2023v23n4-Looking Forward

REVIEWED BY GABRIEL PE

ASUS ZENBOOK 17 FOLD OLED

2-IN-1 LAPTOP

In the quest for the next big thing, computer manufacturers often push the limits on what the next big personal computing machine will be. ASUS has produced unique products that push the envelope in personal computing. First, there were the 2-in-1s of the Eee Pad and the Transformer Book series in the early 2010s. Then it was the Zenbook with the ScreenPads in 2018 and their latest innovation, the Zenbook Duo, with dual displays. For CES 2022, ASUS announced a new concept device, a foldable display that turns a 17.3-inch tablet into a 12.5-inch laptop, the Zenbook Fold. Now, after almost a year of anticipation, we have the ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED, and it may be the laptop of the future!

DESIGN

The Zenbook 17 Fold OLED (UX9702) is an experience, from opening the box to using the tablet/laptop. Technically, the device is a 17.3-inch foldable tablet that, when folded, turns into two 12.5-inch displays. Unfolded, the display has a 2560 x 1920 resolution which translates to two 1280 x 1920 resolution displays. Additionally, the display is PANTONE-validated, so graphic works are sure to be color accurate.

Everything about the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED screams premium. The laptop/tablet is made of aluminum, while the folding hinge is masked by premium leather covers. In the box, ASUS has also included a leather case that matches the hinge covers.

A supremely thin all-in-one device, the port selection is limited on the Zenbook with only two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports and a 3.5mm audio port. That said, ASUS did include a USB-C to USB-A dongle in the box. Also included is the

magnetic ErgoSense Bluetooth keyboard. Like everything else, the keyboard feels premium and excellent to type on. Even its touchpad feels great to use. It was so good I never reached for my handy wireless mouse throughout my time with the device.

The folding hinges are well-built. They are solid and able to hold the display in laptop mode. Even with constant opening and closing, the hinges did not feel loose.

HARDWARE

Moving to the hardware side, ASUS has equipped the Zenbook Fold with everything you might need. It has an Intel Core i7-1250U processor with Intel Iris Xe Graphics. Also inside are 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 1TB of NVMe Storage.

The device scored 1352 for single-core and 3589 for multi-core in Geekbench 5. PCMark 10 had its productivity at 6594, and 3DMark Nightraid gave it 7983. The benchmarks indicate that the processor can handle work tasks but will struggle in extensive graphics work.

That said, its 12th Gen Intel Core i7 allows the device to keep up with my multitasking nature. Although not the most powerful, the Intel Iris Xe graphics is able to handle light video and photo editing as well as some esports games on the side.

Trying to game on a device not made for gaming, I attempted Dota 2 on the

Zenbook 17 Fold OLED and it was able to deliver around 40 to 80fps on the lowest settings. I tried installing Valorant but haven’t been able to run the game as of this writing.

Also note that memory isn’t expandable, mainly because of its complicated internal structure.

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USER EXPERIENCE

I was skeptical of foldables when the first foldable smartphones were introduced. You notice the crease, and I have always thought that this would be distracting when used. Well, I am happy to report that it’s not the case with the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED.

When unfolded, you’ll barely notice the crease, although you need to get used to the reflective glare on the hinge portion when the device is on extended or laptop mode. It’s not a deal breaker, but I do find myself noticing it every so often.

What makes the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED shine are the smart ASUS software options built within the device itself. My personal favorite is the ScreenXpert that allows the seamless transition of the display depending on the device’s mode.

Simply attaching the keyboard prompts the display to immediately shift to laptop mode. Unfolding the whole display shifts the screen to desktop mode, utilizing more screen space. Having the laptop slightly folded vertically shifts it to reading mode. And turning it to the side will have the Zenbook Fold immediately shift to extended mode.

The ScreenXpert also allows you to customize you’re work area to maximize productivity by managing your app

windows. You can fit up to four opened windows on the 17.3-inch display, but I usually have three: word, chrome, and usually Spotify or Netflix. It also carries your setup when you change modes allowing for seamless work transitions. You can also access the mic and camera lock on the ScreenXpert control center for quick access.

I found myself using this seamless transition a lot. As a law student, I constantly made use of the laptop mode and the reading mode, especially just before a class. When I need to work and

cram last minute digests, the desktop mode was extremely useful in doing multiple things all at once… including sneaking in some Netflix as well.

Speaking of Netflix, this was a great device for media binging. ASUS has constantly impressed with the great color of their OLED displays. Still, the most pleasant surprise was the Zenbook’s great speakers, which are loud but retain full depth of sound. Even at just 50% volume it was able to fill the whole room.

Other notable software includes the AI on the webcam which actually centers your eyes in meetings. I found this useful when presenting while occasionally glancing at my notes.

Another thing that impressed me was the battery life. ASUS equipped the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED with 75Whr batteries. This lasted almost a whole day of work. While battery life may be unremarkable for many, the fact that it’s charged by a 65W charger makes it so great for me. You don’t have to bring a massive power brick to juice up the device. You can also use newer power banks to recharge the device in case there’s no power port nearby.

To be honest, I really can’t find fault with the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED. It’s great

and works extremely well. If there’s one thing ASUS can improve on in the next iteration, I suggest the inclusion of stylus support. With that, I can see even more use scenarios, particularly for artists who would have a field day on this device.

VALUE

Retailing at PHP219,995, the ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is certainly pricey. Additionally, only 100 units will be

available in the Philippines. So is it worth it? To be honest, if you have the cash and a techie, I wholeheartedly recommend it. For sure, what ASUS has done with the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is a great step forward in the future of laptops and tablets.

If you can’t afford one right now, don’t worry. Technology has a way of becoming quickly accessible. Who knows? Maybe within the next five years, most of our personal laptops would be a variation of what the Zenbook Fold has started.

SPECIFICATIONS

Display: 17.3-inch, 2560 x 1920

FOLED 4:3 aspect ratio, 0.2ms response time, 60Hz refresh rate, 500nits HDR peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, VESA CERTIFIED Display HDR True Black 500, PANTONE Validated, Glossy display Processor: Intel Core i7-1250U Processor 1.1 GHz (12M Cache, up to 4.7 GHz, 2P+8E cores)

Graphics: Intel Iris Xe

OS: Windows 11 Home or Pro

RAM: 16GB LPDDR5

Storage: 1TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD

Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax) (Dual band) 2*2 + Bluetooth 5

Ports: 2x Thunderbolt™ 4 supports display/power delivery

1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack

Keyboard: Soft Keyboard, 1.4mm Key-travel, Touchpad Camera: 5.0M camera with IR function

Battery: 75WHrs,TYPE-C, 65W AC Adapter, Dimension: 378.5 x 287.6 x 8.7 ~ 12.9 mm Weight: 1.50 kg

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BY FRANCESKA AGUILA

HONOR MAGIC4 PRO

SMARTPHONE

Searching for the perfect phone with good specs and a tasteful style within your price range could sometimes get frustrating. With technology evolving, chipsets and specs have improved to cater to the fast-paced world we live in today. For that perfect smartphone choice, make sure it works like magic.

REVIEWED

DESIGN

The HONOR Magic4 Pro comes in a black box embossed with a holographic crescent moon, such that the packaging alone set my expectations high. Taking the phone out of the box, its sleek industrial design in Cyan is stunning. It has a glass front, a glass back with a mirror-like finish, and an aluminum frame for support.

It has a 6.81 LTPO OLED display (2848 x 1312) that curves around the edges. The display is a 12MP ultrawide front camera, and a triple multidirectional camera setup is mounted on the back. The power button and volume rockers are on the right side of the phone, the sim card tray and USB-C port are at the bottom of the phone, and dual speakers are on the top and bottom.

HARDWARE

Like most top-tier smartphones, the Magic4 Pro is powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 for powerful and faster performance. It runs on Android 12 OS and Magic UI 6. Our review unit has 8GB internal storage and 256GB external storage.

Its triple rear camera setup consists of a 50MP wide camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera for macro photography, and a 64MP periscope telephoto camera. Its displaymounted front camera is a 12MP ultrawide camera.

What’s impressive about the Magic4 Pro is the life of its massive 4600mAh battery, which can be fast-charged from 0% to 100% in less than an hour.

USER EXPERIENCE

Gaming on the Magic4 Pro is 50-50 for me. The curved display gives it a more immersive gaming experience, and the graphics are satisfactory, but the lags are disappointing. It can handle fast-paced games like Call of Duty: Mobile in the highest settings, but occasional lags, even with a stable internet connection, make for a frustrating experience.

It is an excellent device for media consumption. I think the audio quality is top-tier, producing crisp sounds even at max volume.

With Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, it is expected to deliver fast and seamless performance, but I encountered some unexpected issues. Despite its powerful chipset, switching between apps can be laggy. Launching

apps, particularly the camera, may be slow. Also, background activity can impact the battery too much.

Playing around with the camera features and taking snaps could get laggy. Still, the camera produces good results with sharp images. Color reproduction, although slightly off, can be considered reasonably accurate. The lens can zoom up to 100x — an impressive feat — although image output could be grainy and pixelated.

VALUE

The Honor Magic4 Pro is priced at PHP52,990 for the 8GB + 256GB configuration, leaning on the more expensive side. I have mixed feelings about this new phone — it has a good camera, but overall performance could stand some improvement.

SPECIFICATIONS

Chipset: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1

OS: Magic UI 6, Android 12

Storage: 8GB RAM, 256GB internal storage

Display: 6.81” LTPO OLED Display

Refresh Rate: 120Hz

Dimensions: 163.6 x 74.7 x 9.1mm

Front/Back: Glass front and back, aluminum frame

Battery: 4600mAh, USB-C 100W SuperCharge

Camera: Triple (Main) 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 64MP periscope telephoto / Front 12MP ultrawide

Fingerprint: In-display

Colors: Black, White, Cyan, Gold, Orange

Package Includes: USB-C cable and 100W SuperCharge charger, user manual, pin ejector, protective silicon case, aux to USB-C adaptor

WHAT'S HOT

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WHAT'S NOT BOTTOMLINE

REVIEWED BY GABRIEL PE SMARTPHONE

INFINIX HOT 20S FREE FIRE EDITION

Over the last few years, Infinix has gained a reputation for offering smartphones with outstanding performance and even greater value. In particular, the Inifinix HOT Series and Notes Series have been hits for those looking for bang-for-your-buck mid-range smartphones with good gaming specs. The new Infinix HOT 20S follows that trend, especially with the recent collaboration with Garena’s Free Fire, a battle royale game with a massive following in Southeast Asia.

DESIGN

The Infinix HOT 20S Free Fire edition comes in a special Fire Free box sleeve covering the standard box.

The phone has a 6.78-inch display with Infinix’s FHD+ HyperVision Gaming Pro-Display. Essentially, it’s an IPS display with a 2460 x 1080 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate.

Infinix offers the HOT 20S in four colors: Light-Rider White, Fantasy Purple, Tempo Blue, and Sonic Black. The phone is mostly plastic but of the premium, glossy kind. The glossy finish, unfortunately, makes it a fingerprint magnet. Not to worry, a clear jelly case is provided to protect the phone from bumps and your fingerprints.

Also on the front is the 8-megapixel front camera, plus the earpiece that doubles as the secondary speaker. At the back is a triple-camera setup. I like the uniqueness of the camera setup with the two large circles at the back, making the phone stand out from what’s currently in the market.

The sim card tray and micro-SD slot are on the left of the phone. On the right are the volume keys alongside the power button doubling as a side-mounted fingerprint reader. The downward firing speaker, the USB-C charging port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a mic hole are on the bottom.

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HARDWARE

Powering the Infinix HOT 20S is an octa-core Mediatek Helio G96 Processor with 8GB of RAM that can be virtually expanded up to 13GB. It has 128GB of storage, expandable via microSD.

The Infinix HOT 20S scored 343827 in Antutu (V9.5), 503 for single-core performance and 1598 in Geekbench 5, and 1136 in 3DMark Wild Life. The scores paint the phone to be a pretty decent performer, especially for gaming.

The Mediatek Helio G96 on this phone was a beast. It can handle most esports titles like Free Fire, PUBG, and League of Legends: Wild Rift with ease at maximum settings. When it came to heavier games like Genshin Impact, it was still able to perform, outputting around 40-50+ fps on the highest setting.

The primary camera is a decent 50-megapixel shooter paired with a 2-megapixel depth sensor and another 2-megapixel macro camera. There’s no

ultra-wide camera which, I reckon, is due to the brand’s effort to keep the price down.

The camera itself is alright. Daylight shots are good and sharp, as expected. What surprised me was how it dealt with night shots, which came out fine — not too much noise with good color capture.

Battery-wise, the phone lasted at least two days of minimal use (light gaming and streaming). The phone has a 5000mAh battery and 18W fast charging. That being said, since it’s geared toward gaming, I was hoping for at least 33W of fast charging so you won’t have any downtime. But again, for the price, I can’t complain.

USER EXPERIENCE

The Infinix HOT 20S is my first review of an Infinix device, and honestly, I was quite amazed. I used the phone mainly as a gaming/ streaming device, and the speakers blew me away. For its price, the stereo speakers are loud. The display is also alright, considering that this is an IPS display, not AMOLED.

The phone’s gaming performance is excellent! It was able to run all the games I threw at it flawlessly. Genshin Impact had some frames drops, but even flagship phones can’t handle that game at max settings.

What thoroughly impressed me was how the phone handled the heat. Throughout benchmarking and heavy gaming sessions, the phone did not heat up. The only thing I noticed was that it got warm, but not even to the point of making my palms sweaty.

The Infinix HOT 20S Free Fire edition is made for Free Fire fans. It has a Free Fire skin over its XOS 12 UI. While I’m not a Free Fire player, I thought the gun sound notifications were pretty cool.

There’s not a lot to dislike about the Infinix HOT 20S, although there are some things you’ll need to get used to. First, the size. At 168.65mm tall and 76.75mm wide, the phone is bulky. Add to that its 202g weight, and it’s definitely a two-hander media device. A phone stand helps with the size and weight when binge-watching videos. Second, the square-shaped body also takes some getting used to, but the jelly case helps when handling the phone.

Coming in at just PHP8,499, the Infinix Hot 20S is a great budget smartphone for those looking to game or binge-watch. It does have some very minor shortcomings, but for the price, who’s complaining?

SPECIFICATIONS

Display: 6.78-inch FHD+ (2460 x 1080) HyperVision Gaming Pro-Display with 120Hz refresh rate

Processor: MediaTek Helio G96 RAM: 8GB (+ 5GB for up to 13GB) Storage: 128GB expandable up to 512 GB via MicroSD

OS: XOS 12 (on Android 12)

Camera: Front: 8-megapixel; Rear: 50-megapixel, 2-megapixel macro, 2-megapixel depth

Connectivity: GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Sensors: G-SENSOR, E-COMPASS, L-SENSOR, PROXIMITY SENSOR, FINGERPRINT, SOFT-GYROSCOPE

Battery: 5000 mAh, with 18W fast charging Dimensions: 168.65 x 76.75 x 8.47mm

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2022 is finally over, and a new year is ready to begin. 2022 may not have been the best year for many, and we are happy to say goodbye to the year past while preparing for what’s coming in 2023.

In the tech sphere, 2022 was a roller coaster. It started out as a great year for personal computing, with computer prices finally going down, but the massive cryptocurrency crash has pushed back the crypto space.

2023 is a new year, opening up opportunities for a fresh start as well as prospects for new innovations. Let’s take a look at what’s in store for tech in 2023.

But 2023 is a new year, a chance for a new beginning and a whole load of new innovations, so we take a look at what trend will 2023 bring.

AI TECHNOLOGY WILL CONTINUE ITS RISE

Artificial Intelligence technology reached unprecedented heights in 2022. In fact, the middle of last year saw AI reaching new channels in the form of art. Not art per se, but AI-generated images that resemble “anime” style artwork. Websites like DALL.E grew in popularity sometime mid-2022.

Apart from AI-generated art, there was also a major stride in conversational AI. ChapGPT, an AI Chatbot, found itself under mainstream view after its release last November. The AI sparked conversations on how internet searching might shift to a more conversational style.

Looking ahead to 2023, the mainstream popularity of AI would definitely translate to more advancements moving forward. The success of ChatGPT and DALL.E signify that open-sourced and accessible AI tech are steps in the right direction. We expect new AI innovations in the coming year, as more and more eyes are looking at the sphere.

