEO of Quipper Philippines.

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Education

Helping bridge the gap

To help bridge the gap from traditional learning to the HyFlex model, Quipper offers a user-friendly learning management system with extensive content.

The edtech company also helps educators implement hybrid learning setups that provide students with holistic and flexible learning experiences.

“When the pandemic started, we made sure that we could help our partner schools to implement and transition to the new remote learning dynamics.

Our e-learning solutions provide teachers with teaching guides, editable presentation slides, and other resources to support their daily lessons. We also provide downloadable study guides for students as alternatives to textbooks and video lessons,” adds Takagi.

Quipper’s LMS platform has features that cater to various e-learning needs. Through the platform, educators can manage multiple classes through the customized dashboard, send and schedule assignments, and assess their students’ performances.

It also has a content management tool for creating and publishing the teacher’s own materials and a new Essay app for improving their student’s writing tasks.

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Meanwhile, students can access their Quipper accounts through a browser or via an Android/iOS app to make it easier to continue learning anytime, anywhere through their mobile phones, even without an internet connection.

Meanwhile, parents can supervise and assist their child’s learning progress by monitoring their activities and deadlines through Quipper’s Parent Portal.

Quipper also ensures that it provides support services, including regular school visits, online support, and platform training for its clients. Quipper also goes the extra mile by delivering monthly usage reports to discuss and maximize the platform’s use, and pedagogical webinars for educators.

Currently, Quipper has three solution offerings. In addition to the basic Quipper LMS with Parent Portal and Service Support features, the edtech company also offers Quipper School Premium, which enables students to access lectures, assessments, and downloadable study guides in pdf files anytime. They can repeat lessons until they master them.

Finally, there is Quipper Video, which has all these features plus access to Video Lessons. These are five to ten-minute videos that provide an overview of the topics for learners who want a quicker, summarized version of the content.

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Delivering current, exciting content

Responsive to the changing needs of teachers and students, Quipper ensures fresh and timely teaching and learning materials for its users.

Starting this June, Quipper announced the addition of a new content offering with its K to 3 Content Package, which includes topics for Math, English, Science, Filipino, and Araling Panlipunan for Kinder, Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3.

Another new content offering for this school year includes Senior High School Specialized Subjects for the ABM Strand, composed of 8 subjects such as Business Math and Principles of Marketing.

Lastly, Quipper’s ready-made content for Grades 4-10 MEFSA subjects (Math, English, Filipino, Science, Araling Panlipunan) and Grades 11-12 Core Subjects are now aligned with DepEd’s Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC).

teachers that enables them to assign activities to their classes for the students to access on their devices, such as smartphones and tablets, and easily track their progress online. More subjects and the rest of the Q2-Q4 topics will be released in the coming months, according to the schedule indicated in the curriculum maps per course/subject.

The Q1 topics and materials for all these content offerings are now available on Q-Link for schools with Quipper School Premium subscriptions.

Q-Link, or Quipper Link, is the main portal for

To date, Quipper has an array of content, including over 40,624 videos and more than 2 million assignments. It has served 316,239 teachers and over five million students globally.

To learn more about Quipper Philippines, visit its website at https://www.quipper.com/ph/.

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Education

SMARTER EDUCATION LENOVO AND FELTA JOIN FORCES TO MEET EDUCATIONAL DEMAND

Michael Ngan, president and general manager of Lenovo Philippines, and Mylene Abiva, president and CEO of FELTA Multi-Media, Inc.

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ith the objective to provide Smarter Technology for All and empower communities with technology and opportunity, Lenovo Philippines is proud to announce its partnership with one of the major distributors of e-learning materials in the country, FELTA Multi-Media Inc. Due to the unprecedented global pandemic, learning and teaching have been disrupted drastically and shifted

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digitally. Schools and educators face challenges in building and deploying distance learning programs rapidly and at scale while encouraging students’ engagement and, at the same time, providing a holistic learning experience. Lenovo is committed to building smarter education and offers educational institutions options for more dedicated and tailored support along their digital transformation journey.

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By putting customers at the core of the business, Lenovo presents its new services which were thoughtfully crafted to solve its market’s challenges. With the help of FELTA, institutions can now avail of Lenovo’s smarter technology — the virtual instruction studio setup and movable training kit — which were designed to help students and educators save time, create comfort, and enjoy convenience.

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VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION STUDIO For educational institutions embarking on a transformation journey, Lenovo offers options for more dedicated and tailored support which frees up IT resources and lets consumers focus on what matters most – building smarter education.

Teachers who wish to increase student engagement may do so through the virtual instruction setup. The green screen enables live teaching and interaction between teachers and students by projecting themselves as news anchors in a TV studio. Live broadcasting is also published simultaneously on platforms like Facebook and YouTube via Teams as necessary.

MOVABLE TRAINING KIT This was designed for teachers who constantly need to move from one room to another. With tech equipment such as a webcam, monitor, and control console mounted on the wheeled stand, they can now enjoy more comfortable and mobile teaching. This is best suited for healthcare courses and culinary workshops.

Simulation of virtual instruction studio

“We are committed to being a trusted partner for education institutions to identify the best solutions and services offerings that will address their unique requirements, as well as navigate their education transformation journey,” said Michael Ngan, president and general manager of Lenovo Philippines. “We have learned a lot from two years of distance learning and we are applying what we’ve learned to our offerings in order to better serve our partners in delivering quality education. Through partnering with FELTA, we curate solutions to support the digital learning ecosystem and enable educators to engage students and deliver compelling and effective learning content in a distance learning environment. We look forward to seeing local communities being benefited and hybrid learning being enhanced from this partnership.”

students to get the most out of each learning opportunity,” shares Mylene Abiva, president and CEO of FELTA MultiMedia, Inc. This reinforces Lenovo’s position as a reliable partner in delivering innovations designed with purpose to meet the demands of distance learning and the transition to a more digitized classroom.

“Lenovo has been a reliable partner for educators as a brand that has been at the forefront when it comes to digital transformation both at home and at schools.

FELTA strives to provide our consumers with access to only the best learning materials available and we believe that Lenovo’s distance learning solutions will enable

Check out Lenovo’s products on their official website, www.lenovo.com/ph.

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Education

ENDERUN DESIGN INNOVATION CAMPUS E

nderun Colleges has opened a Design and Innovation Campus at Estancia Mall in Pasig City to support the laboratory requirements of multimedia arts students. Aside from the College of Architecture and Design Building at its McKinley Hill main campus, the new learning hub was established to house facilities for its multimedia arts program.

The 900-square-meter center has 26 rooms and features a multimedia studio, editing and audio laboratories, and a computer room, among others. It is also outfitted with professional equipment to support students in developing their graphic design and animation skills.

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Students will benefit from the center’s ambient interiors, which are appropriate for brainstorming sessions. It is also intended to serve as an incubation center for start-up design and innovation firms, through which students might acquire industry knowledge, making Enderun’s Design & Innovation Campus the ideal creative hub.

Enderun Colleges’ Founder, Jack Tuason, speaks during the launch.

The educational institution is also set to offer scholarships named after the esteemed roster of advisory board, including: Donald Lim — one of the Philippines’ founding fathers of digital marketing and the chief operating officer of

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Enderun Colleges’ senior management namely Jack Tuason, Daniel Perez, and Tricia Tensuan and Dean of the College of Architecture and Design, Arch. Stephanie Tan-Branquinho, are joined with the Multimedia Arts’ Advisory Board: Ivan Despi, Donald Lim, Laurenti Dyogi, Michelle Barretto, and Seven A.D. represented by Russell Molina, Teeny Gonzales, and Tey San Diego.

Director Laurenti Dyogi, Head of Star Magic and ABS-CBN’s TV Production, and Enderun Colleges’ Advisory Board Member, tries the Green Screen or Chroma Key at Enderun’s Design and Innovation Center’s multimedia studio.

DITO CME Holdings Corporation, and chief innovation officer of Udenna Corporation Budjette Tan — a Filipino comic book writer and co-creator of the comic book series Trese, and the creative lead for LEGO Agency in Denmark Dan Matutina — 2013 Art Directors Club Young Guns Awardee, and founding partner of Plus63 and Hydra Design Group Ivan Despi — co-owner and creative director of The Acid House, and partner for the Hydra Design Group

Michelle Barretto — CEO and head of strategy of Vitamin B, Inc.

for the incoming school year 2022 to 2023.

Seven A.D. — seven-time 4A’s Independent Agency of the Year Awardee represented by Teeny Gonzales, Tey San Diego, and Russell Molina

Enderun makes quality international education possible through various means to maximize every student’s potential and prepare them for highdemand industries around the world.

This endeavor also raises the bar for traditional classroom instruction and provides a valuable opportunity to earn an education at one of the world’s finest institutions.

Laurenti Dyogi — TV and film director, and head of Star Magic and TV Production at ABS-CBN Each grant may be awarded to one incoming freshman, for up to 100% off the tuition per year, renewable for up to four years of study at Enderun.

Scholarship applications are open

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For more information about Enderun’s Bachelor of Multimedia Arts, please visit https://cad.enderuncolleges. com/.

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Education

TikTok Digital Literacy Hub A guide to online safety

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ikTok, the leading short-form video platform, continued its fight against harmful misinformation with a livestream titled TikTok Digital Literacy Hub: A Guide to Online Safety.