THE HUMAN ASPECT OF AI

Paradoxically, as AI strides onward, we also need to consider the human aspect of the technology.

The rise of AI chatbots and AI “art” has given rise to a new conundrum: ”Where do we draw the line?” — particularly from an ethical perspective.

Artists have raised their voices against AI art, which they claim steals their work. This is because, with machine learning, AI uses “example” works — done by real artists — as references to create images.

The ethical dilemma here is whether AI art plagiarizes work done by human artists, and raises the question of what constitutes original work by AI. Artists are up in arms against AI art, but this needs more in-depth discussion, which we expect will draw more attention as the year progresses.

Further, other aspects of AI should be considered, such as how lawmakers and enforcers can ensure that data fed into AI does not fall into the wrong hands or are used for nefarious purposes.

Words by Gabriel Pe

CRYPTO’S UNCERTAIN FUTURE

2022 was supposed to be crypto’s year, having earlier gained traction as the next big investment, and was on the verge of finally achieving its vision to be accepted as legal tender in most of the world.

In 2021, El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as a legal tender, the first in the world to do so. In 2022, the Central African Republic followed suit. Meanwhile, as crypto seemed to have stabilized in early 2022, it seemed as safe bet and municipalities in different countries also tried the crypto experiment.

Unfortunately, everything changed last November, when the world’s secondlargest crypto exchange FTX announced bankruptcy after experiencing a liquidity crunch as a result of mismanagement and possibly more devious faults by its owners.

FTX’s crash was only the latest in what turned out o be a bad year for crypto as several other exchanges and tokens fell through the year due to various reasons. What seemed like the future of money remains in the future. Investors now question the system. There’s also the possible clash with regulators, as the FTX fallout has led to even more uncertainty in the crypto space.

Fortunately, we’ve seen crypto falling to extreme lows in the past, but subsequently rising back to prominence within a few years. It’s resilient, but it has never faced this hurdle before. In 2023, crypto will definitely be on a roller coaster ride as it rides out the FTX contagion and tries to regain investor trust.

TECH WILL TRY TO HOLD HANDS WITH THE NEW NORMAL

2022 finally gave us some semblance of normalcy following two years of the pandemic. As the world begins to finally open up (hopefully for good), our pre-pandemic ways of living and working are likely things of the past.

The lockdowns have proven that remote work does not reduce productivity, and that tech innovations in the workspace are a muchneeded step forward. Our return to normalcy will open up new innovations that blend the old with the new.

2023 will see the blending of remote solutions with onsite work. Meetings can be done virtually within the office. Augmented and virtual reality workspaces are likely here to stay. Also, logistical solutions implemented during the pandemic have given us ways to expedite our work and, with the return to normalcy, may offer solutions to beat traffic congestion.

TECH PRICES MAY SPIKE AS WE FACE A RECESSION

Last year, inflation didn’t really affect consumer tech prices that much, but the predicted upcoming recession might.

A recession happens when business activities slow down or decline, forcing massive layoffs and job cuts. Paired with inflation, where prices continue to rise, we may see a global economic decline in the coming year.

Economists predict a global recession in 2023, due to sustained inflationary forces from 2022 and the continued interest rise of the US reserve. Reuters predicts year-on-year tech growth to be limited to just 4.3% in 2023, the smallest ever for this sector.

As business slows down or declines, expect prices to go up, especially in the tech sector. 2023 could be a year with the fewest tech innovations as companies tighten their belts and shift their R&D budgets to other fiscal priorities.

Luckily, the prospect of recession is, for now, merely a prediction and, depending on circumstances such as sound economic planning, could still be avoided. As 2023 unfolds, the best we can do is hope for the best and dream of exciting tech innovations in the year ahead.

2015 saw the signing of the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international agreement that seeks to limit global warming to below 2°C, ideally to 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels or the time before machines, factories, vehicles, and most other conveniences of life today.

The year the treaty was signed, the world had already reached the 1°C global warming mark. In 2020, the world was already at 1.2°C of warming. Unless greenhouse gas emissions — carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and other gases that are byproducts of production, consumption, energy, and electricity use — peak by middecade and are halved by 2030, the world has no chance of meeting the ultimate goal of the Paris Agreement.

The numbers may seem minuscule, but the effect is indisputable. Just like how your body feels fine at 37°C but is miserable at 38°C, so

is climate change’s effect on Earth and our lives. Glaciers are melting; sea levels are rising; floods have become more common; droughts and heatwaves have gotten hotter; corals are dying; fish stocks and agricultural outputs are reduced; more animal and plant species are being endangered; typhoons have gotten stronger; and many other hazards are arising from our steadily-warming planet.

Just look at the past few years with Category 4 or higher typhoons such as Ulysses, Rolly, Odette, and Karding, and compare that to typhoons a decade ago, and you’ll see that climate change is indeed real, is here, and is getting worse.

But have hope: the growth of greenhouse gas emissions has slowed down. Better yet, the world of technology and mobility has plenty to offer in this fight against climate change.

Words by Chris Noel Hidalgo

WASTES

With the almost yearly release of new phones, tablets, and computers, as well as the trend of upgrading appliances to more energy-efficient ones, it is no surprise that electronic waste has become the world’s fastest-growing waste segment. This problem is further compounded as more and more electronics become obsolete or broken, and then subsequently discarded. In fact, during the first decade of the millennium, e-waste rose from 20-million to 50-million tonnes each year, or the equivalent of almost 5,000 Eiffel Towers. By 2050, it is expected to grow to over 110-million tonnes per year. In the Philippines, 3.9kg of e-waste per capita was generated in 2019 for a total of over 420,000 tons.

There are several adverse effects of e-waste. First, it is a major source of pollution. Many electronic devices contain hazardous materials, such as lead, mercury, and arsenic, which can leach into the soil and water if not disposed of properly. In addition, e-wastes can release greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, when incinerated or left to decompose in landfills.

Second and related to the first point, e-waste can negatively impact human health. The hazardous materials in e-waste can harm people who come into contact with them, either through direct contact with the waste or through the air, water, or soil. For example, lead and mercury leached into water sources can damage the nervous system, and arsenic can cause cancer.

Lastly, e-waste can contribute to the depletion of natural resources. Many electronic devices contain valuable materials, such as metals, plastics, and glass, which can be recovered and used again through recycling. However, if e-waste is not recycled, these materials are lost and must be replaced with new, virgin materials, which can be costly and environmentally damaging.

Just imagine the amount of gas-guzzling trucks, deforested lands, and other environmental costs to mine all-new copper, aluminum, nickel, or gold.

Despite the importance of better managing e-wastes, only a tiny fraction of e-waste is recycled correctly. The United Nations estimates that only 17.4% of global e-waste was recycled in 2019. This 2023, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is targeting to increase the global e-waste recycling rate to 30%.

To meet this target, it is essential for governments, businesses, and individuals to take action. This can include more vigorous promotion of proper e-waste disposal, increasing awareness about the hazards of e-waste, and investing in infrastructure to support e-waste recycling. By working together, we can reduce the negative impact of e-waste on the environment and protect the health and wellbeing of people worldwide.

WE NEED TO BETTER MANAGE ELECTRONIC

THE TRANSITION TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES HAS BEGUN

Electronic vehicles, also known as EVs, are becoming an increasingly popular alternative to traditional gasoline- and even human-powered modes of transport. During the past decade, the Philippines had 12,965 EVs registered with the Land Transportation Office, including e-trikes, e-motorcycles, e-jeepneys, e-buses, and e-cars.

One of the most significant advantages of EVs is their lower operating costs. Because they are powered by electricity rather than gasoline, EVs are much cheaper to operate on a per-kilometer basis. This is because electricity is generally less expensive than fuel (especially with today’s pump prices) and because EVs are more efficient at directly using energy to get the vehicle moving. As a result, EV owners can save a significant amount of money on fuel costs over the life of their cars.

Another advantage of EVs is their improved performance. Because they have no engine or transmission, EVs can accelerate quickly and smoothly. This makes them ideal for city driving, where stop-and-go traffic is common. EVs are much quieter than traditional vehicles, making for a more pleasant driving experience.

In addition to these benefits, EVs have a much lower environmental impact than traditional vehicles. Because they produce no tailpipe emissions, EVs do not contribute to air pollution or greenhouse gas emissions. This makes them an attractive option for people concerned about the environment and who want to reduce their carbon footprint.

In addition to EVs, there are also several other modes of electric transport that are gaining popularity, such as electric motorcycles, electric bicycles, and electric scooters. Electric motorcycles offer the same benefits as four-wheeled EVs. Electric bikes and electric scooters are also becoming increasingly popular, particularly in congested urban areas, where they offer a convenient, environmentally-friendly, and less-sweaty way to get around through traffic and over sidewalks. Parking for these two electric two-wheelers also tends to be free, making the cost of ownership even lower.

With the steady growth of the necessary charging infrastructure across gas stations, malls, car dealerships, and other key points around the Metro, it is clear that electric transport is becoming an increasingly important part of the local transportation landscape. As more people become aware of the benefits EVs bring, and as the cost of acquisition and ownership becomes lower, the demand for EVs will likely continue to grow in 2023.

In conclusion, the proper management of electronic waste is crucial for mitigating the negative impact of technology on the environment. Not only does it prevent harmful chemicals and materials from entering the land, air, and water, but it also allows valuable resources to be recovered and recycled. Furthermore, the adoption of electric vehicles is a crucial step in further reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. By making these environmentally-conscious choices, individuals and communities can play a vital role in limiting global warming and the destructive efforts of climate change in 2023 and beyond.

OF SUPER APPS

Words by Franceska Aguila

Technology has evolved through the years, and, approaching 2023, we’ve witnessed game-changing innovations — from smartphones to wearables and even smart appliances — that deliver convenience to alleviate our daily struggles. For sure, 2023 will bring in new tech trends that we can leverage to solve human problems. One particular forecast that looks promising is the rise of super apps.

WHAT ARE SUPER APPS?

Coined in 2010 by Blackberry founder Mike Laraidis, super apps are defined as an “ecosystem of apps that customers could use as a part of their life thanks to the seamless, integrated, and efficient experience.” Basically, the term super apps refers to mobile applications that provide multiple services, features, and accessibility in one platform, while the primary application retains its main functionality.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN A SUPER APP?

• Courier service that allows users to send and receive orders and packages on the same day.

• Ride-hailing service that makes our daily commutes more accessible and more comfortable, with different vehicle options such as sedans, SUVs, and motorcycles.

• Bills and utility payments that let us pay our bills seamlessly and on time without having to wait in long lines.

• Food and grocery delivery service that lets users order food and shop for groceries online without needing to go to a restaurant or a supermarket; everything is delivered right to your doorstep.

• E-commerce service that allows shop owners to sell their products on a platform.

• Social features in which users can interact with each other and build a community around the app for more people to engage in.

• Embedded finance allows users to transfer money to another user, get loans, pay bills, make deliveries, and transportation using the app’s in-house payment platform or an embedded bank partnership.

Most companies leverage super apps to improve the user experience and provide everyday convenience. Users are able to perform different transactions without leaving the app. Some examples are Grab, GCash, Maya, WeChat, and Lazada – all complete with the abovementioned features. These apps almost have very similar UI (user interface) and UX (user experience), having been specifically designed for easy navigation to be user-friendly for people of all ages.

Super apps are taking over Southeast Asia by storm and are very popular. The number of mobile users is snowballing, and users are becoming more interested in an integrated mobile experience. These apps have gained traction due to their seamless customer experience, and easy onboarding process with automated KYC (Know Your Client) across different platforms. For business owners, super apps facilitate B2B (business-to-business) transactions and open up opportunities for reaching a broader market, as businesses on the super app platform are more likely to be discovered.

With the increasing demand for an integrated app, there could be a single application specifically developed to do everything from just our phone, including entertainment, flight bookings, housing, marketing, and CRM (customer relationship management). Although there are still obstacles and limitations to consider such as data privacy, the rise of super apps in Asia is unstoppable. Could this be the future of apps? Only time will tell.

To meet this target, it is essential for governments, businesses, and individuals to take action. This can include more vigorous promotion of proper e-waste disposal, increasing awareness about the hazards of e-waste, and investing in infrastructure to support e-waste recycling. By working together, we can reduce the negative impact of e-waste on the environment and protect the health and well-being of people worldwide.

As technology evolves and complex business problems continue to emerge, IT professionals will face new challenges in the coming year. Some changes will fuel innovation, while others will spur debate around AI ethics. And others, such as cyber threats, will force companies to mitigate and meet these risks headon. Kyndryl works with companies in ASEAN and around the world to help them tackle their most pressing business objectives in modern ways.

Here, Wilson Go, Kyndryl Philippines managing director, shares the eight technology trends that every business leader should know about.

Cyber resilience will overtake cybersecurity as a top security concern

With 88% of company boards now seeing cybersecurity more as a business risk than a technology risk

according to a Gartner survey, cyber resilience will no longer just be a problem for Chief Information Security Officers in 2023. More likely, every level of an organization’s executive suite will be part of the conversation and equation.

It’s not just an IT discussion. Companies must understand that they’re more likely to endure a cyber event than a physical disaster, and they must protect all areas of their business. That could lead to the hottest security job of the year: Cyber Resilience Officer.

AI ethics will become imperative

Responsible AI solutions — areas that address trust, risk, ethics, security, and transparency — will become more mainstream. We’ll see solutions that target personalized insights — whether it is related to aspects such as credit risk, underwriting, or

simply recommendation engines for dynamic pricing or influencing buying decisions.

Similarly, data observability will become crucial and the key to scaling AI for business. Without a robust, secure data foundation and DataOps, it will be hard to scale and democratize data consumption.

The cloud will drive innovation

Companies that had embraced cloud adoption prior to the COVID-19 pandemic fared better than those that hadn’t in terms of their ability to pivot their business models and capitalize on new opportunities and revenue streams. Experts said the same will hold true in the event of an economic downturn.

Cloud adoption provides the quickest path to innovation and gives companies much more flexibility to run their businesses in hard times.

Tech Trends 2023

Kyndryl, the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider, reveals the most influential trends that will implact IT decision-making in 2023 and beyond

Companies will embrace distributed cloud

We expect companies to increasingly take a distributed cloud path as they embrace a federated model between cloud and edge. There are many advantages of a distributed model, including the ability to better visualize and harness data across an organization to drive value and enable new Web3 capabilities. In a distributed cloud environment, workloads are aligned with specific resource locations in order to meet compliance needs and performance requirements or support edge computing, while being centrally managed from a public cloud provider.

Cloud networking will grow

As more enterprises shift workloads and business to the cloud, they are using

different means of connectivity to the cloud than what was traditionally built in the past. We have seen an increase in service providers that are virtualizing network infrastructure and providing it as a service to enterprises. However, a lot of these companies do not have a good directto-enterprise channel. There will be an increasing demand to integrate connectivity with managed services, and help enterprises manage the multi-networks.

5G private wireless to move beyond industry 4.0

While the manufacturing, petrochemical, gas, and energy industries have successfully deployed private wireless and edge solutions to drive business efficiencies and cost savings, other segments like retail have lagged.

Without question, 2023 will be the year 5G private wireless use cases and testing take hold across other industries, with retail leading the pack. From enabling cashier-less payment, real-time analytics, personalized promotions, asset tracking, and supply chain optimization, private wireless and edge will be key to unlocking the next generation of the shopping and CX experience.

Personalized digital employee experiences are must-haves for hybrid work

The digital workplace has transformed into an environment where employees choose what channels they want to use to engage across organizations. The challenge many organizations face is ensuring that this new environment is seamless, delivers a great experience for employees and at the same time, enhances collaboration and organizational culture.

In 2023, digital experiences will take a top spot on the recruiting checklist and will also impact retention.

Mainframe will solidify its role in hybrid cloud strategies

Enterprises will accelerate mainframe modernization for fuller integration into a hybrid cloud environment.

Faced with reduced IT budgets and skills challenges, companies will take an endto-end approach to get the most out of their platforms through modernizing, integrating with hyperscalers, or moving workloads off the mainframe — versus only a singular approach to move off. They´ll also leverage the expanding integration capabilities of the cloud platform to access mainframe data and apps to address new business requirements with faster time to value.

Kyndryl is the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider. It designs, builds, manages, and modernizes the complex, mission-critical information systems that the world depends on every day. Kyndryl’s more than 90,000 employees serve over 4,000 customers in more than 100 countries around the world, including 75 percent of the Fortune 100 companies.

Soundbar

Bang & Olufsen Beosound Theatre

CRAFTED WITH the ambition to be the world’s most powerful and immersive soundbar, Danish audio brand Bang & Olufsen announced Beosound Theatre: an innovative and meticulously crafted high-end soundbar that delivers the power of a multi-product home cinema, all in one singular product.

To create a powerful and immersive cinematic experience, Beosound Theatre comes with 12 speaker drivers, including two custom-made long stroke 6.5” woofers and 800-watts of amplification power, providing up to 112dB sound pressure level. Speech clarity is managed by the custom-made center channel, where the tweeter is mounted directly in front of the midrange. The alignment of these drivers ensures a better sound distribution elevating the quality audio experience for everyone in the room, while directivity has been designed to optimize speech quality.

Beosound Theatre introduces a new three-dimensional sound directivity from a combination of direct, side- and up-firing speakers. This means that all loudspeaker drivers are working together not only to produce sound but to control its beam width and direction.

Customers can quickly transform the soundbar into a complete wallmounted or floor-standing Bang & Olufsen TV experience, so it blends in perfectly and doesn’t take up more space than their existing TV. It comes with a fixed wall bracket and a table stand to set up the product as a soundbar.

Modular design thinking also applies to the TV screens and the cover of the soundbar, which are both replaceable. The aluminum “wings” are also extendable for customers whose TV screens grow as they upgrade.

The interface bracket is motorized, forming a seamless connection between the stand and the TV screen. Cleverly hiding any clutter to present the TV as one integrated design, the bracket includes a compartment to fit smart TV boxes and hide excess cables from view.

Although Beosound Theatre is a powerful one-product solution, it can evolve to be used as a dedicated sound center, providing new opportunities to build your home cinema. Starting with seven built-in outputs and supporting up to 16 external loudspeakers, it can be the heart of a full-blown Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 surround configuration. In this setup, Beosound Theatre functions as a center speaker that merges the Dolby Atmos decoding and custom-

tuned post-processing with Bang & Olufsen’s proprietary True Image algorithm to maximize the capabilities of all Bang & Olufsen loudspeakers.

In addition, Beosound Theatre comes with a new bass management system that uses all Bang & Olufsen loudspeakers in the system to work together as a single unit. This not only gives you the maximum potential of the entire system but also helps control the resonance in your listening room, ensuring that the various loudspeakers work with and not against each other.

Designed to reflect the effortless grace of sailboats, Beosound Theatre’s keellike design makes it appear as if it is resting on an aluminum blade, floating in the air as one fluid form.

Beosound Theatre comes with Bang & Olufsen’s new setup technology called Roomsense. By placing the external microphone at the listening position, Beosound Theatre will work with the Bang & Olufsen App to measure the distance from the listener to the soundbar. But more than this, it will also assign a role for each speaker based on the different placements, carry out sound compensation for each speaker if it is placed free standing, up against a wall, or in a corner, as well as overall room compensation to avoid unwanted resonance.

HONOR Magic Vs

THE HONOR MAGIC VS is an all-new foldable flagship phone that pushes industry benchmarks in design, display, performance, and user experience — making it the perfect companion for business and entertainment.

Exceptionally slim and lightweight, the HONOR Magic Vs is 12.9mm thin when folded and weighs just 261g, making it the lightest foldable smartphone yet. Its super-light gearless hinge is carefully crafted using single-piece casting processing technology, thus drastically reducing the number of supporting

Smartphone

structure components while maintaining hinge durability and sturdiness. The HONOR Magic Vs is able to withstand over 400,000 folds, equivalent to more than ten years of use with 100 folds per day.

Unlike existing foldables that often come with a long and narrow external screen, the HONOR Magic Vs boasts a 6.45-inch display when folded, with a user-friendly 21:9 aspect ratio and a 90% screen-to-body ratio, allowing users to view content and input text with remarkable ease. When unfolded,

the HONOR Magic Vs delivers a tabletlike experience with an extra-wide 7.9inch internal display, perfect for users who seek effortless multi-tasking and a larger screen to enjoy all their favorite content.

The HONOR Magic Vs features the proprietary AI-enabled HONOR Image Engine and triple-camera system comprising a 54MP IMX800 main camera, a 50MP ultra-wide & macro main camera, and an 8MP 3X optical zoom camera, allowing users to capture captivating images in stunning detail for

a superior photography and videography experience.

This new foldable phone delivers flagship performance on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform, with enhanced GPU and CPU performance for a faster and smoother user experience. It also supports the 66W Wired HONOR SuperCharge that fully charges the battery within just 46 minutes.

The HONOR Magic Vs comes in three stunning colors — Orange, Cyan, and Black.

Fujifilm X-T5

PHP109,990 - X-T5 Body only

PHP134,990 – X-T5 with XF18-55mm kit

PHP141,990 – X-T5 with XF16-80mm kit

THE X-T5 features the fifthgeneration devices — the backilluminated 40.2MP sensor X-Trans CMOS 5 HR and the high-speed image processing engine X-Processor 5 — in its compact body, which is smaller and lighter than the previous Fujifilm X-T4 model. Among its advanced features is the 5-axis in-body image stabilization of up to 7.0 stops, when the FUJINON Lens XF35mmF1.4R is mounted.

This is the new standard camera for still photography, delivering superior performance and mobility at the same time.

Performance enhancements achieved in the X-T5 include improved image quality, ISO125 as a standard sensitivity, the fastest shutter speed of 1/180000sec, and the use of Pixel Shift Multi-Shot to expand photographic variations. Other features include the Smooth Skin Effect, Subject Detection AF capable of detecting animals and birds, and AI-based high-precision auto white balance, assisting users in producing high-quality photographic images.

The camera inherits X-T Series’ signature Center Viewfinder style and dial operation design. A 1.84million-dot three-way tilting LCD screen is a new addition, making it

more comfortable to shoot in a vertical position or at waist level. This extensive array of performance and features is packed into the 557g body, which is even lighter and more compact than previous models.

The X-T5 will be a perfect companion to cover a wide variety of photographic genres from street/documentary

photography, where its mobility is a major asset, to landscape photography and portraiture, which demands superior image quality. Other features that add comfort to users’ photo experiences include the ability to record 10-bit 4:2:2 video at 6.2K/30P, the viewfinder magnification of 0.8x, 3.69- million-dot EVF, and dual SDcard slots.

Mirrorless Digital Camera

Huawei Mate 50 Pro

IN THE TRADITION of the Mate Series, this flagship phone offers generational leaps in technology and innovation, bringing stylish design and groundbreaking innovations that meet the evolving demands of customers today.

The HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro comes with an elegant Clous de Paris pattern around the camera module, creating intricate pyramid-shaped ornamentation along with the acclaimed Space Ring Design. This stunning embossing is coupled with independent cameras to reduce the bulging effect of the lenses. Refined processes streamline the camera module, freeing space and producing a new kind of layered beauty.

It is available in two types of rear cover: glass, in silver or black, and vegan leather, in orange. It is 162.2mm long, 75.5mm wide, and 8.5mm thick. The silver and black glass versions weigh 205g, while the orange vegan leather version is 209g.

Its industry-first Kunlun Glass, which consists of 10 quadrillionlevel nanocrystals, makes the HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro more resilient and ten times more drop resistant.

The HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro also supports IP68-rated water resistance of up to 6 meters underwater, easily handling wet and dusty environments.

The HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro features a cutting-edge Ultra Aperture XMAGE Camera with a 10-size adjustable physical aperture, incorporating key advances to the optical system, mechanical structure, imaging technology, and image processing. The smart aperture adjusts to match the aperture size with the scene and shooting scenario identified in Auto mode. Switching to Professional mode allows you to adjust the depth of field and degree of blur manually.

The Ultra Aperture Camera comes equipped with an F1.4 large aperture, working with the XD Fusion Pro image engine and high light intake to set the image brightness, light and shadow details, as well as cold and warm comparisons to perfection. Night mode captures photos with highly distinct bright

and dark regions, even in dimly lit environments. Portrait mode applies natural background blurring to make the subject stand out from their surroundings. The periscope telephoto camera supports a zoom range of up to 200x, bringing scenes from the great beyond right in front of your eyes.

The wide-angle macro camera magnifies details from tiny worlds, presenting millimeter-level strands and dew droplets with outstanding clarity. The HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro also supports macro video shooting and macro picture-in-picture (PiP) to convey scenes in motion accurately.

The HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro is among the first to run on EMUI 13, which streamlines daily interactions with effortless one-touch navigation. Everything is kept personal, productive, and private with the features that EMUI 13 brings.

SuperStorage removes duplicate files in an imperceptible way and compresses rarely-used apps. This preserves up to 20GB of space, leaving more room for photos and videos. SuperHub, on the other hand, allows users to temporarily

store images, documents, and text and share them in batches, with free and easy transfers between apps and devices. With Image Privacy Protection, the phone automatically erases sensitive information, such as time and location, when you share an image.

The HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro packs a 4700 mAh battery within the slim body and offers 66W wired and 50W wireless fast-charging solutions to strike an optimal balance between battery life, fast charging, and portability.

Its Low-Battery Emergency mode activates SuperEnergy Boosting when EMUI 13 detects that the battery level drops to 1%. In Low-Battery Emergency mode, which does not damage the battery lifespan, the phone is able to support 3-hour standby or 12-minute phone call. This buys you time and allows for transactions and important calls to be completed to ensure that you cover necessities before your battery gets thoroughly depleted.

Users can now access Google Apps from the Huawei AppGallery via GBox to easily download apps with just a single login.

Redmi A1

PHP4,499

THE REDMI A1 is the newest entrylevel phone from Xiaomi. It is a powerful and practical phone ideal for high school students’ daily tasks.

While many high school students are already returning to face-to-face classes, some still take online classes at home. So, it is vital to have a phone that supports WiFi and 4G LTE, and has a big screen to see class notes. The Redmi A1 has a 6.52” HD+ Dot Drop display, which is big enough to read slides during and after class. This also makes reviewing much easier to help students ace their quizzes and exams.

High school students need to show off when creating creative video projects for school. Whether it’s performing a dance activity for PE class or doing a minidocumentary for Hekasi class, the Redmi A1’s 8MP dual camera and 5MP front camera can help them shoot clear videos. They can also add flair with the phone’s time-lapse mode.

Whether it’s hanging out at the mall or during special school events, high schoolers will always pull out their phones to take photos and even shoot TikTok videos with friends. They can capture all the best memories with the

8MP dual camera and 5MP front camera. They can also use Portrait Mode to make photos look clearer and sharper when uploaded on social media to rake in a lot of “heart” reactions.

Of course, when they’re not doing assignments, high school students are endlessly scrolling on social media and playing mobile games. A big HD+ display is key to seeing text clearly and playing games without straining their eyes. It also helps to have a lightweight phone that is easy to hold and carry around. Luckily, the Redmi A1 only weighs 194 grams and can fit most pockets.

Smartphone

Synology RT6600ax

WiFi 6 Router

THE SYNOLOGY RT6600AX is a high-speed and security-focused router designed to provide households and offices with fast and secure connectivity. Supported by the new Synology Router Manager (SRM) 1.3, RT6600ax is fully equipped to address the challenges of modern network environments, including the massive rise in connected devices and the resulting necessity to protect users against ever-increasing security threats.

Synology’s first WiFi 6-certified router, the RT6600ax delivers more reliable WiFi, thanks to better data encoding, beamforming, scheduling, and signal isolation. A 2.5GbE port configurable for WAN or LAN deployment enables users to leverage Multi-Gig internet connections or high-performance

devices such as a NAS, as well as highspeed wireless backhaul. Fast connection speeds and snappy operation are ensured by a quad-core 1.8GHz processor, even with multiple devices connected and all features enabled.

Tri-band technology works in conjunction with Smart Connect to optimize device distribution, eliminating data transmission bottlenecks. Compatibility with the newly licensed 5.9 GHz spectrum unlocks non-DFS channels at 80 and 160MHz for a combined 6.6Gbps of wireless throughput, higher concurrent connections, and faster VPN server performance.

RT6600ax is powered by SRM 1.3, the latest version of Synology’s intuitive

operating system for routers. With improvements and added functionality that greatly expand network management capabilities, SRM 1.3 meets the demands for better security and more flexibility typical of today’s network environments.

The option to create up to five separate networks, each available for mapping up to three Wi-Fi SSIDs, makes it easy to strengthen security when managing multi-purpose network environments. One-way firewall rules can be configured independently for each network to limit the connectivity to and from less secure devices such as IoT equipment, while support for the 802.1q standard simplifies integration into existing networks in router, AP, and mesh configurations.

Canon imagePRESS C270 | C265

CANON’S LATEST imagePRESS C270 and C265 are engineered to help businesses facilitate light production projects in-office amid hybrid work. These new color light production devices provide absolute ease of use with the same intuitive interface and navigation, along with producing high-quality, creative applications inhouse and on demand.

The imagePRESS C270 prints up to 80 pages per minute (ppm) in black and white, and 70ppm in color, while the imagePRESS C265 prints up to 70ppm in black and

white, and 65ppm in color. MultiDensity Adjustment Technology (Multi-D.A.T.) enables the devices to perform real-time density adjustments while printing. Color fluctuations can be prevented such that consistently high-quality applications can be produced even when printing in large volumes. Additionally, the devices feature diverse print resolutions, including 190 lines per inch (lpi) and 170lpi to attain high-resolution images and text with superb clarity.

Designed to fulfill varied printing requirements, the imagePRESS C270 and C265 help users handle distinctive print formats, including envelopes, heavy media, and long-sheet banners, alongside the standard A4 and A3 media. Providing further flexibility, the devices support gloss, silk, plain, and textured media, as well as a large range of in-line professional finishing. A new Multi-Drawer Paper Deck option addresses the need for high print volumes and mixed media with a maximum paper capacity of up to 8,500 sheets.

Equipped with fast print speeds, high image quality, and flexible media handling, the imagePRESS C270 and C265 improve efficiency by empowering businesses with the ability to create professional-looking marketing collateral such as catalogs,

Multifunction Printer

flyers, pamphlets, and posters inhouse while meeting fast turnaround time.

Supporting hybrid work, the imagePRESS C270 and C265 integrate seamlessly with uniFLOW Online,

a cloud-based print management solution that enables in-office and remote workers to collaborate easily, automating batch scanning, naming, filing, and routing of documents to various cloud destinations. The devices also offer swift scan speeds of

up to 270 images per minute (ipm) at 300 dots per inch (dpi) and come with a wide range of security features, including a new auto-recovery for system verification at startup, along with standard support for Trusted Platform Module.

ECOFLOW DELTA SERIES

ECOFLOW POWER generators equip the consumer with clean, quiet, and renewable power for life adventures as well as work and home backup power.

The EcoFlow Delta Series includes:

DELTA MAX

Delta Max is a reliable and safe power source for anyone on the move, designed to meet the growing interest in mobile, remote, and off-the-grid living. It charges three times faster than similar batteries and allows users to pair the device with any of the charging solutions from AC wall charging, solar and smart generators for even faster charging. Delta Max also easily handles devices up to 3400W, such as your fridge and dryer.

It also has a built-in unified Battery Management System (BMS) that integrates all batteries into a single system to monitor voltage, current, short circuits, and temperature for greater efficiency and convenience. For easier handling, the DELTA Max comes equipped with a storage compartment for cables and is portable with a manageable weight of less than 30kg.

Power Generators

Delta Pro

This powers up to approximately six days of emergency usage in the home. Delta Pro can handle up to 14 devices or appliances simultaneously, such as refrigerators, window ACs, and space heaters, with the add-ons like solar panels for recharging or a smart meter to boost capacity and energy management.

With 6000W X-stream and multiple charging methods, Delta Pro charges in less than 2 hours. With its base battery expandable, you can customize it with extra batteries or a smart generator to add more power or use the EcoFlow mobile app to better manage the energy flow to your devices.

Delta Pro Ecosystem

The EcoFlow Delta Pro, the world’s first portable home battery with an expandable ecosystem, is ideal as a home backup energy source, smart energy management, a way to lower energy bills, and more.