During the media launch, TikTok reiterated its continued commitment to help users navigate the digital environment safely through its inapp Digital Literacy Hub, its portal containing educational information on mental well-being, cyber wellness, minor safety, potentially dangerous online challenges, and other digital literacy topics.

Panelists included Kristoffer Rada, TikTok head of public policy, the Philippines; Mona Magno-Veluz (Mighty Magulang), TikTok content creator; Ching Jorge, chief of party, YouthLed; and Gian Libot, Internews senior program officer. Celebrity Antoinette Taus hosted the event.

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(L-R): TikTok Head of Public Policy, the Philippines, Mr. Kristoffer Rada; TikTok Content Creator, Ms. Mona Magno-Veluz (Mighty Magulang); Chief of Party, YouthLed, Ms. Ching Jorge; Internews Senior Program Officer, Mr. Gian Libot; and Event Host, Ms. Antoinette Taus

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Anchored by the hashtag #thinkb4youdo, the hub promotes safe online behavior and encourages everyone to think twice before doing anything on the Internet or before taking on dangerous challenges.

“We wanted to reiterate TikTok’s commitment to digital literacy not just in the Philippines, but also across South East Asia. We invited our partners today because we realized that this problem cannot be solved by one sector alone.

It really needs a holistic approach, a multi-pronged approach for us to get to a solution. We all have the power within ourselves to be the initial gatekeepers of what could be fake news. We are embarking on that first step of this journey towards critical thinking and digital literacy,” said Kristoffer Rada, TikTok head of policy, the Philippines.

TikTok’s initiative in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia also hosts digital literacy tips that can help users make smart choices. The tips come in the form of videos, quizzes, and scenario-based learning content that users can easily relate to.

No to misinformation Users were also encouraged to be critical of the information they read on social media and on the Internet. TikTok’s Digital Literacy Hub provides tools that will help users to identify and report inappropriate materials, platforms that spread false information, and fake news.

“A huge portion of digital literacy has been focused on how to use stuff, how to

“In YouthLed, we integrate digital literacy with our civic education program. We consider digital literacy as an important 21st-century education skill. Together with democratic values, these can help the youth navigate online democratic spaces and participate effectively,” said Ching Jorge, chief of party, Youth Leadership for Democracy (YouthLed).

be able to navigate a specific platform — and that’s well and good. But the missing ingredient there is to introduce some critical thinking within consumption.

Because at the end of the day, if you are exposed to false information, the best person to be able to check that information is going to be you, the consumer,” said Gian Libot, senior program officer, Internews.

“On the platform itself, we are seeing a lot of NGOs (non-government organizations), a lot of good brands, harnessing the power of short-form videos. There are good causes that are going on this platform. #EduWOW of TikTok Philippines has two billion views on its educational content. So it is a wrong assumption that everything on TikTok is not correct. In fact, brands and organizations like these have understood and given importance to the power of short form video,” said TikTok Content Creator Mona Magno-Veluz (Mighty Magulang).

Know more about the TikTok Digital Literacy hub. Visit https://bit.ly/ tiktokwellnesshub. Download the app on your iOS and Android devices today.

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Innovation

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August 2022

Gaming

Words by Jose Alvarez

DEVELOPER

BlueTwelve Studio PLATFORM

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PUBLISHER

Annapurna Interactive

PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC

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f you’ve been on the Internet in the past two decades, you’ll know that cats are ultimately the darlings of the Internet. But cats have been a part of pop culture as far back as 1894, where Boxing Cats was one of the first silent films ever made. They have been prominently featured in memes and viral videos. Stray puts a cat front and center as the (mostly) silent protagonist of a game, where an orange cat must navigate a dystopian world populated by robots, machines, and bacteria known as Zurks as they find their way home.

friends and must find their way back to the surface, all while solving the mysteries of the underground city and its robot inhabitants, namely B-12. B-12, who is a human whose consciousness was uploaded into a robot, serves as the cat’s guide and as a weapon against the carnivorous and hostile Zurks, who eat both organic material and robots to survive.

Stray received interest from fans as far back as 2020, although the game had already been in development since 2015 as HK_Project. BlueTwelve co-founders Koola and Viv used inspiration from their own cats, Murtaugh (who the main character is based on) and Riggs. BlueTwelve developed the game in Montpellier, France, with the development team even including in-house cats for the team to study. The cat becomes separated from their

The game’s environment, according to the developers, was inspired by Kowloon Walled City, a former neighborhood of Hong Kong that existed from 1898 to 1994 known for being one of the most crime-ridden and densely populated enclaves in human history. The robots populating the underground city, Companions, were once servants to humans, who have been gone for apparently hundreds of years. The Companions then became more and more self-aware and continued to live underground.

The Outsiders, a group of robots determined to reach the surface, also aid the player in their quest to return home.

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Gaming

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Aside from typical platforming features such as navigating from Point A to Point B, there are also other cat activities you can partake in for achievements, such as nuzzling robots, scratching surfaces, and even resting on pillows. You also have to solve simple to complex puzzles to advance further in the game. Fighting the Zurks can be an issue unless you can outrun them and corral them into closed areas to kill them off with your weapon, the Defluxor, which shines a purple light on the Zurks, instantly killing them. However, the Defluxor can overheat if used for too long, and the cooldown time is pretty long relative to the speed and lethality of the Zurks.

For the completionist, finding every little object and getting every last achievement may add a couple of hours to the game, but the real value in the game is in its design and environment. Combining elements of cyberpunk and East Asian visuals brings this game to life—albeit a strange one that one may only find comforting if played through the eyes of a cat. Playing this game made me wonder if there was a future for this game going forward or if it could inspire other games in the future where the protagonist is an animal ravaging

through the dystopian world. After all, it was (and currently is) gaining serious momentum to overthrow Elden Ring as the best game of 2022, although the two games are at complete opposite ends of difficulty. Stray is something you complete over a lazy holiday weekend, while Elden Ring (another game I’ve reviewed for Gadgets) is not for the faint of heart or a casual gamer who only has a couple of hours to play every night.

Playing from the perspective of a very competitive gamer, Stray was a great change of pace. It’s casual enough for anyone to pick up and play, yet challenging enough (and cute enough) to keep me engaged. There is potential for DLC that can open up additional side quests and tie up loose story ends. Some reports indicate how this could be a reality, such as following the other cats or exploring how B-12 became the last human living in the world of Stray. People have also taken to social media to play the game while their own cats watch them, becoming a viral trend on Twitter and elsewhere. While the game has garnered critical acclaim for its art style and gameplay, it could have become a lot more for a game that took seven years from concept to release.

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Entertainment

SPOTIFY VIDEO PODCASTS P

inoys can now listen and watch podcasts as Spotify brings its latest podcast innovation, Video Podcasts, to the country. From Hannah Pangilinan to Jim Bacarro and Saab Magalona, people will be able to engage more deeply with the content they’re listening to by watching video podcasts without leaving the Spotify app.

As a start, users of Spotify will be able to watch and listen to the most popular podcast shows, only on Spotify, such as Spotify Original and Exclusive podcasts including: • SUPERHUMAN with Wil Dasovich • Pausecast with Hannah Pangilinan • Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast • skypodcast • The Sexytime Podcast • Boiling Waters • The KoolPals • Adulting With Joyce Pring • Wake Up With Jim & Saab • Sleeping Pill with Inka • Punchline with Alex Calleja!

• Lecheng Pag-ibig To! • Paano Ba ‘To • Wag Kang Lilingon • Creepsilog • Tambalan Podcast • OnlyFun with Chico and Gino August 2022

• Small Talk! With Alec Cuenca • Walwal Sesh • The Eve’s Drop • Paano Kung…

With many more to come.

Users will also be able to enjoy Video Background-Play, which allows users to switch between active watching (with video in the foreground) and passive listening (video in the background) — without disruption — all for free.

Spotify, the world’s largest global streaming platform, began a global rollout of video podcasts in 2020 with the intent to give users the option to easily switch between audio only and video depending on where they are, what they’re doing, and what they’re enjoying.

And now, Spotify is putting the power to create video podcasts in the hands of our top Philippines creators too.

“At Spotify, we’re constantly seeking new ways to improve the experience for creators, enabling them to connect with their fans. As a format, audio podcasting provides a deeper intimacy than any other format out there. Now, with the introduction of Video, creators are able to add another layer that will ultimately add to the overall listener experience on

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Spotify. Innovations like this will inspire new genres and creators, pushing the podcasting industry in the Philippines forward and we’re excited to be at the forefront of that,” said Carl Zuzarte, head of studios for Spotify in Southeast Asia.

Ready to watch and listen? Here’s how to find video content on Spotify: 1. Open the Spotify mobile app.

2. Navigate to the show of choice and go to the episode page.

3. Hit “Play” on a podcast episode.

4. Tap the play bar at the bottom of the screen to view the video full-screen.

5. Sit back, listen, and watch! (Or if listeners want to go back to just listening, they can easily do that too).

Spotify users in the Philippines will soon see a lot more video podcasts on the platform as access for creators to begin publishing video podcasts to Spotify will be made accessible through Anchor, Spotify’s podcasting platform.

This offers a seamless way for creators to upload video content and publish to Spotify.

More video podcasts will soon be coming to Spotify, so keep an ear—and an eye— on your favorite creators and shows. gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

Entertainment

YOUTUBE BILLION VIEWS CLUB How Oppa Gangnam Style established the BVC

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n 2012, music video history was forever changed after Psy’s smash hit Gangnam Style hit one billion views less than six months after release. It was the first music video to ever do so on YouTube, establishing YouTube’s Billion Views Club (BVC).

With over 4.4 billion views on the video to date, Psy demonstrated the immense power that music videos on YouTube have in connecting artists with their fans around the world, while inspiring others to reach record-breaking milestones of their own.

“Being the first artist to reach 1 billion views on YouTube was an extraordinary feeling 10 years ago and it still is today.

To have played a role in paving the way for music of all kinds to transcend borders is a true honor,” said the singer.

Getting to a billion is no easy feat at the time as it took over a year for another music video to match the achievement — Justin Bieber’s hit Baby — but 10 years later YouTube’s Billion Views Club has grown to include some of the most iconic music videos that have stood the test of time and made an impression on viewers worldwide.

“It’s easy to forget just how big a billion really is. If released pre-internet, while

it’s not the only metric for timelessness, it means the music has traveled through time and the fandom came with it and evolved,” said Ryan Thornton, head of catalog music, YouTube.

Achieving the billion views milestone on YouTube remains nothing short of extraordinary and as part of the celebration of the tenth year of the Billion Views Club, the platform created a BVC custom YouTube logo to adorn the videos that made the cut.

Members of the BVC include: • Luis Fonsi — Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee, the most viewed music video at more than 7 billion views • BLACKPINK — How You Like That • Drake — Hotline Bling • a-ha — Take On Me • Shakira — Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) • Wiz Khalifa — See You Again ft.

Charlie Puth • Katy Perry — Roar • Cardi B — Bodak Yellow • Metallica — Nothing Else Matters • Mark Ronson — Uptown Funk (Official Video) ft. Bruno Mars • Billie Eilish — Bad Guy • Coolio — Gangsta’s Paradise

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J Balvin and Justin Bieber are tied for the most billion views with 11 official music videos each. English crooner Adele, meanwhile, holds the distinction of the fastest entry to the club after Hello reached the milestone in just 88 days.

It’s not only the new hits that make the cut as the club’s most recent entry is Coolio for the 90’s hit Gangsta Paradise.

Rock legends Guns N’ Roses defied decades with the 80’s classic Sweet Child of Mine and 90’s hit November Rain reaching a billion views recently.

“The Billion Views Club represents the diverse mix of global sounds and voices that have helped make YouTube the home of music,” said Kevin Meenan, YouTube music trends manager. “The list serves as a reminder of the power of the visual pairing with a great song, with the music video — alongside features like Premieres and Shorts — serving as the ultimate way for artists to share their art and vision directly with fans.”

For 15+ years YouTube has been home to music videos and so much more. The platform recently introduced Premieres: Live Redirect, Trailers, Countdown Themes, Shorts, and other product innovations that have enhanced the video experience for artists and fans alike.

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Enterprise

AASENSO AKO! MASTER SERIES

Home Biz ambassadors (L-R) Jenny Wieneke, Nadia Montenegro, Jorge Wieneke, Roxanne Montealegre, and Dianne Medina at the Aasenso Ako! Master Series events in Laguna, Baguio and Dagupan.

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undreds of entrepreneurs, particularly those who own and manage micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) benefitted from a series of masterclasses organized by PLDT Home Biz. Dubbed Aasenso Ako! Master Series, PLDT Home Biz conducted workshops and forums led by successful Filipino entrepreneurs including the founder of Potato Corner and Tokyo Tempura, Jorge Wieneke; advertising veteran and GoNegosyo mentor Jenny Wieneke; and PLDT Home Biz ambassadors Roxanne Montealegre, Dianne Medina, and Nadia Montenegro. In partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), they taught aspiring and budding entrepreneurs from Pangasinan, Cavite,

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Boracay, Laguna, and Bulacan how to start and grow their businesses, plan for business continuity, and resilience.

“As a brand that champions digital inclusivity among Filipinos, we also recognize our role in enabling MSMEs’ growth and recovery by ensuring that our services power them to success,” said Patrick Tang, first vice president and head of PLDT Home customer management. “This year, we celebrate every MSME as we advance our support for their growth and success towards nation-building.”

BIGGER, GRANDER BIZ A strong supporter of MSMEs and their role in the growth of the Philippine

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economy, PLDT Home Biz also offered subscribers special promos and start-up packages to empower Pinoy entrepreneurs and give them access to digital resources and tools for their business.

PLDT Home Biz offered a bigger and better Asenso Fiber Plan 1499 at 50% off for the first three months of subscription. PLDT Home Biz subscribers get to enjoy the following: free installation, activation, unlimited TRI-net calls to PLDT, Smart, and TNT; and complete e-commerce solutions such as logistics, e-payment, and marketplace services, thanks to PLDT Home’s e-commerce partner solutions such as UnionBank Global Linker, Maya, LBC, and Grab.

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Moreover, PLDT Home Biz made its digital solutions even grander by rewarding customers with exciting raffle prizes that they could use to build up their businesses. Lucky subscribers and grand raffle winners from Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao received PHP100,000 worth of cash, smart home gadgets, and exclusive/dedicated mentorship programs from Mr. and Mrs. KaAsenso Jorge and Jenny Wieneke.

These initiatives were part of the month-long celebration of the United Nation’s global MSME day, recognizing the huge role of MSMEs in driving sustainable development, innovation, and livelihood to millions of people around the world.

Learn more about the PLDT Home Biz plans and promos through this link.

“As a brand that champions digital inclusivity among Filipinos, we also recognize our role in enabling MSMEs’ growth and recovery by ensuring that our services power them to success.”

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Enterprise

PINOY DREAM NEGOSYO

Rakuten Viber champions Pinoy MSMEs

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elect Filipino entrepreneurs vying for a chance to realize their business dreams came to a head last July 14 as Rakuten Viber gathered the Pinoy Dream Negosyo event in Makati City. The event rounds off the series of online challenges and activities that the top three participating entrepreneurs from the Raket PH and FoodPH Viber channels had to undergo August 2022

for the opportunity to pitch their business ideas and receive a business grant from Viber and its partners Inquirer Group of Companies and Grab Express.

Pinoy Dream Negosyo is in line with Rakuten Viber’s mission to educate, enable, and empower Filipino MSMEs by giving them a platform to share their entrepreneurial journey and by providing

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business owners with the know-how and tools to help implement their business plans, and scale their business operations.

Viber, one of the world’s leading apps for free, secured, and easy communication, has been instrumental in helping small businesses grow and stay connected to their consumers and each other, especially during the pandemic. gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

Panel of judges DA BEST of FOODPh

Raket Mo _To grand winner Richmond Argosino of Ken Goods and Apparel and the Grand Bestie of FOOD Ph Mon Ramlher Cabsag of The Bistro Box

Viber saw an increase in the use of its Channels feature during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Viber Channels helped entrepreneurs reach out to potential customers and like-minded individuals, allowing them to grow and manage their businesses.

Among the helpful tools for small businesses were the Raket PH and FoodPH Viber channels.

Raket PH serves as a Viber channel for MSME owners and side hustlers who want to promote their side businesses.

Since its launching, Raket PH now has over 203,000 subscribers.

Food PH, on the other hand, is an online food channel that helped small and micro food entrepreneurs adapt to the “new normal” during the pandemic through contactless online purchases. FoodPH eventually evolved through its bot, serving as a transaction point for buyers. The Food PH channel has grown significantly to attract over 560,000 subscribers.

“Pinoy Dream Negosyo didn’t happen overnight. It is a byproduct of the team’s hard work to meet and answer the needs of the Filipinos back in 2020,” said Lana Macapagal, APAC PR Lead for Rakuten Viber. “When there was a surge in users and communities actively using Viber, we asked ourselves how we could help them further. That led us to our goal, which is to champion Filipino MSMEs.” Pinoy Dream Negosyo has two categories, Raket Mo ‘To and Da Best of FoodPH. At the event, three entrepreneurs from Raket PH and three from Food PH had the opportunity to inspire other aspiring Filipino entrepreneurs by sharing their stories and pitching their final business ideas for a chance to receive a business grant from Viber and its partners.

Raket Mo _To judging panel

Lana Macapagal, PR Lead for APAC at Rakuten Viber

Mon Cabsag of The Bistro Box wowed the judges with his version of nilupak, a traditional Filipino delicacy, to win as the GRAND BESTie of FOODPH. Richmond Argosino of Ken Goods and Apparel, on the other hand, gave a clear pitch of his desired business path to ultimately capture the grand prize for Raket Mo ‘To of RaketPH.

MAKING MSME DREAMS A REALITY

Cabsag, during the media Q&A segment of the event, said that he will use the prizes to upgrade his business equipment to better serve his customers. “It was a memorable and exhilarating experience for me. I met and interacted with a lot of entrepreneurs like me and gained more perspective about running a business,” he added.

Pinoy Dream Negosyo opens the doors to MSMEs who want to share their business journeys and acquire the knowledge and tools to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality.

Viber, a long-time supporter of entrepreneurs in the country, looks forward to the next set of enterprising individuals whose dreams it can help make a reality.