One feature is its expandable capacity as it connects with a Delta Pro to double its total capacity to 7200Wh. Extra Batteries can also be easily recharged from solar panels, AC outlets, EV charging stations, or a Smart Generator.

The EcoFlow Ecosystem also has an EV X-Stream Adapter, which allows you to charge your EcoFlow Delta Pro at thousands of Level 2 AC EV charging stations worldwide. You can also fully charge your Delta Pro in 1.8 hours — that’s faster than most power banks, let alone power stations.

Wireless Earbuds

JBL True Wireless Earbuds

FOR STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS, you may find yourself spending countless hours commuting or hanging out at your work/ study desk, tackling the day’s load. Allow yourself to fully focus on your task at hand or make the trip around the campus or city more enjoyable with JBL’s True Wireless Earbuds.

The JBL Wave Beam and JBL Wave Buds are perfect if you want to bring your sound everywhere. With bass you can feel and a battery life of up to 32 hours, these ear candies deliver crystal clear sound with Smart Ambient technology that keeps you aware of your surroundings.

For the go-getting entrepreneur or professional, the JBL Tune Flex is a flex you should get. Its ergonomic and water-resistant design gives you all-day comfort in any weather. In addition, it’s designed with a simple touch feature that allows you to manage and enjoy calls anywhere, without ambient noises. Now, you can choose whether you want to tune out the world or engage with your surroundings.

Working/ studying from home? No problem. The JBL Live Free 2 and the JBL Live Pro 2 allow you to make clear, perfect calls with six beamforming mics. You can also access your preferred voice assistant for seamless, hands-free control and connection. The Live Free 2 earbuds deliver up to 35 hours of incredible JBL Signature Sound (with 7 hours in the earbuds + 28 hours in the case), speed charging, and Qi-compatible wireless charging for when your batteries need a boost. The Live Pro2 delivers the same amazing benefits with up to 40 hours of incredible JBL Signature Sound (with 10 hours in the earbuds + 30 hours in the case). Each is beautifully designed to fit your aesthetic and give you a stylishly elevated, ergonomic set.

When you’re in the zone, nothing should distract you. JBL’s in-ear sports earphones keep you on track, especially if you want to be unstoppable. For athletes and other active individuals, the JBL Run 2 and the Run 2 B make for a perfect fit. These wireless sets will get you the motivation you need to push harder. Their FlipHook design adapts to an in-ear or behind-the-ear fit for convenience. In addition, the comfortable combination of FlexSoft ear tips and TwistLock technology guarantees that they will never hurt or fall out. Heading out into the rain or heat? Thanks to IPX5 waterproof, these wireless headphones keep up with you every step of the way. Enjoy playback of 10 hours, an in-line microphone, and a remote for hands-free control of sound and calls.

G-Shock Time Distortion

Watch

THE TIME DISTORTION collection makes an impact as powerful as the G-SHOCK itself.

The band and dial are printed in patterns that playfully distort time and space. The vibrant fluorescent colors on these timepieces can transport you into the world of science fiction.

Choose from the following Time Distortion designs: the iconic digital DW-D5600TD, the DW-5900TD with its triple graph design, and the DW-6900TD with its distinctive front button design.

It’s a time warp right on your wrist.

G-Shock Street Spirit

Watch

THE STREET SPIRIT line of watches takes the G-SHOCK form as its canvas. If you’re a fan of street art and street culture, then this is the perfect timepiece.

Splashed boldly across the bezel and band, these street-savvy designs deliver original graffiti art that crushes in any fashion scene.

You can pick from the following variants: the iconic case of the DW-5000SS, the metallic bezel of the GM-5600SS and GM-2100SS, and the oversized case of the GA-110SS and GX-56SS

All have multicolored, cool accents for whatever look you choose. Perfect if you want to stand out while keeping it cool.

Take it to the streets with original graffiti art for your wrist.

Baby-G X-Girl

Watch

BOTH BABY-G and X-Girl are two real street-style brands for girls born at the height of street fashion in 1994. X-Girl offers Real Girl’s clothing inspired by music, culture, sports, and many other street scene elements.

This collaboration with BABY-G reaches back to the vaporwave Internet meme of the early 2010s with the iconic BGD-565XG dressed in polarized neon colors for a vintage virtual feel.

It features a translucent light blue band finished in purple pearl coating that is paired with a polarized watch face in colors that dance and float with each tilt of the wrist.

X-girl is front and center in special design touches. The X-girl logo is printed on the band loop and also appears on the display when you press the light button. The brand’s well-known face logo designed by Mike Mills is also engraved on the case back.

Need a different look? The BGD-565XG comes with an interchangeable black resin bezel and bands to take with you wherever you’re going, so you can even change the look of your watch to match your style.

It’s the X-girl experience right on your wrist.

MITSUBISHI Motors announced that Team Mitsubishi RALLIART, with the technical support from Mitsubishi Motors, participated in the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR) 2022 that ran from November 21st to 26th in Thailand and Cambodia with Triton/Strada rally cars (Group T1 prototype cross-country vehicles).

Over a total distance of 1,524 kilometers (km), including 637 km of timed special stages (SS), driver Chayapon Yotha (Thailand) finished in first place overall, with a total time of 8 hours, 22 minutes and 42 seconds, and driver Rifat Sungkar (Indonesia) finished in fifth position, with 17 minutes and 14 seconds behind the leader.

After a three-year absence, the AXCR got under way on the 21st in Buriram in the northeastern part of Thailand, where the first Special Stage (SS) of the rally and a ceremonial start was held. Leg 1 on the 22nd to Leg 3 on the 24th included the SS located in the harsh terrain of Buriram. Leg 4 on the 25th saw the rally cross the border into Cambodia, while Leg 5 on the 26th ended at the spectacular ceremonial finish near Angkor Wat, the famed tourist attraction in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The first half of the rally in Thailand consisted mainly of high-speed stages on rough, dry unpaved roads, while the second half was more challenging with large, deep puddles scattered on muddy roads caused by heavy rain, and a tougher course compared to the previous five stages awaited the participants in Cambodia.

Chayapon Yotha, driving the car #105 Triton/Strada, finished fifth in SS1 on the first day. On the second day, he set the fastest time in SS2, the longest SS of this year’s AXCR with a 203 km course, and climbed to the top overall position. After that, the powerful driving performance and nimble handling of the Triton/Strada helped him to finish SS3 in seventh, SS4 in sixth, SS5 in fifth, and SS6 in fifth, and he maintained the lead he had established in SS2 to take the overall win.

Rifat Sungkar in car #118 finished SS1 in sixth place following his teammate. He was aiming for higher positions, but after suffering a flat tire and subsequent damages to the chassis in SS2, he dropped to eighth position. The team’s repair work allowed him to continue the rally the next day, and he finished fourth in SS3, fifth in SS4, fourth in SS5, and seventh in SS6, completing the rally in fifth overall while proving the toughness of the Triton/ Strada.

Sakchai Hantrakul in car #119 tested positive for Covid-19 after SS1 and unfortunately had to retire the rally.

Hiroshi Masuoka, team director of Team Mitsubishi Ralliart, commented: “For this year’s AXCR, we built on the reliability and durability of the by Triton/ Strada tuning the engine and chassis, and entered the rally with specifications relatively close to the production car. Even so, the two Triton/Strada rally cars delivered and I am very proud of our strong finish. The superb performance came down to the drivers, who were able to maximize the Triton/Strada’s capabilities. I would like to thank all not only the drivers, but also the engineers and service guys who worked every day to fine-tune the vehicles perfectly, all the staff who provided support, and the know-how that Mitsubishi Motors has accumulated over the years. The key to it all was the tremendous support from our sponsors and the passionate messages of support we received from fans around the world. We would like to share the knowledge we gained through our participation in the AXCR back into the development of production vehicles, and build Mitsubishi vehicles that are even tougher, more powerful, and more reliable.”

AXCR 2022 Auto Category Overall Results

1st Chayapon Yotha (Mitsubishi Triton/Strada) 8:22:42

2nd Jaras Jaengkamolkulchai (Toyota Hilux Revo) 8:28:29

3rd Ikuo Hanawa (Toyota Fortuner) 8:28:34

4th Takuma Aoki (Toyota Fortuner) 8:38:26

5th Rifat Sungkar (Mitsubishi Triton/Strada) 8:39:56

6th Tawee Neanna (Isuzu D-Max) 8:51:24

ISUZU D-MAX DOMINATES 2022 PHRX

The award-winning pick-up conquered three vehicle classes in the 2022 Philippine Rallycross Series

The Isuzu D-MAX has once again proven its dominance in the dirt time trial racing competition as it conquers three vehicle classes in the 2022 Philippine Rallycross Series (PHRX). The two D-MAX 3.0 LS-E 4x4 AT rally vehicles, both sporting minimal modification, were driven by professional rally drivers Mon Dimapilis and Louie Camacho.

Started in 2015, the PHRX is a timed racing competition held on a dirt track. Many professional car racers and motorsport enthusiasts participate in the competition’s different categories and various classes, and among its many supporters is Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC).

This 2022 season of the PHRX, which started in May, saw nine (rounds of technical dirt driving held at different dirt tracks within Cavite and Pampanga. After the 9th round, the Isuzu D-MAX Team was able to secure a 1-2 finish in three classes with Louie Camacho bagging the Over-all Champion title for Pick-up, Utility Vehicle and All-Wheel Drive Class, while Mon Dimapilis came in 1st place in all three classes as well.

“We are very proud of the result of this year’s Philippine Rallycross Series. The Isuzu D-MAX has proven once again its versatility and durability, this time on the dirt track. And this is the kind of lifestyle we want to promote with this vehicle, our customers can enjoy the D-MAX both for work and play on the weekends,” said IPC asst. division head for sales Robert Carlos.

Apart from the racing seats and harness, the only modifications done

on the D-MAX rally vehicles were limited to suspension and tires, keeping everything else in stock condition. Its powerful 4JJ3-TCX Blue Power Diesel Engine, paired with the driver’s rally expertise, emerged as an unbeatable formula for the D-MAX’s success over the other notably modified vehicles that competed in the PHRX. With these additional accomplishments, the Isuzu D-MAX shows strength in different aspects, no doubt why it is still one of the most popular pick-ups in the market today.

Visit Isuzu Philippine’s official website at www.isuzuphil.com and follow their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ IsuzuPhilippines to be the first to know the latest news and updates from the brand.

Isuzu D-MAX with Mon Dimapilis and Louie Camacho

Mmobility and parking concerns. How often have you had to text that you were running late because of parking availability? How much time have you wasted unsuccessfully circling the block ad infinitum to find a secure space? How much time do you spend planning what time you’ll leave and researching where you can park nearby to make it on time?

These difficulties affect our productivity, frustrate us, and drain our energy. We end up stressing over these things and veer from the very reason why we are making that trip. While the government is thinking of solutions to address road congestion, when it comes to parking, there is always a way to get the first Dibz.

Enter Dibz, now with a pre-booked parking feature! Dibz is an innovative app from MPT Mobility that aims to redefine the way you park. Its secure, convenient, and reliable technology enables drivers to search, pre-book, and pay for a smooth and hassle-free parking experience.

“We empathize with the urban working class and drivers who constantly struggle with parking as they make their way to work, run errands, and fulfill social engagements. The amount of time we spend finding a vacant slot can be utilized for far more important things,” said Leeroy L. Shoko, head of business development and technology for Dibz.

“Dibz understands that parking is a necessity. Our service empowers these individuals to know and secure available parking options in real time, even before they arrive at the parking area. Dibz pre-booked parking is one way to ease the problems often encountered when parking in Makati and other busy areas.”

Known as a city with a surplus of vehicles and a shortage of parking slots, Makati is one of the key areas where Dibz initially launched. The service is already available in Dela Rosa Car Park 1& 2 and Valero Car Park.

The Dibz app promises convenience by pre-booking a guaranteed parking space close to your destination; reliability by getting real-time information on the parking options; and security, as you can leave your car in a clean, well-lit, and safe parking space. Users can not only search, navigate, and pay in just one app, but they can also earn reward points

and access a complete history of parking expenses, which is helpful for reimbursements at work and tracking expenses.

Dibz will continue to develop its features as part of its commitment to elevate the conventional parking experience.

Download Dibz on Google Play Store or Apple App Store and always get the first Dibz whenever you drive around the metro. For more information, visit https:// dibzparking.com/

Dibz is managed and operated by MPT Mobility, the innovations arm of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), aiming to improve the overall Pinoy traveling experience through its products and services.

YAMAHA MOTOR ESTABLISHES SAFETY VISION OF “ JIN-KI KANNO x JIN-KI ANZEN ”

orking together with customers toward a world with no accidents, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. announces that it has newly established “Jin-Ki Kanno × Jin-Ki Anzen” as its Safety Vision. Jin-Ki Kanno is Yamaha Motor’s exclusive development ideal.

Technology born from Jin-Ki Kanno seeks to deliver users the seductive exhilaration felt when they truly become one with their machine. JinKi Anzen is the Company’s belief that having people and machines work together in complementary ways can make more sophisticated safety skills and technologies possible.

Centering its safety efforts on Technologies, User Skills, and Connectivity, the Jin-Ki Kanno × Jin-Ki Anzen Safety Vision expresses Yamaha Motor’s unique approach to creating a world free of accidents together with customers, in which users can experience the joy and Kando — a Japanese word for the simultaneous feelings of deep satisfaction and intense excitement that one experiences when one encounters something of exceptional value — that comes from progressing their own skills and abilities while having fun at the same time.

In the new Medium-Term Management Plan (2022–2024) announced in February this year, Yamaha Motor made Sustainability a new pillar of its corporate activities and is prioritizing several nonfinancial indicators to enhance social value. In aiming to create value in a new mobility society, “safer riding and users’ peace of mind” is one of the banners under which Yamaha Motor is looking to connect with people and thrive as a company.

HATASU ELECTRONIC MOTORCYCLES

EMOTO Electronic Technology (HATASU) has finally arrived in the Philippines and is now ready to provide secure, comfortable, and quality electric transportation in the country. Now operating with an office and warehouse, it aims to open six more secondary warehouses within the next two years to cater to customer demand.

Originating from Wuxi, Jiangsu, the largest gathering place of the bicycle industry in China, HATASU has established brand outlets, service platforms, and production plants overseas. It envisions reaching all

Southeast Asia countries by 2025 and hopefully expanding to other countries globally.

With its trademark as the best professional designer and manufacturer of electronic motorcycles, HATASU stays with its mission to contribute to a greener and cleaner environment through its electronic vehicles.

As the brand enters the Philippine market, HATASU is also bringing their three electronic vehicles that really fit the Filipino lifestyle: Kumi, Mako, and Nero.

HATASU products are designed to be youthful, fashionable, and practical. The two-wheeled vehicles use a 48V 20A battery and a 350W motor.

GOGORO SMARTSCOOTERS

Globe’s 917Ventures and Ayala Corporation are set to bring the global two-wheel electric vehicle and battery-swapping technology leader Gogoro to the Philippines

Piloting in Metro Manila in Q1 2023, Gogoro’s Smartscooters will serve as an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuel-powered vehicles currently used by the logistics and last-mile delivery industry. Gogoro Smartscooters are powered by Gogoro’s battery-swapping platform through conveniently located swap stations, where users can quickly swap depleted batteries for fully-charged ones in seconds.

Vince Yamat, 917Ventures managing director, said the partnership seeks to reduce the use of fossil fuel by the country’s logistics industry which is known to release significantly more emissions per vehicle per day than consumer riding.

“We are committed to helping address the climate crisis by introducing Gogoro to logistics businesses, helping them in their sustainability efforts. In addition, because of the Swap & Go technology that enables riders to be fully charged in just seconds, we hope Gogoro will also help address hesitations surrounding charging electric vehicles and even finding parking slots. Hopefully, this technology will encourage more Filipinos to switch to EV,” Yamat said.

Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Corporation’s head of business development and innovation, said: “Ayala supports the Department of Energy’s thrust to transition towards cleaner technologies. We are excited to contribute to a high-quality consortium focused on enhancing mobility through sustainable solutions, which aligns with our broader decarbonization and digital transformation ambitions.”

Patrick Aquino, director of the Department of Energy’s Energy Utilization Management Bureau, said Taiwan has an incredibly high scooter density compared to the rest of the world, and it’s very encouraging to see its positive response to the Gogoro Network.