In the end, two budding Filipino entrepreneurs came one step closer to fulfilling their entrepreneurial dreams as they each received a business grant from Viber and its partners.

Dana Parado, Marketing Manager at Rakuten Viber

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FinTech

MAKING BIG MOVES TOWARD THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF ENTERPRISES

(L-R): PayMaya PH group president & Maya Bank co-founder Shailesh Baldwin, DTI Asec. Mary Jean Pacheco, BSP Deputy Gov. Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, BSP Deputy Gov. Chuchi Fonacier, PayMaya founder-CEO & Maya Bank co-founder Orlando Vea, BSP Gov. Felipe Medalla, DTI Sec. Alfredo Pascual, PayMaya chairman & Maya Bank chairman-emeritus Manny Pangilinan, and Maya Bank president Angelo Madrid.

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ayMaya, the country’s largest processor of merchant payments, has relaunched its enterprise brand as Maya Business.

The new Maya Business seamlessly integrates omnichannel payment acceptance solutions, business-tobusiness (B2B), and business-togovernment (B2G) payments, with digital banking services powered by Maya Bank, including a highinterest business deposit account and

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a range of credit products for enterprises and their customers.

The transformation comes on the heels of the successful launch of the new Maya brand and consumer app in late April this year which saw an accelerated uptake for wallet and digital banking services.

“With the new Maya Business, we’re creating the future of the enterprise, unleashing digital at a faster speed and on a broader scale,” said Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of Voyager and PayMaya, and chairman emeritus of Maya Bank.

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Accelerating the digital transformation of businesses During the launch event, keynote speakers Department of Trade and Industry Secretary (DTI) Alfredo Pascual and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe Medalla emphasized the need to accelerate the digital transformation of businesses as critical components of sustainable economic growth and inclusion.

“The BSP welcomes the rollout of new digital financial services that bring the benefits of digitalization to Filipino businesses and end-users. We are creating the right environment, but without enterprises like Maya, it means nothing if the private sector does not find a way of utilizing the opportunities. These efforts contribute to our push to expand financing options for our MSMEs and bring them into the mantle of

the formal financial system,” said BSP Governor Felipe Medalla.

For his part, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual underscored the crucial role of the private sector in helping the Philippines achieve its digital transformation goals.

“The private sector, with its agile mindset and disposition, has to play a key role, particularly in implementing the digital transformation of large and small enterprises as well as the government itself. Congratulations to Maya for providing a fast and secure financial transaction platform for businesses and consumers,” Pascual said.

According to the BSP 2021 E-Payments Measurement, business payments account for 24.1% of total monthly retail payments. Supplier payments make up almost 90% of total business payments,

but most of these still use non-digital channels.

Maya Business is committed to accelerating digital transformation among enterprises and consumers in line with the national targets under the Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap 2023 and eCommerce Philippines Roadmap 2022.

“As a growth and transformation enabler, we are embedding our digital Maya solutions into the operating systems of our merchants, big or small, online or physical,” Orlando B. Vea, PayMaya founderCEO and Maya Bank co-founder, commented.

From payments to digital financial services “From being a payments partner for enterprises, we’re now an all-in-one growth partner for businesses,” said Shailesh Baidwan, PayMaya Philippines group president and Maya Bank co-founder. “Beyond leadership in payment acceptance, we’re enabling our customers with new digital financial services like business deposit, payroll disbursements, working capital loans, and buy-now-pay-later products.”

Maya Business offers merchants the broadest range of payment acceptance solutions, allowing

businesses to accept any credit, debit, and prepaid card, scan-to-pay via QR, or via Maya wallet, whether online or on-ground. Solutions include Maya Checkout for online payments, Maya Payment Links for digital invoicing, Maya QR enabled by QR Ph Personto-Merchant (P2M) payments - the national standard promoted by the BSP, and Maya Terminal, the country’s first android point-of-sale device.

Business owners and corporations can fast-track their business growth with a fully digital bank account that offers free PesoNet transfers and a 1.5% interest rate, four times higher than traditional banks. This feature

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is currently available for existing Maya Business clients.

On top of payment acceptance, Maya Business also offers a disbursement platform that enables organizations to efficiently distribute funds to their employees, suppliers, or citizen beneficiaries.

Maya Business is powered by the country’s only end-to-end digital payments company, PayMaya Philippines, and Maya Bank for digital banking services. To know more about Maya Business, visit maya.ph/business and follow @ MayaBusinessPh on Facebook.

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Cybersecurity

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VISHING Don’t fall victim to this TikTok prank

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n TikTok, a prank where people call their friends using an automated answering machine voice to tell them that a large amount of money is about to be debited from their account is gaining popularity. Kaspersky experts warn that this trend is a real fraud scheme, called vishing, and is actively used by cybercriminals.

Kaspersky researchers detected an increase in the number of vishing emails in June (almost 100,000 total) and collected approximately 350,000 vishing emails between March and June 2022. They also explained how vishing works and how to avoid falling into this trap of cybercriminals.

Vishing (short for voice phishing) is the fraudulent practice of convincing individuals to call cybercriminals and reveal personal information and bank details over the phone. Like most phishing schemes, it starts with an unusual e-mail from a large online store or a payment system. For example, it

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could be a letter from a fake version of PayPal telling you that they have just received a request to withdraw a large amount of money from your account.

But here’s the difference: while regular phishing emails ask the victim to follow a link to cancel the order, vishing emails ask that they urgently call the customer support number provided in the email.

Kaspersky experts emphasize that this method was intentionally chosen by cybercriminals because when people look at a phishing site, they have the time to think about their actions or notice signs that the page is not legitimate. But when victims talk on the phone, they are usually distracted and find it more difficult to focus.

Under these circumstances, attackers do everything they can to further throw them off balance: rushing them, intimidating them, and demanding that they urgently provide their credit card details to cancel the supposed

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Cybersecurity

TikTok Paypal scam

fraudulent transaction. After gaining the victim’s bank account details, cybercriminals use the information to steal their money, leaving the victim with an empty wallet.

People think the answering machine misheard them and that the funds are going to be withdrawn from their account immediately, so they panic, scream, and don’t realize that they are being pranked.

Kaspersky experts highlight that in the last four months (from March to June 2022) they have detected almost 350,000 vishing emails, asking victims to call in and cancel a transaction. In June, the number of such emails increased, reaching nearly 100,000, leading Kaspersky researchers to predict that this trend is only gaining momentum and is likely to continue growing.

When people are convinced to disclose their personal data during a phone call rather than on a phishing page, they often don’t have the chance to consider that they are the target of a hoax – and a large number of TikTok videos with this prank are a prominent example of this.

Curiously, TikTokers actively repeat one of the vishing schemes, with the only difference being that they do not send a fraudulent email in advance, nor do they steal anything from their victims – their goal is a show, not money.

The call is conducted through an answering machine, whose voice is generated with an online translator.

Most often, pranksters introduce themselves as a representative from the customer service department of a large online store, claiming they have just received an order from the victim for several thousand dollars and asking for their confirmation. No matter how the victim replies, the next thing the answering machine says is, “Thank you, your order has been confirmed.”

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“I often come across videos on TikTok of bloggers pranking other people by calling them and telling them that their account is about to be debited thousands

Number of detected emails with vishing, March — June 2022

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Consider what kind of information is being requested. Legitimate companies don’t contact you out of the blue via unsolicited emails to ask you for personal information, such as banking or credit card details, your Social Security number, or other sensitive data. In general, unsolicited messages telling you to “verify account details” or “update your account information” should be treated with caution.

of dollars. The victims believe it and go crazy over it. When you look at these videos on your phone you think, “How can anyone fall for such a thing?” But when people encounter scam calls in real life, they are often affected by multiple circumstances at the same time. Such a call can catch them off guard, while their head is full of other things and they can’t clearly assess who is on the other end of the call – a prankster, a fraudster or a real bank security specialist,” comments Roman Dedenok, security expert at Kaspersky.

Here are some tips to protect yourself from vishing Check the sender’s address. Most spam emails come from addresses that don’t make sense or appear as gibberish, for example, amazondeals@ tX94002222aitx2.com or something similar. By hovering over the sender’s name, which itself may be spelled incorrectly, you can see the full email address. If you’re not sure if an email address is legitimate or not, you can put it into a search engine to check.

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Be wary if the message is creating a sense of urgency. Spammers often try to apply pressure by using this tactic. For example, the subject line may contain words like “urgent” or “immediate action required” to pressure you into acting.

Check for grammar and spelling to identify a scammer. Typos and bad grammar are red flags. So too are odd phrasing or unusual syntax, which might result from the email being translated back and forth through translators several times.

Install a trusted security solution and follow its recommendations. The secure solution will then solve most problems automatically and alert you if necessary.

August 2022

Property

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The Future of PH Mobility Subway and expressway developments make metro residences more appealing

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ransportation infrastructure in the Philippines has gradually improved over the years with more road projects cutting travel time from one city to another.

This is beneficial to Filipinos as many consider accessibility as one of the main factors in choosing a place to live, especially professionals who need to consider their travel time from home to office and vice versa.

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Property

In the next few years, more road projects will pave the way to accessible cities and communities both for commuters and motorists, especially those who are planning to start a family and have their own space.

“We are excited about the convenience and accessibility that these road projects will bring. These will surely help raise the quality of living in the Philippines, especially to those who have invested in strategically located properties,” said RLC Residences marketing head and chief integration officer Karen Cesario.

METRO MANILA SUBWAY The Department of Transportation shared that starting partial operations in 2025 and full operations in 2027, the Metro Manila Subway Project will house 17 stations and connect cities in the National Capital Regional August 2022

(NCR) from Valenzuela City to Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) in Taguig City, Parañaque City, and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City. It will extend to the north and south of NCR and shorten the travel time between Quezon City and NAIA to 35 minutes.

Once fully operational, this should ease the travel-related stress of the residents of New Manila in Quezon City, including the unit owners of The Magnolia Residences, which will become more accessible through the Quezon City station.

SOUTHEAST METRO MANILA EXPRESSWAY Expected to open this year, the Department of Public Works and Highways aims to ease transportation for residents in the East through the Southeast Metro Manila Expressway.

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The 34-km expressway will start from the Skyway at FTI in Taguig and will end at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City. It will also connect to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Balagtas, Bulacan.

Residents in Taguig, such as The Trion Towers in Bonifacio Global City, can soon enjoy faster and more convenient travel to the north, especially those who are planning trips with family and friends.

“We are excited about the convenience and accessibility that these road projects will bring. These will surely help raise the quality of living in the Philippines, especially to those who have invested in strategically located properties.”

PAREX Meanwhile, the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) will serve as a faster link between the western and eastern cities of Metro Manila through an elevated expressway traversing the entirety of the Pasig River. During the project groundbreaking, San Miguel Corporation shared that in 2023, it is set to provide connectivity among toll roads and freeways, easing the traffic along R-10, EDSA, and C-5. Shortening the travel time from Manila to Rizal to 15 minutes,

people who travel to their offices in the Makati Business District, Ortigas Center, and Bonifacio Global City will benefit from this once it is completed.

This will also provide the Manileño residents of The Radiance Manila Bay with easy mobility through R-10 Road near Intramuros.

Along with the continuing development of infrastructure in the Philippines, RLC Residences’ readyfor-occupancy (RFO) properties aim to raise the quality of living of Filipino 127

families, professionals who are starting to build their lives, and those who are looking for a place they can call home.

“We know that many Filipinos have been working and waiting for the opportunity to have a new start.

And as the time comes for them to do so, we’re here to help them live their best lives by offering homes and communities where they have access to convenience and comfort,” said Cesario.

August 2022

Home

SECRETS TO BETTER WIFI IN PH P

roviding the family with a fast and reliable WiFi connection at home is a must in the digital age. Parents and kids alike need strong internet connectivity for most of their favorite activities online — from streaming and gaming to working and studying. Parents know too well that investing in a highspeed connection from leading internet service provider PLDT Home is key to a happier, better, more productive home.

However, due to a few factors including the design of one’s residence, some internet plans are not optimized enough.

Homes built with multiple walls and floors can pose a problem when it comes to internet signals reaching all corners.

Walls can block WiFi signals, big spaces at home can stretch these signals thin, and too many devices crowding a single WiFi connection can ultimately slow the internet down.

So, how do you make sure your home connection is maximized? Believe us, it doesn’t have to cost much! Here are some tips and tricks to help you get the speed you and your family need.

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Take a speed test First, check if you really are getting the speed you pay for. A simple way to check is by conducting an Ookla Speedtest which measures your upload and download speed accurately. If your connection is fast yet is not reaching all parts of the house, then you’ll need to check your router or the dual-band compatibility of your phone or laptop.

Ensure that your router is new and updated Sometimes the main culprit for a less-than-stellar internet connection is the router itself. The router is a device that provides your home with WiFi. Keeping your router up to date ensures that your hardware is fresh and can maintain your internet connection, as older devices are more prone to breaking down. A new router will not only improve your connection, but it can also help improve the security of your connections, especially if you are thinking of building a smart home. Try calling your service provider if you’re due for a router change.

Reset your router Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the most effective. “Did you try turning it off and on again?” applies to almost all electronics and appliances — including your router. Resetting your router can solve intermittent signals and boost your speed.

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Think about where you place your router Is your router placed optimally in your home? Router placement is key to the strength of its signal. Ensure that your router is placed in a high, open space with limited obstructions to get better speeds. Don’t place your routers on the ground as WiFi signals travel horizontally and may not reach every nook and cranny. If you have a multi-level home, try putting the router on a higher floor while ensuring that it’s not placed near dense, signal-interfering materials like brick or concrete.

Get a WiFi Mesh system Have you done everything above but you still don’t have the speed you need? At this point, maybe it’s time to get your own WiFi Mesh system, or a set of devices that can provide uniform speeds in all corners of the home no matter how far they are from the main router.

Think of it as a relay game. The main router, which should be installed in a clear spot, connects to a series of mesh devices that in turn connect to your devices. Unlike routers, mesh devices share the same network and password, which altogether allows the transfer of files between gadgets, screen mirroring from your mobile phones and laptops to TVs, and top download and upload speeds even when other family members are online at the same time — streaming their favorite shows, working, attending classes, playing games, or doing video calls. In short, with a WiFi mesh system, every member of the family can do all things imagined and more.

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PLDT Home WiFi Mesh promo If you are a new or existing PLDT Home subscriber, you can get a WiFi mesh add-on for as low as PHP99/month on top of your existing plan and immediately experience the fastest wholehome connections from PLDT Home.

Here’s another win-win for PLDT Home subscribers: From June 1 to September 30, 2022, those who purchase PLDT Home WiFi Mesh units get a chance to win a 65” Samsung Crystal UHD TV (AU7000). One subscriber wins the grand prize each month until the end of the promo period.

To be eligible, subscribers must buy at least two pieces of Tenda Nova MW6, TP Link Deco M4, or TP Link Deco M5. The winners’ names will be posted on PLDT Home’s website.

To join the promo, visit www.pldthome.com/ wifimeshsystem.

August 2022

Wellness

Johnson & Johnson calls on youth to be

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ith the aim of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of ending tuberculosis (TB) by 2030, Johnson & Johnson has launched the second phase of its regional youth movement that looks to empower a generation to end TB. Featuring a TB Warriors online game, countries can compete to win the title of TB Warrior Country of 2022.

Launched in four countries — Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam — the TB Warriors game can be found on www.tbwarriors. com, where players take on the persona of a TB Warrior and navigate different gaming elements, in turn testing their knowledge and understanding of TB in a fun and interactive way.

In the game, players are tasked to spot and click on as many characters in a scene as possible that are displaying symptoms of tuberculosis, and players will be tracked against how long they take to complete the game. Upon clicking the characters, players will also have access to more educational information on TB and its symptoms. Receiving a high score at the end of the game, players can replay multiple times, with each play recorded on the leaderboard. They must submit their high score to the competition by taking the TB Quiz after the game.

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agents of change and beat tuberculosis

Players can compete across the leaderboard and contribute to winning the title of TB Warrior Country of 2022, signifying the country with the highest proactive engagement and cause awareness in the region.

Players will be greeted with their own country-specific scene illustrated by a local artist, featuring recognizable local sights and landmarks:

Philippines Award-winning illustrator for children’s books and comics, Ara Villena has illustrated over 20 story books, including for NGOs like USAID, Childfund, and Save the Children Philippines, as well as government organizations such as the Department of Education and the Department of Science and Technology.

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Indonesia Cartoonist and illustrator M. Syaifuddin Ifoed originated from Kendal and has worked with several media publications. He has won the 2021 Adinegoro Award in the Caricature Category on National Press Day 2021 and has also established his own studio named Communicartoon Studio.

Thailand Sawanee Draw is a former Art Director and Design Lecturer from Singapore, and graduated with Honors in MA Multimedia Design from Australia and with Merit in MA Children Books’ Illustration from UK. Currently based in Thailand, Sawanee works on various design and illustration projects.

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Vietnam Visual artist and graphic illustrator Le Phuong Ngan is currently a graphic design student at FPT University.

Her love for art and design drives her to constantly explore new design styles and expand her specialized interest in advertising and photography.

Through repeated engagement with the game, the primary aim is to drive health-seeking behaviors amongst youths, including testing, prevention, and treatment of tuberculosis, and also encouraging them to play their role as a catalyst for the movement — by sharing and driving the cause to help raise awareness and elevate the issue of TB amongst friends, families, and colleagues.

J&J Philippines’ global public health manager Stephanie Lao said, “The TB Warriors game was borne out of how gamification has demonstrated to be a powerfully persuasive tool in influencing health-seeking behaviors.

Southeast Asian youths are also very engaged with gaming culture, and we believe this approach to bring the tuberculosis cause to life will resonate strongly with this generation that we are looking to mobilize as part of our youth movement.”

The microsite also hosts educational resources including educational videos that touch on key topics such as ‘What is TB?’ and ‘Symptoms of TB’; scrollable stories that take players through the life of someone who has contracted TB; and other downloadable resources.

Lao added, “For TB, youths in the Philippines face their own unique barriers and challenges in terms of case

detection and effective treatment, and so it is critical we engage them actively to ensure we are effectively tackling TB. We look forward to youths joining the movement to pave the way to a better, safer, and healthier world free of TB.” The wider ‘United Against TB’ movement aims to address the current gap in the region when it comes to case detection for TB, as well as access to diagnoses and treatment support of this disease in Southeast Asia. Despite being curable and preventable, TB remains among the world’s deadliest diseases, as many are not recognizing the critical importance of seeking help early. Southeast Asia in fact carries the highest burden for TB globally, but 4 in 10 people with TB in the region go undiagnosed and untreated.