“More than 25% of their quick commerce deliveries and almost all of their electric deliveries are powered by batteryswapping technology, and we see this solution will be most beneficial to a densely populated region like Metro Manila, which is also the hub of business districts. The success of this pilot will pave the way for a new sustainable business model in other cities in the country as well,” he said, adding that the Philippines can learn from Taiwan’s experience.

Meanwhile, Department of Trade and Industry undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba noted how the project aligns with the government’s development agenda by supporting both digitalization and climate action. “Our country needs innovative tech-led projects that support climate action. I commend 917Ventures, Globe, and the Ayala Corporation for always being at the forefront of change-making initiatives that aim to improve the lives of Filipinos while helping protect the environment,” said Aldaba.

Chuan-Neng Lin, vice minister of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Taiwan, added, “Gogoro’s leadership in battery swapping, vehicle design, and innovation has transformed two-wheel mobility in Taiwan and fostered a new smart mobility industry of eco-friendly businesses and end-users. We look forward to businesses

and riders in the Philippines experiencing the benefits of Gogoro’s smart mobility like we have in Taiwan. Together with Gogoro, we can all reach our net-zero carbon emissions goals.”

Gogoro currently has over 11,000 battery-swapping stations in more than 2,260 locations in Taiwan. With over 1 million batteries in circulation, the number of GoStations has already surpassed the number of gas stations in Taiwan’s major cities, making Gogoro battery swapping the de facto standard for electric two-wheel refueling in Taiwan. The Gogoro Network has more than 520,000 riders performing more than 370,000 battery swaps daily.

“Gogoro is honored to have the support of the Philippine’s Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to kickstart this new smart mobility movement in Manila that utilizes Gogoro’s intelligent battery swapping, a new generation of EV refueling,” said Horace Luke, founder and CEO of Gogoro.

“Through our collaboration with 917Ventures and Ayala Corporation, we are unlocking incredible environmental and sustainability benefits, and introducing new smart mobility efficiencies for businesses by improving how they manage their delivery fleets,” he added.

Gaming

Gaming and education have always had a strange yet fruitful relationship. Video games have historically been blamed for lack of education rather than as a tool that could further education in schools. In my childhood, there were several options for educational games that were readily available on the school computers. Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, Reader Rabbit, and the JumpStart series taught kids typing, reading, math, science, and other school subjects to supplement the learning experience in grade school. However, some topics were just more challenging to teach than others, which is where The Oregon Trail excelled and became a great example of what one could do if gaming and education were combined into one convenient package.

DEVELOPER PUBLISHER Gameloft

Words by Jose Alvarez

The Oregon Trail was essentially a history lesson about settlers traveling from Independence, Missouri, in the mid-19th century and braving rough terrain and other dangers to reach the mostly uninhabited state of Oregon to begin new lives. The original game came out in 1971 as a text-only game for the HP 2100, while the most commonly known iteration of the game is the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium’s (MECC) 1985 version that came out for the Apple II. At least one iteration of The Oregon Trail has come out in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s, making it possibly one of the longest-running franchises in gaming history.

PLATFORM Gameloft PC, Nintendo Switch

Gameloft doesn’t change much from the 1985 edition. The game is more graphically appealing to modern audiences, and there is a lot more you can do other than watch your wagon make the trip and make decisions along the way. You can choose from a variety of characters to take with you, often with their own stats. For me, choosing a well-rounded party was difficult because of the random events that usually happen on your journey, such as a party member getting sick or a lack of food and water. Many of these events are random. You’ll also choose when to start your journey. Do you start in March or as late as July? The sweet spot is usually at the end of April or early May so that you won’t have to face the difficult parts of the endgame, such as braving blizzards and snowstorms, which tend to happen around early November.

There is a lot of player choice in this game, just like in previous titles. Do you go for speed, or take it slow and steady? Do you buy food at settlements, or hunt for it on your own? Are you good at bartering and negotiating? Those are just some of the skills you’ll need to brave the journey on the Oregon Trail itself. My suggestion for first-time players is to choose party members with high stamina. Hunting your own food will save you a lot of money in the long run. You’ll be able to carry more meat back to your wagon, which requires a lot of stamina. Another winning strategy is trying to ford rivers or caulk the wagon and float it across. You should do the former if the river is shallow and the latter if the river is calm. Paying the toll for a ferry can be safer but a lot more expensive. This can get more and more dangerous in the latter half of your journey, as rivers are often unpredictable and more dangerous the deeper you go into the mountains.

There is a lot of player choice in this game, just like in previous titles. Do you go for speed, or take it slow and steady? Do you buy food at settlements, or hunt for it on your own? Are you good at bartering and negotiating? Those are just some of the skills you’ll need to brave the journey on the Oregon Trail itself. My suggestion for firsttime players is to choose party members with high stamina. Hunting your own food will save you a lot of money in the long run. You’ll be able to carry more meat back to your wagon, which requires a lot of stamina. Another winning strategy is trying to ford rivers or caulk the wagon and float it across. You should do the former if the river is shallow and the latter if the river is calm. Paying the toll for a ferry can be safer but a lot more expensive. This can get more and more dangerous in the latter half of your journey, as rivers are often unpredictable and more dangerous the deeper you go into the mountains.

The inventory system has been updated to resemble dungeon crawler-style inventory where you store various items such as money, repair tools, food, clothing, and more. There are a variety of bars you’ll need to watch, such as health, morale, stamina, and hygiene. If any of these get too low, you’ll face a (good) chance of sickness and, ultimately, death. There are also additional stats such as loyalty, attitude, composure, and wit. If you really want to specialize, there are also bars for shooting, carpentry, wayfinding (exploration), and medical expertise. Having a good mix of all of these can ensure everyone makes it to Oregon alive.

Want to learn and play an entertaining game at the same time? The Oregon Trail is something I’d definitely recommend. Given that it’s one of the longest-running video game franchises in history, a new take is definitely what the franchise needed. So go west and enjoy the journey while learning about one of the more intriguing parts of history.

5 WAYS YOU CAN GROW YOUR MONEY LIKE A PRO

You’ve probably read articles about how to save money, and most likely, you’ll keep seeing the same advice to “cut your spending” and “budget your expenses.” Both are correct, but we should also consider unexpected expenses and rising prices of essential goods that could end up costing you an arm and a leg. Saving money can be challenging, but it shouldn’t be too difficult, especially in this day and age when resources are available to help us save and grow our money.

Here are some easy hacks on how you can grow your money.

Choose a bank with a highinterest rate

When choosing where to save your money, it’s important to consider three things: growth, security, and convenience.

Most banks offer a 0.0925% interest rate per annum on a savings account and require a maintaining balance of at least PHP5,000. But there are digital banks that provide highly competitive offers so you can grow your money more – a must given the inflation!

Take, for example, Maya, which offers a high base rate of 4.5% p.a. interest, which you can boost to 6% p.a. for another 30 days. You just need to pay at least PHP250 via Maya QR, card, or mobile number, settle your bills, or buy load in the app. All this, with no need to keep a minimum maintaining balance, plus you receive your interest DAILY!

Cryptocurrency investment

Being relatively new, crypto offers high returns as there’s room for change and growth. This makes crypto an attractive investment option. It has more similarities with stocks than differences. Crypto is a digital asset without the physical component of stocks. Like the stock market, crypto has risks, but when done right, the return on investment could be gratifying. You could think that investing in crypto is expensive, but you’d be surprised at how affordable it is. On Maya, you can invest for as low as PHP1 in as many as 19 popular coins.

Wise use of credit

A credit card is a convenient financial product that is as good as cash. It can be used for emergencies and to purchase groceries, gadgets, and other goods when we don’t have enough cash on hand. While purchasing with a credit card comes with perks, many people are intimidated by this due to interest rates, fees, and a long list of requirements.

Luckily, Maya doesn’t just offer payment and savings services; it can also be used for credit which you can access for emergencies. What makes Maya an

attractive option for credit is its readily available for eligible users – no need to register or submit additional requirements! Every transaction you make in the Maya app, including savings, can help build your credit score. Maya offers an instant revolving credit of up to PHP15,000, which you can use in your wallet or transfer to your Maya Savings.

Digitize your money management system

While the envelope method is still effective, setting up an online bank account, an e-wallet, or downloading a budgeting app to manage your finances is a more efficient way to organize your expenses and savings. Maya offers an efficient way to manage your money through the Personal Goals feature, which allows users to create up to five goals with set target amounts and timelines for organized tracking.

Get Variable Life Insurance (VUL)

Being insured is as essential as investing, as insurance guarantees protection. A variable life insurance policy provides life protection and an investment component that guarantees cash value growth. Most insurance companies compute and provide smart investment plan options suitable to your budget while also offering the option to pay for it monthly or annually. Payouts from your account can be withdrawn years later, and unlike ordinary income, cash growth is not taxable.

Saving and growing your money shouldn’t be so complicated, especially when you find the right finance partner. With Maya, you can do everything in just one app, from saving, to buying crypto, to even managing your finances with the right tools to help you grow your money faster. While there are a number of e-wallets and online banking apps out there, there’s only one that provides a seamlessly integrated money experience – and that’s Maya.

Download Maya—your all-in-one money app at the Apple store and Google Playstore, and follow Maya on Facebook for more updates. You can also check out maya.ph/deals for more details on their latest offers.

“Saving and growing your money shouldn’t be so complicated, especially when you find the right finance partner. With Maya, you can do everything in just one app, from saving, to buying crypto, to even managing your finances with the right tools to help you grow your money faster.”

2023 APAC CYBERSECURITY PREDICTIONS

The cyberattacks across industries last year are a sharp escalation to the disruptive threats facing businesses. In 2022, cybercriminals targeted critical infrastructure with ransomware attacks. They also continued to find new ways to exploit the cryptocurrency boom, hybrid working, and, more recently, unsecured APIs.

As per Palo Alto Networks’ latest ‘What’s Next in Cyber Survey,’ almost all respondents admitted their organization experienced cybersecurity incidents and data breaches in the past year, 11 on average. However, a cause of concern is that only 2 in 5 say their board’s recognition of cyber risk has increased significantly alongside accelerated digitalization strategies.

Palo Alto Networks’ 2023 APAC cybersecurity predictions feature the

top 5 insights from our leaders to help organizations pursue a more secure future. In cybersecurity, predictions are highly relevant because, apart from the attacker’s behaviors, they consider a broad view- from technology to workplace trends and evolving laws and regulations.

Steven Scheurmann, regional vice president for ASEAN, Palo Alto Networks, said, “The fluidity of today’s cyberattacks will require business

leaders to reimagine their cybersecurity approach constantly. Leaders must consider innovative solutions, technologies, and approaches that outperform traditional mechanisms. Organizations have much to consider in 2023, but remaining vigilant and aware will empower them to defend against the evolving threats.”

“From prevention-first Al to adopting Zero Trust strategy and architecture, it will be imperative to adopt the broadest and deepest cyber expertise and threat intelligence into their defenses to stay ahead of the curve. But, more importantly, they must build resiliency to respond and recover from those that inevitably get through,” he added.

Palo Alto Networks has identified five key cybersecurity trends to watch out for in 2023:

Steven Scheurmann, regional vice president for ASEAN, Palo Alto Networks

PREDICTION 1

Accelerated 5G adoption will deepen vulnerabilities

5G connections in the Asia Pacific (APAC) are expected to reach 430 million in 2025, up from 200 million at the end of end-2021, according to a recent report by the industry association GSMA. While the cloud provides greater agility, scalability, and performance, it also exposes the 5G core to cloud security vulnerabilities. Large-scale attacks could come from anywhere, even from within the operator’s network

PREDICTION 3

Cloud supply chain attacks will disrupt businesses.

Companies adopting cloud-native architectures are also inherently consuming third-party code in their critical applications. Log4J recently demonstrated how many organizations can be immediately vulnerable due to a piece of dependent code tucked deep into the software packaging process. We have also seen attackers targeting the volunteers who maintain these open-source code constructs to infiltrate organizations through the package update processes. This issue falls under the cloud supply chain, and we will see more disruptions

due to cloud adoption trends in the coming year(s). 37% of organizations expect software supply chain attacks to increase most in 2023.

PREDICTION 4

The debate on data sovereignty will intensify

As the world becomes more reliant on data and digital information, the volume of regulations and legislation emanating from a desire to control and protect citizens and ensure the continued availability of critical services will increase. As a result, the conversations around data localization and data sovereignty will likely intensify in 2023.

PREDICTION 2

Securing connected medical devices will be critical

Digitization enables new healthcare capabilities, e.g., virtual healthcare and remote diagnosis. The prevalence of legacy systems and sensitive data attractive to cyber criminals makes healthcare a soft target, and cyber threat actors will focus on it. The closer a device is to a patient, the more likely it is to impact patient safety, and the more likely a threat actor will weaponize it. Ensuring the cybersecurity of medical IoT will be important as ever for patient safety.

PREDICTION 5

Metaverse to be the new playground for cybercriminals

With an estimated USD54 billion spent on virtual goods every year, the metaverse could open up a new playground for cybercriminals. The immersive nature of the metaverse will unlock new opportunities for businesses and consumers alike, as it allows buyers and sellers to connect in a new way. Companies will take advantage of mixed reality experiences to diversify their offerings and cater to the needs of consumers in the metaverse.

Microsoft has released its third edition of Cyber Signals, a regular cyberthreat intelligence brief spotlighting security trends and insights. This edition highlights new insights on the wider risks that converging IT, Internetof-Things (IoT), and Operational Technology (OT) systems pose to critical infrastructure, and how enterprises can defend against these attacks.

OT is a combination of hardware and software across programmable systems or devices that interact with the physical environment (or manage devices that interact with the physical environment). Examples of OT can include building management systems, fire control systems, and physical access control mechanisms, like doors and elevators.

With increasing connectivity across converging IT, OT, and IoT, organizations and individuals need to rethink cyber risk impact and consequences. Similar to how the loss of a laptop or modern vehicle containing a homeowner’s cached WiFi credentials could grant a property thief unauthorized network access, compromising a manufacturing facility’s remotely connected equipment or a smart building’s security cameras introduces new vectors for threats like malware or industrial espionage.

Vasu Jakkal, corporate vice president for security, compliance, identity, and management at Microsoft,

said: “As OT systems underpinning energy, transportation, and other infrastructures become increasingly connected to IT systems, the risk of disruption and damage grows as boundaries blur between these formerly separated worlds. For businesses and infrastructure operators across industries, the defensive imperatives are gaining total visibility over connected systems and weighing evolving risks and dependencies.”

Key insights shared in this edition of Cyber Signals include:

• Microsoft identified unpatched, highseverity vulnerabilities in 75% of the most common industrial controllers in customer OT networks. This illustrates how challenging it is for even well resourced organizations to patch control systems in demanding environments sensitive to downtime.

• There has been a 78% increase in disclosures of high-severity vulnerabilities from 2020 to 2022 in industrial control equipment produced by popular vendors.

• Over 1 million connected devices are publicly visible on the Internet running Boa, an outdated and unsupported software still widely used in IoT devices and software development kits.

For businesses and individuals, securing IoT solutions with a Zero Trust security model starts with non-IoT specific requirements. This can be achieved by specifically ensuring they have implemented the basics to securing identities and their devices and limiting their access. These requirements include explicitly verifying users, having visibility into the devices on the network, and realtime risk detections.

PH DIGITAL ECONOMY

According to the 2022 e-Conomy SEA report, the Philippine digital economy could reach USD35-B by 2025 and up to USD150-B by 2030

This year’s e-Conomy SEA report titled ‘Through the waves, towards a sea of opportunity’ projects that the Philippine digital economy is on track to hit USD20 billion Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) in 2022, after growing at 22% over the past year. By 2025, the local digital economy is projected to reach USD35 billion GMV, growing at a 20% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), and possibly will hit USD100 to USD150 billion GMV by 2030.

The annual report, which combines Google Trends, Temasek insights, and Bain & Company’s analysis in addition to industry sources and expert interviews, spotlights the digital economies of six countries in Southeast Asia (SEA): Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Growing at 17% from the previous year, e-commerce is expected to reach USD14 billion GMV by 2022 and USD22 billion GMV by 2025 as it continues to propel the local digital economy. Despite the partial resumption of in-store shopping, e-commerce accounted for 70% of the overall Philippine digital economy.

E-commerce, food delivery, and video-on-demand are the top three digital activities of Filipinos, showing

an adoption rate of 88%, 69%, and 58%, respectively, among digital urban users.