Specifically, the youth movement under United Against TB recognizes the importance of mobilizing youths to end TB. Young people between the ages of 15-34 are disproportionately affected by TB, carrying the heaviest burdens of the disease. In line with its 10-year commitment to help end TB, Johnson & Johnson recognizes that a key first step is in enabling their meaningful participation in national TB efforts and will be exploring initiatives aimed at activating the youth as agents of change in the region.

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Wellness

CARE DESPITE THE DISTANCE offers healthcare for migrant families

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sistensi, a global digital healthcare company that offers accessible digital end-to-end healthcare plans, has recently launched in the Philippines with a focus on providing healthcare coverage to families of migrant workers.

asistensi is led by a group of healthcare professionals with nearly two decades of experience in Europe and Latin America. Given the significant population of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the company decided to establish itself in the country with the goal of supporting migrant workers and their families with accessible quality healthcare designed specifically for them and will ultimately provide peace of mind.

“Health is a priority but oftentimes only dealt with on a per-need basis and investments in this aspect often take the backseat to more pressing concerns.

This is the gap we want to address — we want migrant workers to have the peace of mind that in the event of sudden need, their families in the Philippines can be covered by a healthcare plan that relieves them of immediate financial stress and allows them to focus on the health issues at hand,” added Pardo.

“Every Filipino knows of someone who works overseas. Whether it’s a family member or a friend, it’s hard not to think about how challenging it must be for OFWs to juggle their many concerns while ensuring that they are able to provide financial support to those back home,” said Bjorn Pardo, managing director, asistensi Philippines

asistensi aims to be the Filipino migrant worker’s partner in easing financial woes related to healthcare and medical expenses. The company offers migrant workers, or OFWs, a new way to express their love and care for their family alongside quality, reliable, and affordable healthcare.

Most OFWs consider being providers as their primary aspiration and motivation for seeking employment abroad, there is no surprise that the trend in remittances coming into the country has been steadily upward in the last few years.

Unfortunately, playing the role of the breadwinner has its challenges and struggles.

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Based in Spain, asistensi sets itself apart from other companies that offer healthcare plans across the world by utilizing the advantage of technology and making comprehensive healthcare accessible to anyone who may need it.

Envisioning accessible healthcare to everyone, they aim to give migrants the much-needed peace of mind when it comes to their family’s health and more headroom for their personal and professional growth.

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asistensi’s digital end-to-end healthcare plans can be purchased online from any country. With secure online payment, 100% digital onboarding, instant enrollment of dependents, the non-requirement for tedious medical admission exams, and coverage including pre-existing conditions up to 85 years old, family and relatives back home are eligible to unlimited Telemedicine 24/7, Ambulance Service, Home and In-clinic Primary Care, Home and In-clinic Laboratory Tests, Medication Delivery, Access to Major Hospitals, and Hospitalization and Surgery coverage.

Ensuring the best possible service, asistensi has partnered with local medical leaders such as HiPrecision Diagnostics, Argonix, Home Healthcare, Lifeline 16911, and its primary HMO partner, Maxicare.

“We are honored to be working with asistensi toward our shared goal of helping Filipinos live their best life,” shares Maxicare CEO, Sean Argos.

“We believe that the best healthcare should be convenient and accessible to all, especially to OFWs and their loved ones at home. Through this partnership, they can benefit from Maxicare’s network of accredited hospitals in cases of emergency.”

“Should they ever need to consult with a primary care physician or specialist, they need only walk into one of our Primary Care Clinics offering state-of-the-art diagnostics in a professional yet relaxed environment. With a short waiting time, they can complete their visit quickly allowing them plenty of time to do the things that matter most to them. Convenience with easy access to superior healthcare, this is what Maxicare will contribute to the partnership,” he continues.

asistensi’s plans is broader compared to other services. With eligibility up to 85 years old, coverage for pre-existing conditions, services are available 24/7 Mondays through Sundays with a 96% satisfaction in response time for as low as PHP866 a month for their digital healthcare plans.

Aside from its affordable packages, another great thing about asistensi is the ease at which consumers can avail of health services. Once a beneficiary feels unwell or has an emergency, asistensi can be reached through the asistensi Philippines mobile application or via the call center at +632-8280-1066. asistensi’s medical doctors then perform the necessary assessments on patients following triage protocols to determine the best next step. Once the next steps are determined and the claim is completed, asistensi will cover costs according to the beneficiary’s entitlement.

“In these unprecedented times, health should definitely be a priority now, more than ever,” shares reiterates Pardo. “With our OFW community constantly worrying about the wellbeing of their families at home, we at asistensi hope to provide the health coverage for emergencies that every Filipino deserves, regardless of their status or where they reside,” he concludes.

More inclusive to the Philippine population in terms of admission and pricing, eligibility for

Learn more about asistensi and find out which plan works best for you and your family at https://asistensi.com.ph/

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CSR

JOIN THE HAPAG MOVEMENT

Help relieve hunger using Globe Rewards, GCash

August 2022

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round 15 million Filipinos reportedly experienced involuntary hunger last year, according to the Social Weather Stations. This continuing struggle came amid the lingering pandemic in the country which, at its height, saw record unemployment rates and an economic downturn.

To support, simply download the New GlobeOne app and donate your Rewards points for as low as PHP1. Just follow these steps:

As the nation treads the path to recovery, Globe’s Hapag Movement aims to rally Filipinos behind a collective effort to help feed the hungry.

The Hapag Movement is Globe’s unified fight against hunger through technology.

It connects multi-sectoral partners that can contribute to addressing hunger and joblessness to achieve social impact at scale.

Now, you can help put food on the table of families in need every time you buy Globe prepaid load or pay for your monthly Globe subscription.

Each transaction lets you earn Globe Rewards points which can be donated to The Hapag Movement to alleviate extreme hunger in the country.

You can also follow these steps to donate using your GCash app:

As a leading digital solutions platform, Globe aims to be part of the solution to create a Globe of Good. With The Hapag Movement, Globe provides a holistic intervention focusing on hunger alleviation and livelihood opportunities for vulnerable families.

“Everyone is welcome to be part of this advocacy. Let’s work together to help Filipino families who are struggling to feed themselves and experiencing hunger,” said Yoly Crisanto, chief sustainability and corporate communications officer at Globe.

The Hapag Movement is in line with its commitment to uphold the UN Global Compact Principles and contribute to 10 UN SDGs. To learn more about Globe’s sustainability initiatives, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/ about-us/sustainability.html.

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Green

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August 2022

Promo

Join MSI’s Review Campaign to receive vouchers and win amazing prizes!

Promo runs from July 1 to December 31, 2022.

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nleash your inner blogger/ vlogger by sharing your own MSI laptop story.

MSI, a world leader in hardware and innovative business solutions, is holding a customer review campaign that is open to all users of MSI laptops in all series — Gaming, Business & Productivity, Content Creation — purchased through any authorized reseller in the Philippines. You can get amazing prizes when you create and submit a review from July 1 to December 31, 2022.

As a world leader in high-end solutions with an unwavering commitment to cutting-edge innovation, aesthetic design, and creating extraordinary experiences, MSI is dedicated to fulfilling and providing customer satisfaction.

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Each qualified review will receive vouchers and will be eligible for monthly bonus prizes. Three winners will be announced each month for the following categories: Best Video Review, Best Photo Review, and Most Engaged Review.

For more information and full mechanics for the MSI Review Campaign 2022, visit: https://ph.msi.com/Landing/youropinion-matters/nb

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Newsbytes

BPI Foundation team spearheaded by Executive Director Owen Cammayo (fifth from right) during the 2022 LCF CSR Guild Awards at the Blue Leaf Events Pavilion in Taguig City.

BREAKTHROUGH RECOGNIZED AS OUTSTANDING CSR PROJECT IN FINANCIAL INCLUSION The 2022 League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) CSR Guild Awards recently named Breakthrough by BPI Foundation, a first-of-its-kind financial education mobile game application, as the Outstanding CSR Project in Financial Inclusion.

Released in February 2021, the Breakthrough mobile game application aims to make financial education more accessible, enjoyable, and effective for Filipinos. The development of the app is also the Foundation’s response to the World Bank’s 2015 study recommending the use of edutainment as a form of teaching financial concepts to the public.

“Breakthrough is our deliberate effort to deliver financial education to more Filipinos in a fun and informative manner,” said BPI Foundation executive director Owen Cammayo. “We believe that the first step towards financial wellness is to have better understanding and appreciation of the basic financial concepts.”

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Among the numerous financial topics covered by the interactive digital board game are saving, retirement planning, and investing. Players meet real-life situations and make financial decisions as they move around a virtual board.

The game allows individuals to put their financial knowledge to the test and see how their financial choices influence their everyday lives.

BPI Foundation also organizes regular The Breakthrough Experience: A Virtual Game Day for migrant domestic workers, uniformed personnel, DepEd teaching and non-teaching personnel, as well as senior high school and college students via Zoom.