Here are the rest of the key insights into the Philippine digital economy:

• Transport and food delivery are projected to reach USD1.9 billion GMV in 2022 and continue to grow at 29% CAGR to hit USD4 billion GMV in 2025. Demand growth is normalizing as more people eat out. The gradual return to office, increase in brick-and-mortar shopping, and the resurgence of tourism are driving recovery from lockdown lows for Transport.

• Travel is back, with 180% YoY growth to hit USD1 billion GMV in 2022. As recovery to pre-pandemic levels is likely to be gradual, travel is growing at

44% CAGR by 2025 where the sector is expected to reach USD4 billion GMV.

• Online media, which comprises music, video streaming, and online gaming, is projected to grow at USD3.1 billion GMV in 2022, with YoY growth at 17% since the pandemic peak last year. The highest in Southeast Asia, 37% of paying users in the Philippines said that they play online games at least once a week.

• Digital financial services show sustained growth, with lending and remittance hitting USD6 billion this year. Remittance is expected to deliver USD4 billion in Gross Transaction Value (GTV) at 32% YoY growth. In 2022, digital payments will drive USD75 billion GTV and keep growing at 18% CAGR to reach USD123 billion GTV in 2025.

The Philippines will attract more investors over the long term

With the Philippines as the second fastest growing digital economy in SEA (next to Vietnam) in 2022 (at 22% YoY) and between 2022 to 2025 (at 20% CAGR), the country will be a hot investment hub across sectors, including digital financial services.

• The Philippines has the fastestgrowing digital investments sector this year in SEA , at a 63% growth rate from 2021 to 2022. Seventythree percent (73%) of investors (second highest in SEA after Vietnam) are expecting deal activity to increase in the country’s local digital economy in the period of 2025 to 2030 as compared to the current situation.

• Digital financial services are soaring high and the sector continues to attract investor interest, capturing 56% of total investor funding in 2022 and raising roughly USD450M in the first half of 2022 alone. Both Filipino unicorns Mynt and Voyager are in the fintech space.

• Web 3.0 has attracted sizable investor funding raising USD90M in the first half of 2022, with investors bullish on cryptocurrency adoption in the Philippines, which is considered one of the fastest growing in the world.

“The Philippine digital economy remains resilient despite headwinds and continues to provide boundless opportunities as it is projected to reach USD20 billion GMV by end of the year. This year’s e-Conomy

SEA report also suggests that the country will be a leading investment destination, with over 70% of investors expecting deal activity to increase in the period of 2025 to 2030. Google is committed to helping the Philippines sustain the growth momentum of its digital economy through local partnerships, programs, and products that aim to improve the lives of Filipinos,” said Bernadette Nacario, country director, Google Philippines.

“The Philippines’ digital economy is one of the more attractive investment hubs in the region. Across internet sectors, there remains tremendous whitespace for growth as the ecosystem drives greater digital inclusion in the country, particularly outside of metro areas. We expect

growth to come from not only the physical goods and services internet sectors, but also digital financial services across payments, lending, and other Fintech products,” said Willy Chang, associate partner at Bain & Company.

“The seventh edition of the e-Conomy SEA report shows that the digital future of the Philippines is bright as it has the fastest growing digital investments sector this year in the region. The Department of Trade and Industry is committed to digitalizing our MSMEs and working closely with our private sector partners like Google to help reach the full potential of the country’s growing digital economy,” said Alfredo Pascual, secretary, Department of Trade and Industry.

“The seventh edition of the e-Conomy SEA report shows that the digital future of the Philippines is bright as it has the fastest growing digital investments sector this year in the region. ountry’s growing digital economy,”

IT MONITORING TRENDS FOR 2023

Paessler, the monitoring experts for IT infrastructures and networks, shares some key forecasts for the IT landscape in 2023.

Digitalization will continue to create new responsibilities for IT

Whether in factory floors, hospitals, energy sources, or data centers, previously analog devices and systems isolated from the IT world are now generating data compatible with digital systems, expanding the limits to which we can analyze and interpret data.

While industries are clamoring to address all the challenges that have come up with the rising convergence of IT and OT (operational technology), it is equally important to consider monitoring the ecosystem. A major challenge is bringing these multiple metrics and their different monitoring systems into a single view. There will be an increased focus on IT monitoring tools that will enable organizations to keep track of the changes in the ecosystem and provide a consolidated view of the data collected, simplifying the data analysis and decision-making process. As we stretch IT/OT convergence limits, we will need solutions to monitor these devices and infrastructures.

Monitoring solutions will keep playing a vital role in the data center sector

As multinationals continue to relocate their data centers to Southeast Asia (SEA), there is little doubt that the region has become a hotspot for data center investment. In the second half of this year, Singapore’s government lifted its moratorium on data center construction. With the Satu Data Indonesia (SDI) 2022-2024 action plan, the Indonesian government is also focusing on expanding the implementation of data structures such as data centers. At the same time, the Thailand data center market is expected to reach US$1.03 billion by 2027.

With data centers – and the subsequent infrastructure and devices often spread over multiple geographic locations – comes the challenge of monitoring them. Because data centers have become an essential infrastructure for organizations across various industries, their failure means that businesses are often left inoperable. To ensure efficient operation, keeping a constant eye on the various technical equipment, operational facilities, and security has become paramount, which will minimize data center downtime. As the data center sector continues to play a significant role in multiple industries and across the SEA region, so will the monitoring solutions.

Remote monitoring from the cloud will be on the rise – but need differentiation

Organizations are increasingly turning to the cloud, with 76% of Asia Pacific businesses planning to increase their cloud services in the next 12 months. An important aspect of cloud migration is strengthening cloud-first strategies by ensuring that various applications and IT processes can be incorporated into a cloud computing environment.

Additionally, monitoring services being offered from the cloud are increasing. And this applies to monitoring cloudbased components such as websites, cloud services, and cloud-based applications. When it comes to on-premises monitoring, the monitoring solutions from the cloud may face some issues as they depend on a superfast and reliable internet connection to avoid false monitoring results due to time lags in data transmission. It’s essential to consider this, and organizations must go with the right mix of cloud-based and on-prem monitoring tools.

A renewed focus on improving security in the IoT environment

Given the significant rise in data breaches, ransomware attacks, and other cyber-attacks on various industries worldwide, it is no surprise that businesses across the globe are turning their attention to further strengthening their cybersecurity initiatives and strategies. However, one noticeable gap in all of this is the Internet of Things (IoT) security gap.

The rapid growth of adoption and capabilities of IoT technology has skyrocketed over the past few years. By 2025, IoT spending in the Asia Pacific is predicted to reach US$437 billion. Any device that is connected to the Internet is susceptible to some form of cyberattack. Apart from the fact that IoT devices inherently have very little built-in security and that patch management can be difficult because of their physical nature, the interconnectedness of these devices, and the subsequent complex environments, pose grave security threats across the network.

Monitoring is a vital part of every security strategy, ensuring that all classic security tools like firewalls, unusual detection systems, or privileged access management (PAM)-tools work flawlessly. But especially in the IoT world, monitoring has another important task. Suitable monitoring solutions can ensure physical security by integrating door-locking systems, security cameras, smoke detectors, or temperature sensors into central monitoring. And businesses will look at taking these facets into consideration going forward.

Distributed Architectures will continue to become the new normal

With concepts of hybrid working, remote offices, and working from home becoming common, organizations are storing data in the cloud instead of having centralized data infrastructures, thereby moving toward networks using Software as A Service (SAAS) and Software-Defined WAN (SDWAN). With distributed architectures gaining prominence, it is critical to have the right distributed monitoring strategy that can be effective. Given this scenario, there will be a high demand for solutions that will provide organizations with a unified monitoring overview of multiple IT infrastructures providing benefits such as an end-user view of network performance, troubleshooting, simplifying the transition to the cloud, and reducing bandwidth requirements.

Leading messaging and conversational commerce app Viber, which has been championing small online entrepreneurs, is proud to announce the winners of the second season of Pinoy Dream Negosyo.

Just like its initial leg, Pinoy Dream Negosyo continues to support the rise of online entrepreneurs by providing business grants to small online entrepreneurs subscribed to its top Channels, FoodPH and Raket PH. The program features the same two categories, Da Best of FoodPH and Raket Mo ‘To

For this iteration, Pinoy Dream Negosyo finalists were asked to submit a video business pitch to their respective Channels that include an explanation on their business idea, marketing strategy, and business model. To win, the entrepreneurs must be persuasive, knowledgeable, and personable as getting more likes on FoodPH and Raket PH Channels can help them earn more points.

KAONTANA

Ultimately, Da Best of FoodPH proclaimed Zee Pono and Rhea Calooy from Cebu-based GRND UP’s KAONTANA as the Grand Besties.

KAONTANA is an online concept store that offers products and produce from other Cebu-based micro, small, medium enterprises (MSMEs) and farmers. The duo has been planning to expand their business by opening a physical store and an eat-all-you-can buffet restaurant that serves Filipino dishes and BBQ in long dining tables and prohibits use of gadgets to encourage conversations.

“We’ve been praying to win Pinoy Dream Negosyo. It’s a big help in realizing our plans for KAONTANA, especially for the other MSMEs and farmers we’ve partnered with,” Zee and Rhea highlighted. “This moment is even more special since it feels like all our efforts are finally getting recognized.”

THE SOAP FARM

Viber then declared Grace Llamas and Mira Onan from The Soap Farm in Quezon Province as the Raket Mo ‘To Grand Raketeers. The Soap Farm makes all-natural soaps that look like tasty desserts such as cupcakes and donuts and recently offers soap making kits that are perfect for hobbyists or those who want to start their own small business.

“We couldn’t believe we won because we thought that we weren’t able to give our best during the competition. This is a big morale boost to our team of mommy soap makers in Quezon Province,” Grace and Mira said. “To those who want to start a business, just go for it and make sure to look for opportunities like Viber Pinoy Dream Negosyo.”

To make the entire Pinoy Dream Negosyo experience more memorable, Viber paid the winners a Sugod Bahay visit. The Viber team went to Quezon Province and Cebu to personally interview each finalist who were all unaware about the results of the competition. When it was revealed

that they were named the winners, both duos were visibly elated, hugging each other and the rest of their team—showing that when it comes to supporting MSMEs, every help counts.

A champion for micro, small, and medium enterprises or MSMEs, Viber has been steadfast in their commitment to help set MSMEs up for success.

“On Pinoy Dream Negosyo, Viber has witnessed passion, dedication, creativity, and fighting spirit of Filipino MSMEs. As we transition to a better normal, it’s becoming more essential to provide small online entrepreneurs a chance to showcase and launch their creative business ideas,” says David Tse, APAC senior director at Rakuten Viber. “This second leg of Pinoy Dream Negosyo is our way of showing our MSMEs that Viber will always root for their success. We want to help Filipino entrepreneurs realize their business goals.”

Be part of Viber’s business savvy communities, subscribe to Raket PH and FoodPH Channels now!

Grand Besties Zee Pono and Rhea Calooy

Grand Raketeers

Grace Llamas and Mira Onan

LBC BUSINESS INNOVATIONS

Top courier company LBC is fully embracing various business innovations to keep itself relevant to the market and responsive to its ever-growing customer base

During his talk on “Dissuading Digital Hesitation & Propelling Digital Transformation” at the premier thought leadership event PH Digicon 2022 (BOUNDLESS: Philippine Digital Convention 2022), LBC senior vice president and head of information technology Alexander Francis Deato discussed how, as an enterprise, LBC is constantly evolving and embracing new technologies and innovations.

Exploring strategic insights, looking at technologies that can be adopted, and leaning on the expertise of its workforce enables LBC to go through its transformation journey and remain as relevant as ever. “We make technology work for the enterprise, so we can focus on our core business, which is logistics,” Deato said.

As the Philippines’ first proponent of the internet and e-commerce, LBC had the first online gift shop, Express Regalo; the first online flower delivery through Flowers Express; the first online entertainment gifting through the Singing Telegram; and Digiprint, a popular printing shop that also provides photo delivery. “LBC pioneered services that address

a variety of meaningful needs through the use of technology and skilled people who can handle complex processes,” he added.

The pandemic brought a host of challenges, from lockdowns, transportation restrictions, and the company’s teams of riders and warehouse workers performing their duties while avoiding the dreaded virus. But because the management, starting with LBC president Miguel Angel Camahort, bought into the need to transform digitally earlier, it became imperative to make everyone understand their role and how their contributions build to the overall goal.

“The first order of business was to make the rounds in all local areas, across the country, and around the world. The transformation launch addresses all aspects of LBC, including focused operations, support systems, data analytics, and customer care service tools.”

Deato revealed that LBC’s HR department had gone digital and has automated many services to be digitally accessible to all employees,

which enabled the company to easily shift to a work-from-home environment.

LBC also managed its resources with greater speed and efficiency. From using networked data on the cloud, migrating to off-premise data storage, launching a feature-filled customer app, and introducing platform as a service, the company was able to launch new products in shorter time periods. “This allowed us to be more agile in adapting to changing business requirements and improving our offerings,” Deato said.

“We will continue to focus on our core competencies while adapting to evolving technologies and attempting to understand each segment of our customers. Giving them what they require at a level to which they can adapt. Hopefully, we can all transition them to the digital future that awaits them. At LBC, we keep moving for the better!”

BOUNDLESS: Philippine Digital Convention 2022 (PH Digicon 2022) was a hybrid event held at the Marriott Grand Ballroom and online last October 27-28.

TECH

HORIZON

Despite

the availability of data, companies are struggling to catch up with changing customer preferences

With consumers becoming more adept at using technology since the pandemic, huge volumes of data have been generated to allow companies to better understand their customers and tailor their products and services. Yet a recent EY research, Tech Horizon 2022, revealed that responding to these changing customer needs is the most significant customer experience challenge that companies in Asia-Pacific (APAC) face.

Tech Horizon 2022 is a global, multiindustry program that surveyed 1,668 C-suite executives and senior leaders (including 394 from APAC, of which about 80 are from Singapore and Thailand).

According to the research, about half (APAC, Singapore, and Thailand: 46%) of respondents acknowledged that customer needs are changing rapidly. These changes are difficult to track and have impacted their ability to be more customer-centric. In fact, just less than a fifth of respondents (APAC: 16%, Singapore and Thailand: 19%) said they are leveraging data to be predictive, drive

innovation, and continually improve every aspect of the business.

This is despite the top reason driving companies to undertake technologyenabled transformation is meeting changing consumer needs (APAC: 40%, Singapore and Thailand: 37%).

Jason Pang, Partner, Consulting – Data and Analytics, Ernst & Young Advisory Pte. Ltd. consulting – data analytics partner Jason Pang says, “For many companies, data exist as isolated pieces of information. The scale and volume of data generated during the pandemic can be overwhelming for companies that do not have the necessary technology and skills to convert this data into useful insights. For a successful transformation that delivers long-term value, companies and technology leaders need to prepare their business holistically, invest in the right technology and data strategy, prioritize the right use cases, and, most importantly, put humans and change management at the heart of the transformation.”

FOUR FOUNDATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES IDENTIFIED TO DRIVE LONG-TERM VALUE

Respondents to the EY research indicated that they are looking to invest in digital technologies to drive long-term value. In particular, four technologies — data and analytics; cloud; internet of things (IoT); artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) — are viewed as the digital foundation for a successful transformation. These four technologies are expected to account for the largest share of investment and to deliver the most value over the next two years.

Over half of the respondents (APAC, Singapore, and Thailand: 57%) place data and analytics at the top of their priority list for technology investment, followed by cloud (APAC: 49%, Singapore and Thailand: 43%), Internet of Things (APAC: 44%, Singapore and Thailand: 43%) and artificial intelligence (APAC: 35%, Singapore and Thailand: 30%).

EY Asean and Singapore consulting leader Gaurav Modi, says, “More than investing in a single technology tool or platform, the emphasis is on picking a combination of technologies based on the goals of the organization. While foundational technologies are

becoming the bare minimum for technology investments, building the right technology combination involves picking additional technologies that are unique to the sectors that the company is operating in.”

EMPLOYEE SKILLS GAP HINDERS TECHNOLOGY-ENABLED TRANSFORMATION

Despite the focus on technology-enabled transformation, respondents face a major issue with employee skills gap in finding, combining, and analyzing the data (APAC: 63%, Singapore and

Thailand: 76%). Notably, respondents indicated that data and analytics (APAC: 42%, Singapore and Thailand: 35%) is the most important digital and technologyrelated skill that an organization needs for its transformation.