One of the students who attended the Breakthrough Experience shared her feedback about using the mobile game app. “It gives us the financial power that comes with financial freedom. It lets us make our own choices and learn from it too so that the next games we know better,” said Joyce Elaine Delos Santos from Centro Escolar University.

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Elloise Kim Brejonio, a Far Eastern University student, noted how the mobile game integrates real-life scenarios, which tested and improved her decision-making and critical thinking skills.

Another student from FEU, Andre Gabriel Ocular, expressed his excitement about learning about financial education. “I learned a lot of things in this game and at the same time, I enjoy it. Making decisions in life is not that easy and this game made me realize that there are situations we can’t control in our lives, we just need to be ready and know what action we should take and choose to perform. We need to be smart in investing and spending, while also not forgetting about our happiness and health,” he said.

The Breakthrough app is available on the Google Play and Apple app store. To know more, visit https:// www.bpifoundation.org/ and follow BPI Foundation on Facebook and Instagram.

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JESCOM NOW ACCEPTS CRYPTO-DONATIONS Jesuit Communication Foundation (JesCom), the Ateneo de Manila-based media arm for the Philippine Province of Society of Jesus, is now accepting crypto-donations through the Donate service of crypto platform Philippine Digital Asset Exchange (PDAX).

You can now donate in cryptocurrency to help promote Christian values and gospel doctrine through JesCom’s media productions across TV, radio, theater, print, and even online media. JesCom accepts donations in Dogecoin (DOGE), Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), and even Axie Infinity Shards (AXS) and Smooth Love Potion (SLP).

JesCom partnered with PDAX for the Donate service which aims to help charitable foundations and NGOs expand their donor base by providing access to the global cryptocurrency community.

Under the Donate service, PDAX created a dedicated donation website for Jescom as another global donation platform they can use to accept crypto donations from anyone in the world.

The donations will be directly credited to JesCom’s PDAX wallet and can be converted to PHP to protect the donations from volatility.

PDAX Donate highlights many advantages of cryptocurrency over traditional donation channels for both non-profit organizations and donors, such as significantly lower fees. This is made possible by the use of blockchain technology, which allows for real-time settlements with minimal transaction costs.

Non-profit organizations such as JesCom also get direct access to the global community of donors including an estimated 7 million Filipino crypto users, and enjoy no minimum or maintaining balances in their PDAX Accounts.

Donors and organizations alike can rest assured that the donations are secure due to the various security measures employed by PDAX, a crypto exchange licensed and regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and offers cryptocurrency trading with over 26 tokens and coins.

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PDAX founder and CEO Nichel Gaba adds, “With PDAX Donate, Filipinos can also use their crypto to donate to the NGOs and charities of their choice with just a click of a button. Not only does this promote financial freedom, but also bayanihan among Filipinos.”

Meanwhile JesCom executive director Fr. Nono Alfonso expressed his appreciation for PDAX Donate for how it can empower millions of Filipinos who are always willing to help out during times of economic crisis by ‘revolutionizing the way people exchange goods and services.’

JesCom is a non-profit organization founded in 1968 and is behind such radio programs like Usapang Kapatid on DZMM 630, Radyo Veritas 846 and Pasakalye, as well as Kape’t Pandesal on ABS-CBN 2. Jescom is likewise behind the 2016 internationally acclaimed film Ignacio de Loyola, and also operates Radyo Katipunan 87.9, the ADMU official campus radio.

To make crypto donations to The Jesuit Communication Foundation, you may visit the official JesCom donation page or access this link.

August 2022

Newsbytes

YASSI PRESSMAN LAUNCHES THE PLAYERS ELITE GUILD, A PLAY-TO-EARN (P2E) PLATFORM Actress, model, singer, dancer, and acclaimed host Yassi Pressman can now add another title to her list of accolades: tech founder. The twenty-seven-yearold Pressman is gearing up to launch a new play-to-earn platform in the Philippines.

to do what they do best: have fun while earning,” said Pecson.

For the security of both parties, Pecson explained that the platform will be secured via BLOX, a decentralized blockchain that will help process and validate transactions via smart contracts executed via their own token. Such will ensure that both game developers and gamers can safely and confidently transact, enabling both to better focus on the heart of the gaming experience.

Pressman was inspired to venture into the tech world with Players Elite Guild (PEG) in order to help Filipinos earn more in the web3 economy.

PEG invites its community members into an inclusive business culture that promotes self-improvement and unity, while focusing on sharing the educational tools that target the individual opportunities that exist for community members to use Web3.0 to develop financial freedom for themselves and their families.

Pressman explained that her new venture will help all types of gamers have the greatest experience possible.

“For example, the platform’s features will help professionalize and stabilize the income of full-time players, while reducing the learning curve - and friction - of casual players who wish to dabble in different games,” said Pressman.

“Our platform will cater to gamers from all backgrounds. We want to show that P2E - like ecommerce - can be for every Filipino forward-thinking enough to give the space a try,” added Pressman, noting that they also want to build winning relationships with game developers, game operators, and other industry stakeholders.

Pressman and the rest of the team at PEG share in the deep belief of Global unity. PEG places the future of our youth at the “tip of the spear.”

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The PEG technology advantage — a single, holistic ecosystem The technology deployment on the P2E platform is being led by Liezl Pecson, an information technologist, a blockchain architect certified by the Blockchain Council, and one of the foremost experts in Web3 development in the Philippines. Pecson has previously built a decentralized blockchain with national and international implementations, a decentralized internet, and even the first fiat mobile wallet built atop a blockchain.

Pecson’s aspirations for the functionality of the P2E platform are no less ambitious.

“Our development is guided entirely by the needs of our users - in this case, both gamers and game developers.

For game developers, we’re enabling them to incorporate P2E models right into their ecosystem with a full suite of tools. For gamers, we’re enabling them

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Pressman gravitated toward BLOX, as opposed to other global blockchains, because it has earned significant traction recently, including selection as a blockchain of choice from a variety of local business leaders, such as JCash CEO Emil Banno, who chose it for his ventures with Japanese investors; and the crypto marketplace Coexstar.

Pressman also appreciated that BLOX, like PEG, is inherently democratic.

Filipinos can participate in the success of BLOX by mining BLX, its native token, on their Mac or PC. Doing so rewards miners with BLX, which will be publicly listed in August on Coexstar, which is licensed by both the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

“It’s rare for Filipinos to get the opportunity to participate in the broader success of an ecosystem.

That’s why I would encourage them to mine BLX from their desktop. By mining, they gain a foothold in the future of BLX, PEG, and indeed the very foundation of Web3.0 in the Philippines,” said Pressman, adding that mining can be a lucrative income stream for Filipinos who partake in the activity.

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BLOCKCHAINSPACE OFFERS TOOLS TO GROW P2E GUILDS THROUGH THE GUILD PARTNER PROGRAM The popularity of blockchain gaming (P2E) has grown significantly since the pandemic, with gaming guilds at the forefront, acting as intermediaries between investors, managers, and the players. However, despite the continued interest in blockchain gaming, BlockchainSpace (BSPC), the leading data aggregator and infrastructure provider for guilds and Web3 projects, found that various issues such as poor community engagement, performance monitoring, and fluctuating earnings still risk a guild’s survival. To help gaming guilds mitigate these risks, BSPC provides them with education, tools, and financing through their Guild Partner Program.

perks,” shares Jen Bilango, BSPC growth and strategy lead.

Gaming Guild, and guilds composed of casual crypto users like Play4Change.

BSPC’s data dashboards aim to help analyze and manage guild operations for easier community management and improved guild performance.

Through the Kozo Dashboard, guilds can compare their current performance to the overall global guild average or region average, and adjust their strategies, targets, and goals accordingly. Meanwhile, the Kaizen Guild Management System allows guilds to manage their core functions, such as HR Management, Earnings Forecasts, Performance Data, and Payout Automation.

“Guilds play a crucial role in driving growth and adoption in the cryptocurrency space,” said Peter Ing, chief executive officer of BSPC. “But guilds need support, given the volatile market where the trade is highly influenced by “whale” traders who hold large amounts of cryptocurrency,” Ing adds. Based on blockchain analytics firm Glassnode’s July 11 report, the market is well into the bear, with a large number of investors liquidating their holdings, causing extreme financial stress.

The Guild Partner Program is a grassroots effort to further empower and connect gaming guilds and gamers. Those who join the exclusive membership gain access to the guild partner network, Kozo Dashboard, Kaizen Guild Management System, and BSPC’s game partners. “Based on the data from over 24,000 P2E guilds worldwide, we’ve determined the areas guilds need support in to continue growing, which we seek to address through our Guild Partner Program

“We also found that more expenses can be saved when guilds have access to whitelisting opportunities, free ingame assets, discounted rates, chances to test-run new games, and investment opportunities,” Bilango notes. The Guild Partner Program connects guilds to their game partners, such as Pegaxy, Axie Infinity, and SolChicks, giving them access to several game perks. Partners can also connect with macro guilds such as Yield Guild Games and Unix Gaming Guild, mid-sized guilds like Hooga

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“As we always say, no guild is too small, and no location is too far away. All guilds deserve the same resources and tools to help them and receive the support they need to unlock their potential,” Ing shared. “We are confident that our Guild Partnership Program that provides an impressive selection of tools and solutions is the stepping stone to enable guilds of all sizes to thrive in the space.”

Guilds of all sizes can register here to join BSPC’s Guild Partner Program and join an exclusive group of guilds from across the world.