A majority of respondents (APAC: 70%, Singapore and Thailand: 80%) agreed that the “Great Resignation” has made talent acquisition more difficult. In response, companies are turning their focus to reskilling their existing employees instead of hiring experienced people (APAC: 70%, Singapore and

Thailand: 72%). Having said this, ineffective upskilling or retention programs (APAC: 46%, Singapore and Thailand: 49%) are the biggest internal challenge to the success of the reskilling plans.

Gaurav adds, “To bridge the digital talent gap, companies need to take a multifaceted approach. They need to be proactive with change management and new experience design for employees, implement a holistic digital talent strategy to retain existing staff, and attract new talent to secure required skills. Participating in digital ecosystems to access skills and outsourcing to a trusted strategic partner are also pathways to accelerate access to capabilities.

“Delivering differential value from a technology-enabled transformation is possible — and necessary. Aside from having the right business, technology, and data strategy, the most successful technology transformations put humans — committed leadership and empowered employees — at its center, in order to succeed and realize longterm value.”

YOUR FRUITS’ JOURNEY FROM FARM TO FORK

Trends and challenges in the cold chain sector and supply chain

Manufacturing conglomerate Emerson hosted the firstever Your Fruits’ Journey from Farm to Fork event, which discussed growing trends and challenges in the cold chain sector and supply chain, while also connecting Davaobased exporters with Chinese importers. The event also aimed to gather expert insights on the current situation of fruit (banana) growers, cold chain storage contractors/fabricators, importers, and how Emerson cargo monitoring solutions could potentially help streamline supply chains.

Held last November 10, 2022, in Davao City, the hybrid event was streamed to 11 Emerson offices across the world, with special participation by fruit importers from China. The event recorded 82 onsite attendees and a number of online participants.

Emerson vice president for digital & connected technologies Mario Tanas opened the event, before giving the floor to industry experts on evolving cold chain practices and import/export practices.

Emerson director for cargo solutions Asia Ivan Fullin gave an overview of Emerson’s solutions and the company’s presence in the cold chain sector.

Proprietor and technical consultant for ABC-Tech & Agri Supply Aida Cabusas, Ph.D, also talked about sustainable best practices and postharvest management for banana exports. Meanwhile, Sanden Philippines vice president Robert Alpajaro shared his insights on the importance of cold chain systems in maintaining the quality of fruits throughout the supply chain.

The event also made sure to gather insights from China-based stakeholders.

Representing the Department of Agriculture in China at the Embassy of the Philippines was Agriculture Counsellor Ana GM B. Abejuela as she championed the export of agricultural products to China by extending assistance to Filipino exporters and finding potential suppliers for Chinese importers.

Emerson China cargo solutions manager Pete Yu discussed the latest trends in China’s banana market, giving would-be

exporters a potential glimpse of what it would take to succeed in China.

Shanghai Fruit Expo representative Iris Chen added to this discussion by talking specifically about fruit import trends in China post-pandemic. Finally, Shanghai Oheng International Trade Co., Ltd.’s Kurt Huang went over the various customs clearance challenges importers/ exporters faced during the pandemic.

The event and its guests contributed to Emerson’s goal of helping retailers, suppliers, growers, and shippers ensure their products reach consumers in a safe and efficient manner. This goal dovetails perfectly with Emerson’s practice of offering various solutions to streamline the supply chain process, such as trackers and loggers to help businesses monitor supply chain data in real-time. Emerson even distributes time and temperature instruments to help fight food spoilage, delivery delays, and more along the supply chain.

The event showcased how importers and exporters can work together to streamline operations and offer better products to their customers.

Aida Cabusas, Ph.D, ABC-Tech & Agri Supply on the threats and opportunities of fruits (banana) exports

Emerson Cargo Solutions and Marketing Team (Left to Right) Gerd Uitdewilligen International Sales Director, Peter Domincil Retail Solutions Account Manager, Ivan Fullin Cargo Solutions Asia Director, Reginald Panganiban Senior Creative Lead, Lyra Comla Digital Marketing Manager, Junrey Sarahina Accounts Lead Specialist, Leah De Guzman Marketing Lead Specialist, Sol Quinto Senior Brand and Communications Officer

Climate Reality Barometer

Epson releases data on climate change perception in the Philippines

The Philippines is uniquely vulnerable to climate change, ranked as one of the nations most affected by extreme weather events. Despite this, awareness and action towards the climate crisis are moving at a glacial pace, as reported by Epson in its 2022 Climate Reality Barometer. The global technology leader recently released its annual Global Climate Reality Barometer, which surveys a diverse group of people from different backgrounds to gain a deeper understanding of climate change perception.

In the Philippines, the survey was conducted online and distributed to over 1,000 Filipino consumers. Local findings presented how attitudes and awareness are changing as the climate crisis unfolds, but slowly and inconsistently. To better understand and address gaps in climate change perception and awareness, Epson outlines key findings and insights in the Philippines.

Key market findings, global and local comparisons

In the second half of 2022, the mayor of Makati declared a state of climate emergency as temperatures and sea levels continue to rise, making cities more vulnerable to strong typhoons that bring floods and landslides. Despite this, over half (52%) of Filipinos surveyed as part of the Climate Reality Barometer believe that rising prices and administering policies to boost the economy are the

most urgent concerns that governments, companies, and citizens worldwide should focus on.

Comparing global data from the Climate Reality Barometer, only 10.7% of respondents in the Philippines believe climate change should be prioritized across countries. In contrast, 38% of respondents in France and 34.1% in Mexico see climate change as the most pressing issue that needs to be addressed worldwide.

Regarding individual actions, the Philippines is still trailing behind in efforts compared to its regional neighbors. Less than a quarter (17%) of respondents in the Philippines have switched to an electric vehicle to tackle climate change, compared to 45.8% in Vietnam and 40.9% in China.

However, Epson reports that the Philippines is one of the most optimistic when it comes to averting climate change. A majority (71.9%) of respondents in the Philippines are optimistic that they will prevent climate disasters from happening in their lifetime. In contrast, respondents in other countries are less optimistic—36.6% in Canada and 25.2% in Italy.

Insights on reality, influence, and action

While growth in perception is slow, various efforts to mitigate the climate

crisis are already being executed on the individual level. In the Philippines, Epson reports that citizens are carrying out the following top three actions:

• Reducing plastic use - 76.5%

• Improving recycling habits - 70.1%

• Using more reusable goods - 69.2%

However, there are still considerable gaps in what individuals are willing to do and sacrifice. Only 17% have switched to an electric vehicle, with 55.6% planning to do this in the future. Less than a quarter (20.5%) have boycotted unsustainable brands, but 33.8% plan to do this in the future.

Of those who have taken up actions to mitigate the impact of climate change,

a number of them are consistently committed to these actions:

• 37.6% have tried reducing plastic use for longer than a year and will continue to do so

• 37% have tried recycling for longer than a year and will continue to do so

• 0.3% have tried using more reusable goods for longer than a year and will continue to do so

While individual actions are starting to ramp up, it is clear that more needs to be done on a larger scale. In the Philippines, Epson reports that these three categories hold the most impact on citizens and are considered key drivers for change and climate action:

• Government policy changes - 42.4%

• Influencers and key opinion leaders39%

• Personal experience, such as witnessing the impacts of climate change - 37.1%

A shift in priorities—pushing for more effective climate action

Governments, corporations, and citizens must shift their priorities to addressing the climate crisis while they still can. To meet climate change targets and avoid worsening the already irreversible damage to the environment, governments need to develop policies for sustainability, businesses need to develop sustainable

policies and solutions, and individuals need to build awareness and accelerate lifestyle changes.

“The 2022 Epson Climate Reality Barometer shows progress — but also how short-term economic demands are in danger of distracting governments, businesses, and individuals from imperative environmental action,” said Masako Kusama, president and director of Epson Philippines. “As a global technology leader, our duty is to refocus our efforts on developing solutions that will help reduce the environmental impact of our products. By working together, we at Epson believe we can all inspire action and build a better future.”

2023 IMA ASIAPAC STUDENT CASE COMPETITION

The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA®), one of the largest and most respected associations focused exclusively on the advancement of the management accounting profession globally, is accepting entries for the 2023 IMA AsiaPac Student Case Competition now through February 3, 2023. University students in the Asia-Pacific region are invited to participate in this challenging but rewarding competition.

The competition presents students with an opportunity to interpret, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and communicate a solution to a management accounting problem. Students across the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific will need to register and compete as a team of three to five members. Members of the group can be from different academic programs but must all be from the same institution/ university. As part of the case competition, teams need to prepare and present virtually to IMA members and distinguished business professionals.

The top three winning teams of the AsiaPac competition will be awarded prizes consisting of a U.S. CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) Scholarship worth over USD2,000, Amazon gift vouchers, and the opportunity to participate in the Team Membership Program with an IMA chapter (subject to the presence

of a local chapter in the country where the winning team is based). Additionally, the first-place winning team will receive an exclusive career preparation and development mentoring session with Dr. Josh Heniro, senior director of Southeast Asia and Australasia at IMA.

The 2023 case study was written by Charles R. Thomas Jr., Ph.D., CMA, CPA, CGMA, from Tarleton State University; James W. Hesford, Ph.D., from the University of Missouri-St. Louis; and Michael James Turner, Ph.D., from The University of Queensland. Participants will need to think strategically and use their analytical skills to solve the business case “Kunapipi Gardens: Transfer Pricing in The Service Industry,” which asks students to look at the fictitious hotel’s current strategic position and to suggest an “ideal” performance measurement system.

“This competition encourages students to develop their strategic mindsets by analyzing real business challenges faced by enterprises,” said Heniro. “In addition, it fosters students’ critical-thinking skills, the ability to make sound judgments, and excellent communication skills. These are the skills that are highly sought after in the profession. Over the years, we’ve noticed students are proposing more creative solutions to real-life problems, and we’re looking forward to an engaging competition.”

In the face of historic setbacks caused by the pandemic, educational institutions and schools around the world are trying to maximize technology, harnessing its power to ensure continuity of education, close learning gaps, and meet the diverse needs of students in today’s hybrid learning setup.

PHINMA Education has accomplished this goal, quickly pivoting to meet learning needs and collaborating with Globe Business to empower students to continue learning even amidst disruptions.

Through its enterprise arm, Globe customized a mobile plan referred to as Globe PHINMA Educ Exclusive, enabling PHINMA Education to develop a hybrid learning system that efficiently combines printed modules with remote virtual coaching for its students.

This exclusive mobile package is powered by Globe Load Up, a mobile loading solution that lets schools send data allocations to students, faculty, and staff conveniently, with automated bulk sending and convenient top-ups, allowing them to stay connected remotely.

The initiative enabled enrolled students to keep up with changes in the way they learn, as the organization embraced technology that ensures the continuity of quality education. PHINMA Education was able to manage their internet connectivity, ensuring that students had ample data for learning apps like Google Workspace, YouTube for Learning, Facebook Messenger, and Microsoft Office 365.

“Our partnership with Globe Business gave us the support we needed to navigate a difficult period in education while remaining true to our mission to serve underprivileged students and help improve their chances of completing their education and

finding employment,” said Christopher Tan, country head of PHINMA Education Philippines.

PHINMA Education, a fast-growing network of academic institutions in Southeast Asia, operates nine schools in the Philippines and one in Indonesia under a brand of education that is responsive to the needs, resources, and aspirations of first-generation college students from low-income households.

PHINMA Education began its venture into the education industry by acquiring PHINMA Araullo University in 2004, piloting the non-traditional approach to learning that aims to strengthen academic programs. Since then, they have exemplified their quality education, with Southwestern University PHINMA recently dominating the Optometrist Licensure Exam.

In 2020, they introduced two learning systems — (a) Flex Learning, which allowed students to return to school once the government eased pandemic protocols; and (b) Remote and Distance Learning (RaD Learning), an entirely home-based learning setup. Both programs relied on printed materials and strong teacher and peer support through mobile data.

PHINMA Education tapped Globe for its mobile solutions to ensure that no student gets left behind, especially with 70 percent of pupils lacking access to connectivity at home, according to Tan, and to bolster communication between teachers and learners.

“Globe continues to support the education sector with customized solutions that will help them transform digitally and ensure continued delivery of quality learning. The personalized services we offer to them come from our deep understanding of their unique needs and are designed to enable them to meet their goals in an increasingly digital era,” said Raymond Policarpio, vice president for business strategy and marketing for Globe Business, Enterprise Group.

JORDAN BRAND WINGS SCHOLARS PROGRAM

Jordan Brand Wings Scholars Program, the brand’s community impact platform that provides education opportunities for youth who need it most around the globe, has brought its fullboard college scholarship grants to the Philippines.

Six high school graduates will receive four-year scholarships to the Ateneo de Manila University and pursue the course of their choice. Jordan Brand partnered with children’s rights organization Bahay Tuluyan to identify the six young students who are now part of the global community of Wings Scholars pursuing their dreams of excelling in life through quality higher education.

In partnership with Bahay Tuluyan, each Wings Scholar will also receive skills training, career guidance, and mentorship throughout their 4-year tenure at the university.

“Showing up for basketball culture is core to our purpose at Jordan Brand,” says Craig Williams, Jordan Brand president. “And when you think about the community in Manila who shows so much love for the game, it only makes sense that we would bring Jordan Wings to them, to extend this spirit of excellence.”

Kiefer Ravena, Ateneo alumni and Jordan Brand’s first Filipino athlete who currently plays in the B. League, Japan’s men’s professional basketball league,

welcomed the six scholars to the Jordan Family. “Ateneo de Manila University instills in its students a spirit of excellence through education and a commitment to give back to the community — a value which now connects the six scholars with the Jordan Brand Wings Scholars Program’s own purpose. With the power of these two organizations behind them, the path for these scholars is bright and I wish them every success in their future,” Kiefer says.

Six incoming college students will pursue their dream courses at the Ateneo de Manila University

So far, the Wings Scholars program has been launched in the United States, China, and France. The Philippines is the first country in Southeast Asia to join the global initiative, which has funded more than 2,886 students since 2015.

Meet the Wings scholars froM the PhiliPPines, class of 2026.

clinical psychologist to promote mental health & wellbeing and will major in psychology.

Czarina Leviste will take up a BA Health Sciences degree with an aim to provide free health services to more people in the future.

Harriet De Leon, who has been exposed to special education through her parents, will major in political

science and aspires to open doors to education for all kids one day.

Science-inclined badminton athlete Adrian De Guzman wants to make the most of his education. As a student of B.S. Computer Science, he wants to give back to the community and the future generation.

Math-whiz Coleen Reyes will take up Applied Mathematics and masters in Data Science and aims to create tools that will help change the game for those who seek mentorship, guidance, and education.

This first group of Jordan Brand Wings Scholars is scheduled to graduate in 2026.

GREEN RESIDENCES 2

Anyone who had lived away from home in college would understand that housing defines the college experience. Living near the school gives the student time, energy, and convenience that help with academic performance while nurturing valuable experiences that shape character.

It’s basic for student housing to offer safety, security, and convenience. The more recent condominium developments near universities now feature innovation and elevation of designs and lifestyle amenities, especially given a pandemic-driven emphasis on well-being.

SM Development Corporation (SMDC), which was named 2022 Developer of the Year by DOT Property Philippines, designed and built Green 2 Residences with the hallmarks of an ideal second home for students in Dasmariñas City, the ‘University Capital of Cavite.’

A learner-centered environment

The master-planned development has amenities that allow students to optimize their college life, be productive, collaborate in group work, minimize downtime, have physical activity, and socialize.

Green 2 Residences’ study halls are WiFi-ready and have electric sockets a-plenty as well as whiteboards, well-lit tables, and chairs. These study spaces are beautifully-designed, embody a contemporary aesthetic, and feature walls soundproofed up to 45 decibels, all contributing to conditions conducive to concentration.

Green 2 Residences is an ecosystem that covers over 14,400 square meters, of which 3,300 are open green spaces. It offers amenities for fitness, sports, and recreation, including a 50-meter (Olympic-length) lap pool, kiddie pool, yoga lawn, fully-equipped indoor gym, and function rooms for residents.