August 2022

Newsbytes

NEXPLAY AND UNIONDIGITAL BANK ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP TO EMPOWER PH GAMING COMMUNITY Leading Southeast Asian esports and video game content ecosystem Nexplay, and UnionDigital Bank, the digital bank entity of UnionBank, have signed an exclusive partnership that aims to offer more convenient digital financial services for Filipino gamers.

“UnionDigital Bank is driven to further empower the Philippines’ digital economy. Our partnership with Nexplay allows us to offer our financial services to today’s Filipino gamers, enabling them more by giving access to a digital bank account. We are looking forward to this collaboration with Nexplay to propel our higher purpose - Tech-ing Up today’s generation of Filipinos, especially gamers,” said Arvie De Vera, co-founder and CEO of UnionDigital Bank.

In 2019, 43 million Filipino gamers spent a total of USD572 million on games, four-fifths engaged with in-game microtransactions such as

buying power-ups and game cosmetics.

The following year, revenue generated by the online gaming industry sat at USD24 million. As cashless payment methods grow in prominence due in part to the pandemic, UnionDigital Bank sees an opportunity to empower Filipino gamers by providing more accessible financial solutions not limited to traditional deposit accounts and debit cards.

De Vera continued, “Nexplay opens opportunities for us to engage our country’s digital natives in platforms they are quite familiar with: games.

This is particularly important if you consider the rise of play-to-earn gaming and content streaming in the Philippines,” Nexplay, a Singapore-based company with Filipino leadership, is scaling its business in the Philippines. After reporting a 150% year-on-year revenue growth early this year, Nexplay is

gearing up to develop its own Web3 IP in the digital gaming space. The premier Southeast Asian esports gaming brand brings a 250 millionstrong built community of video game enthusiasts, young professional esports athletes, over 400 high profile content creators and a solid portfolio of more than 200 big brands and clients.

“For Nexplay, our mission has always been helping gamers succeed.

Working with UnionDigital Bank will help crystallize this combined vision of making financial services more accessible to our massive gaming community, our fans, our teams and our talents to enrich their digital experience. Together, we are committed to encourage greater financial inclusion within the rapidly growing gaming community in the Philippines, especially the nextgeneration gamers.” shared Gabriel Paulo Benito, co-founder and CEO of Nexplay.

(L-R) Mike Garcia, Chief Finance Officer of UnionDigital Bank; Miguel Bernas, President and Co-Founder of NEXPLAY; Arvie De Vera, CEO and Co-founder of UnionDigital Bank; Gabriel Benito, CEO and Co-founder of NEXPLAY; Mike Singh, Chief Revenue and Lending Officer of UnionDigital Bank; Munmun Nath, Chief Marketing Officer of UnionDigital Bank; Boom Eufemio, Chief Community Officer of UnionDigital Bank

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ENSTACK WORKS WITH DTI NEGOSYO CENTERS TO BOOST MSME DIGITIZATION Southeast Asia’s first SME Superapp, Enstack announced that it will be working together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through the Negosyo Centers to develop programs that will boost the digitization of MSMEs in the country.

In the DTI Roadmap, e-commerce plays a major role in inducing faster Philippine GDP growth. In efforts to contribute to the agency’s target, Enstack will be providing MSMEs with free mentorship and digital skills training, including education on its SME Superapp.

“We’ve seen the majority of small businesses have difficulty in today’s digital-first environment. Many are hesitant to digitize due to the perceived cost of tools, lack of time to implement them, and insufficient knowledge. By merging DTI’s local expertise and Enstack’s digital tools, we hope to equip these MSMEs with all the free resources they need to grow sustainably,” said Macy Castillo, Enstack co-founder and CEO.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly transformed the way Filipinos consume goods and services. With digital consumers on the rise, there is a must to equip local MSMEs with the right tools, resources, and knowledge that enable them to keep up. With free, easy-to-use technologies and application tools, we hope to empower current and aspiring business owners to digitize or start a digital-first business so they can thrive in today’s highly changed environment and be globally competitive,” shared Emma C. Asusano, program manager of the DTI Negosyo Center-Program Management Unit.

Together with DTI through the Negosyo Centers, Enstack will be holding events on how to start, run and grow a business using the Enstack SME Superapp. Despite starting strong, many small businesses struggle because of their inability to track expenses, manage inventory, and generate sustainable income.

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During these webinars, MSMEs will learn how day-to-day processes such as basic accounting, order and inventory management, and logistics can all be easily done on the Enstack SME Superapp.

Enstack will also host caravans with the DTI through the Negosyo Centers in different cities across the country. Current and future business owners will have personalized business counseling sessions with Enstack specialists and DTI business counselors where they can begin their digitization journey on the Enstack SME Superapp and receive guidance on the services and resources they need to run a successful digital business.

To learn more about these programs and sign up, interested MSMEs and aspiring entrepreneurs can head to their local Negosyo Center, visit dtinegosyocenter.online, or join the Enstack Business Academy.

August 2022

Relic

CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL Words by Jose Alvarez

T

oday, it has never been easier to learn. Online classes, YouTube videos on just about any topic imaginable, and other services providing education allow for learners both young and old to learn about a specific topic without the hefty cost that comes with traditional schools or colleges. From basic classes such as English, history, math, and science to more complex ones such as learning programming languages or how to start your own business, learning has never been more accessible than before. However, distance education is not a new concept. The idea of distance learning, namely through correspondence school, has allowed those who were

August 2022

unable to attend in-person classes, and this has been around far longer than you might think.

The very first idea of distance learning originated during the colonial era in America. The Boston Gazette had an advertisement for “Caleb Philipps, Teacher of the new method of Short Hand” in 1728, allowing students who wanted to learn shorthand, or stenography, through weekly mailed lessons. This means that the idea of distance learning via correspondence school (1728) is even older than the position of Postmaster General (1775), the top postal service position in the United

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States. Despite Boston providing its own postal services as early as 1639, the ideas of correspondence school and distance learning were novel concepts at the time. Poland was also another early adopter of correspondence school, with the Jagellonian University in Krakow offering correspondence courses in crafts in 1776, with the University of Warsaw offering correspondence courses in physics to the general public in 1779.

The next era of distance learning began in England in the 1840s. The introduction of uniform postage rates across England allowed for correspondence courses to be offered at affordable rates to all. Sir Isaac Pitman offered correspondence courses by mailing texts that were transcribed into shorthand already on postcards and received transcriptions from his students in return for correction, also incorporating student feedback into correspondence courses. This is akin to the course evaluations you might leave for your teachers and professors in school today.

England was also a much smaller country than the United States, which allowed distance learning to really take off as the distances were much shorter and the terrain more favorable to sending these courses to willing students.

By 1858, the University of London began offering distance learning degrees through the External Programme. Famed author Charles Dickens called it the “People’s University” as it allowed all individuals to participate in learning and not just the wealthy or well-connected. This idea spread from England back to the United States, which gave correspondence courses another go in 1891, when William Raney Harper, the founder of the University of Chicago, began to offer correspondence courses through satellite colleges. Eventually, the Society to Encourage Studies at Home was founded in 1873 and provided higher education exclusively to women.

new students in 1895, and having 900,000 students by 1906. Correspondence schools started sending out complete textbooks instead of single lessons.

Salesmen traveled to offer these courses to those wishing to learn.

many classes were offered online and became the main method of teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as students and teachers could socially distance and learn at the same time using modern technology.

Harper started to spread the idea of correspondence courses across the United States, with major universities such as the University of Chicago, the University of Wisconsin, and even Ivy League schools such as Columbia University embracing the concept.

Pennsylvania-based International Correspondence Schools had grown immensely by the 1890s, enrolling 2,500 students in 1894, matriculating 72,000

Correspondence school was extremely popular in Australia and South Africa, which had significant rural populations.

The University of Queensland began to offer correspondence courses in 1911, while the University of South Africa did the same in 1946. Technologies such as radio and film were also widely used in classrooms, and by the end of the 20th century, correspondence school took upon a new form in the Internet, where

Correspondence school was a novel concept in the 18th and 19th centuries, eventually becoming an alternative to the classroom by the early 20th century. With the Internet today, we often forget about the methods of learning that came before it. Correspondence school definitely played a role in advancing education to all individuals, not just those who had money.

Think about this the next time you step into (or log into) a classroom.

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August 2022

Volume XXII Issue XI

August 2022

MEET THE TEAM EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief MARIBELLE ALBA Editors-at-Large PRESY ALBA REN ALCANTARA Mobility Consultant ARNEL DORIA Editor GABRIEL PE Writers/Contributors FRANCESKA AGUILA JOSE ALVAREZ CHRIS NOEL HIDALGO JEWEL STA. ANA

You want more?

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CREATIVES Creative Consultant RAYMUND RAVANERA Creative Lead JERICO LUTRANIA Creative Staff CHINI YU SORIANO ADVERTISING Sales and Advertising Manager MARISA CONSUELOZ Account Executive CAROL AGABIN ADMINSTRATION President & CEO MARIBELLE ALBA Accounting Manager MARITESS MAULION HR & Administration Manager AMY CHRISTINE GIRAY Circulation Officer LORIE BERNARDO Administration Staff RAMIL ALMOJANO Legal Counsel ALBA LAW OFFICE

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