The Home of the Good Guys touch

Studying and living away from home is a learning experience. The life lessons learned build independence, teach

responsibility, and grow appreciation for family, friendship, and community. These learnings are deepened especially when students help organize and undertake events for corporate social responsibility.

Such events include community programs like The Good Guys Health and Wellness Caravan, The Good Guys Job Market Caravan, and The Good Guys Weekend Market, for which SMDC has earned awards. These initiatives have created a positive impact not only on the lives of SMDC residents but also on the broader communities they belong to.

With these good examples and opportunities for volunteerism right at their doorstep, students are encouraged to be of service to others and are instilled with the value of compassion and the spirit of bayanihan.

A rewarding investment

Real estate management company Colliers Philippines had noted that student-oriented developments are among “the best-kept secrets in real estate.” Purchasing units in student developments such as Green 2 Residences is a viable investment, as there will always be a demand for student housing, and will be a reliable source of passive income.

Close to Green 2 Residences are De La Salle University–Dasmarinas, Emilio Aguinaldo College, and more schools within a larger radius. The average student population growth in this city

is two percent per year, locking in a large tenant pool consisting of students, professors, and other school workers for the property.

Couple that with SMDC’s iconic integrated lifestyle that incorporates a retail environment of every development, their professional property management team that keeps units in tip-top shape and guaranteed to appreciate over time, and their end-to-end leasing services that grant a worry-free leasing experience, and you are assured of propitious returns.

Move In Now

SMDC’s Move In Now campaign makes it easier for property investors to cash in on the potential of student residences amid the return to face-to-face classes at many educational institutions in Cavite. Prospective buyers of the now ready-foroccupancy (RFO) Green 2 Residences

could enjoy a 10 percent discount upon reservation and are given the option to move in right away with a five percent spot cash payment. To make it a sweeter welcome, SMDC also offers a premium furniture item from Our Home as a housewarming present.

SMDC is a real estate company that builds residential developments including student-oriented projects located near universities, such as Berkeley Residences and Blue Residences on Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City, Sun Residences on España Boulevard, Green Residences on Taft Avenue in Manila, and the now ready-foroccupancy (RFO) Green 2 Residences in Dasmarinas City, Cavite.

To know more about the promotions you can avail of under the Move In Now Campaign, follow SMDC on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Tiktok, or visit the SMDC website.

According to a recent study by the World Economic Forum, the global economic impact of the five leading chronic diseases — cancer, diabetes, mental illness, heart disease, and respiratory disease — could reach USD47 trillion over the next 20 years. At the same time, the World Health Organization predicts that the global deficit of skilled healthcare professionals will reach 18 million by 2030.

This is why many healthcare organizations are transitioning away from a model of intervention towards one of prevention: a model where resources are dedicated to detecting and forestalling medical issues before they have a chance to cause symptoms, develop into chronic diseases, or trigger lifethreatening effects.

For many parties across the healthcare ecosystem, from healthcare professionals to tech players and government bodies, the hope is that a preventive care model will be the solution to lifting the burden

of chronic disease on our health systems and, ultimately, delivering higher-value care that’s focused on enabling the healthiest outcomes.

In the Philippines, many steps have been taken to transition existing health systems toward a preventive care model. Signed into law in February 2019, the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law was created to guarantee equitable access to quality healthcare goods as well as preventive, curative, promotive, rehabilitative, and palliative services.

To complement mandates under the UHC Law, Senate Bill 198 — which seeks to provide free medical checkups for all Filipinos — is being pushed anew in the 19th Congress. Aiming to prevent public health emergencies by reforming and modernizing the country’s healthcare capabilities, a bill seeking to establish a Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control has been refiled in the House of Representatives.

PREVENTIVE CARE: THREE REAL WORLD EXAMPLES

While the concept of preventive care isn’t new, within the last few years, the digital transformation of healthcare has led to groundbreaking innovations that are rapidly accelerating the shift towards preventive care at scale. Here are three powerful examples:

1. Predictive analytics

Driven by the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), many healthcare organizations now have algorithms at their disposal that can be fed historical and real-time patient data to help health professionals make meaningful, timely predictions on potential outcomes and treatment options.

For example, in cardiology, integrated diagnostics platforms enhanced with predictive analytics enable healthcare teams to anticipate outcomes with greater accuracy, make faster clinical decisions, and assign more effective treatment pathways to their patients. Innovations such as the Philips Spectral CT 7500 feature a timesaving, fully integrated spectral workflow. High-quality scans are made in under two seconds, delivering high-quality imaging that allows physicians to make a confident diagnosis and effective treatment plans for each patient.

In addition to the device, Philips Cardiovascular Informatics solution also provides a consistent endto-end intuitive workflow for easy access to a patient’s cardiovascular pathway. By connecting and integrating disparate clinical systems across the enterprise, the cardiology care team can make fast clinical decisions based on the data when and where it is needed. Philips cardiology informatics solutions, smart intelligent algorithms, and predictive analytics work seamlessly to help optimize patient throughput.

2. Remote patient monitoring

Remote patient monitoring refers to a wide range of solutions that allow care teams to assess and even treat patients outside of conventional clinical settings. Implantable devices and wearables such as the Philips BioTel Heart Mobile Cardiac Outpatient Telemetry (MCOT) Patch can give care teams round-the-clock oversight on their patients from any location, collecting data on vital signs in real-time and flagging any signs of impending cardiac issues at the earliest opportunity.

Studies have shown that continuous monitoring programs using the Philips BioTel Heart MCOT Patch helped reduce the risk of secondary stroke as well as treatment costs among post-stroke patients.

3. Digital patient engagement

Digital patient engagement methods such as healthtracking apps and patient portals empower people to take a more active role in managing their health and wellbeing. They also help patients to maximize treatment compliance for existing conditions, and start dialogues with their care teams, for faster reporting of symptoms and greater access to information and advice.

For example, pre-surgery health coaching apps help patients get in optimal condition before having elective surgery, so they can maximize the chances of shorter hospital stays while minimizing the chances of readmission. Collaborative patientprovider platforms are helping hospitals reduce the need for physical consultations – by as many as three per patient per year.

How can we keep up the momentum for preventive care?

With around one in three adults being treated for complex chronic conditions globally, the need for a more preventive care model is all too apparent. The pandemic has spurred on much of the digital transformation that’s facilitating the shift to preventive care today – but these advances are long overdue.

To make preventive care a success in all markets and alleviate the burden of chronic illness that’s been felt across the industry for years, we need to go further. We must break the barriers between departments and specialists, eliminate the obstacles separating patients from caregivers, and bridge the boundary between healthcare settings and people’s homes.

Instagram Family Center and Parental Supervision Tools

An important step to empowering parents and keeping young Filipinos safe online, the Instagram Family Center and Parental Supervision tools were launched after extensive consultation with experts, parents, guardians, and young people.

Meta has launched new Instagram tools and resources in the Philippines to help keep young people safe and support their wellbeing online.

The Family Center is a hub where parents and guardians can access materials and resources to help young people build positive online habits.

Through the Family Center, parents and guardians can now set up new tools to oversee the Instagram accounts of young people in their family. The tools are available in English and Filipino.

Over time, the Family Center will become a key resource to help parents, guardians, and young people manage experiences across all Meta technologies.

An Education Hub for Parents and Guardians

The Family Center is accessed via the Instagram app and includes articles, videos, and tips on a range of topics to help parents and guardians start a conversation with teens about social media. It also includes video tutorials on how to set up and use the new Supervision Tools.

New Supervision Tools on Instagram

The Supervision Tools allow parents and guardians to:

• Manage time spent on Instagram. Parents and guardians can set screen time limits and schedule breaks for their teen during the day or week

• Keep track of new connections on Instagram. Parents and guardians can be notified on new accounts that young people in their family are following—as well as the accounts that follow them back

• Get notified of reports. Young people can choose to notify their parent or guardian if they make a report on Instagram, so they can discuss what happened together

Parents and guardians can send invitations on Instagram to young people in their family to initiate Supervision tools, and vice-versa.

Consulting with experts

The Family Center and Parental Supervision Tools were launched after extensive consultation with experts, parents, guardians, and young people from around the world. Ahead of the launch, Meta convened roundtables with experts from the government, the academe, and non-profit organizations in the Philippines, including the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Council for the Welfare of Children, Stairway Foundation, Plan International Philippines, UNICEF Philippines, Save the Children Philippines, Youth for Mental Health Coalition, Unang Hakbang Foundation, Society of Adolescent Medicine of the Philippines, and the De La Salle University Social Development Research Center.

Discussion at these roundtables focused on three core areas:

(1) How to empower teens to make healthy decisions for self-supervision

(2) How to build trusted networks of support

(3) How to support families to create boundaries for safe use together

Dr. Ma. Emma Llanto of the Society of Adolescent Medicine of the Philippines stressed the importance of these discussions saying, “Understanding Filipino teens’ psychosocial and adolescent development

and how the teen brain works can help us better know what measures to work with when dealing with social media supervision. We cannot impose rules without good relationships with your children. We need to make it balanced.”

Child protection specialist at UNICEF Philippines Jesus Far also noted the role that parents and guardians must play in educating and empowering young people to stay safe online. “Spending one-on-one time with your teens is important. How you start and follow-up on crucial conversations — this is a skill that parents should also learn,” says Far.

“We want young people to have an experience that is both fun and safe when using our apps, and we want to support their parents to assist them in doing this,” says Clare Amador, Philippine public policy head at Meta

“Our intention is for these tools and resources to strike the right balance between young people’s desire for autonomy online, whilst allowing for some involvement from parents and caregivers to help ensure their teen is having a safe experience online. We are grateful for the inputs of safety experts, our partners, parents, and young people whose feedback has been instrumental in helping us design all of our age-appropriate experiences. Keeping young people safe online is one of our most important responsibilities, and we remain committed to continuing our investment in new tools, products and resources,” Amador shares.

Learn how to set-up Parental Supervision here

ASKOURMOMS

Johnson’s Baby launches industry-first Facebook Chatbot in the Philippines to digitally connect mothers

Johnson’s demonstrates how powerful connections among moms help new moms be the best mothers to their babies, through the Johnson’s AskOurMoms on Messenger.

Created with respected mombassadors and experienced mothers, the “mothers for mothers platform” offers babyrearing advice and personalized product recommendations from celebrity moms, such as Divine Lee, Anne Curtis-Smith, and Bianca Gonzalez, who share inside information on Johnson’s products, deals, and baby care tips.

Developed to give moms a more interactive consumer experience, the Johnson’s AskOurMoms is an industryfirst digital innovation that offers not only one-click access to Anne, Bianca,

and Divine’s baby recommendations, but also a wealth of personal baby product selections, uses, and descriptions; virtual shopping on a single thread; and onlineonly discounts and special e-commerce promotions.

Says Crismer Tiria, associate marketing director for Johnson’s Baby: “Today’s mothers are very resourceful. They actively seek advice from other moms and search for information online to broaden their knowledge and ensure that they are giving their babies the best care possible. With this innovation, we hope to bring the brand and our mombassadors closer to moms through an online resource that empowers them. Ultimately, this novel solution will also educate them about the full range of Johnson’s products that are scientifically

developed to provide the best baby care possible.

Says John Rubio, Philippine country director at Meta, “We are seeing fundamental shifts in how people and businesses connect. There is a real demand for people to have direct communication lines with businesses. Through Meta’s business messaging solutions, Johnson’s AskOurMoms provides Filipina moms with helpful information, useful products, tips, and most importantly, an online support community that enables them to be the best moms they can be to their children.”

To experience Johnson’s AskOurMoms, send a message to the official Facebook page of Johnson’s Baby at www.facebook. com/JohnsonsBaby.

ULTIMATE DEEP HOME CLEANING

The Dyson V15 Detect is Dyson’s most powerful, intelligent, cordless vacuum

Creating a healthier home is now made easier, as the Dyson V15 Detect is now available in the Philippines. Dyson’s most powerful and intelligent vacuum has been engineered with 240AW and dust illumination technology to reveal microscopic dust. Dyson also introduces the Pet Groom Tool, alongside a new Scratch Free Dusting Brush and Awkward Gap Tool attachments — engineered to provide the ultimate whole home clean.

The machine and new attachments introduced covers the different cleaning needs of every household, helping to create a healthier home as according to the Dyson Global Dust Study, 64% of Filipinos are cleaning more frequently than they did last year, to ensure their homes remain a clean and healthy space.

ADVANCED DE-TANGLING BRUSH BAR TECHNOLOGY

Engineered for homes with pets, the Dyson V15 Detect introduces a new brush bar technology that is designed to tackle all hair, whether it is left behind by our feline, canine, or human friends. Dyson’s Global Dust Study revealed that 35% of pet owners in the Philippines groom their pets at home at least once a

week, and 8 in 10 of them only groom with a brush or comb. This reduces the amount of pet hair they shed around the home, but microscopic particles remain on their pets that can potentially be spread around the home.

Inspired by a de-tangling comb, the brush bar features 56 hair removal vanes,

precisely angled to help migrate all hair types directly into the cleaner head. These polycarbonate teeth, combined with a set of spiraling nylon bristles, anti-static carbon fiber filaments, and strong suction power, capture and tackle troublesome tangles, as well as larger debris and microscopic dust.

FILTRATION

The Dyson V15 Detect features Dyson’s 5-stage advanced filtration technologies, capturing 99.99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, to expel cleaner air. The Dyson cyclone technology is efficient at separating dust and dirt from floors and surfaces, and whole machine sealing means this isn’t leaked back into your homes.

Exclusive to Dyson direct, the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute (HEPA) is further equipped with whole-machine HEPA filtration to capture ultrafine particles such as pet dander and nasties. The post-motor filter is upgraded to enable it to capture 99.97% of particles down to 0.1 microns, making it Dyson’s most hygienic vacuum and Dyson’s best ever filtration in a cordless vacuum.

The Dyson V15 Detect Absolute (HEPA) also comes with a built-in crevice and dusting tool. The Built-in dusting and crevice tool is cleverly hidden inside the wand and revealed at the press of a button. By having the right tools available on your vacuum, you can save time between floor and handheld cleaning.

The Dyson V15 Detect features key technologies that were first introduced with the Dyson V12 Detect Slim:

• Dust Illumination Technology: Dyson has engineered dust illumination technology to ensure

you are reassured that your home has been deep cleaned. Dust illumination technology reveals the particles you cannot normally see with precisely angled dust illumination technology integrated into the cleaner head.

Dyson engineers integrated a green dust illumination technology — chosen for its ability to provide the best contrast — into the Slim Fluffy cleaner head, positioning it precisely at a 1.5-degree angle, 7.3mm off the ground. It means hidden dust on the floor surface that is otherwise invisible to the naked eye can be seen and removed.

• Piezo Sensor: Dyson engineers have developed a technology that enables the user to measure the dust it detects and then displays it on an LCD screen for real-time scientific proof of a deep clean.

An acoustic piezo sensor has been integrated into the vacuum. Carbon

fiber filaments in the cleaner head pick up microscopic particles, which are sized and counted up to 15,000 times a second. The dust enters the vacuum and hits the acoustic piezo sensor within the bin inlet, with the tiny vibrations being converted to electrical signals. The dust size and quantity are shown on the in-built LCD screen, so the user can see how much dust the vacuum has removed, as well as the different sizes of particles, and deliver scientific proof of a deep clean.

The vacuums have been designed so that they automatically increase suction power when they come across a large amount of dust. This happens in auto mode when the piezo sensor detects high concentrations of dust, and reactive suction power is triggered to automatically increase in power. When dust levels normalize, suction power is reduced to its previous level.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The Dyson V15 Detect Absolute retails for PHP50,900. Meanwhile, the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute (HEPA) is priced at PHP54,900, and is available exclusively from Dyson Demo stores in Greenbelt 5, SM Aura Premier, The Podium, and SM Mall of Asia.

VIRBAC

Virbac, an animal health pharmaceutical company, brings to the Philippines Effitix, a topical solution for dogs used for the treatment and prevention of flea and tick infestations. This innovative product also has an added repellent activity against heartworm-transmitting mosquitoes.

With active ingredients fipronil and permethrin, Effitix is an effective spot-on solution to keep your dog safe from external parasites for up to four weeks. Fleas and ticks can be killed within 24 hours following treatment. One treatment prevents further infestations for 4 weeks as it remains effective after bathing, shampooing, water immersion, or sunlight exposure.

EFFITIX

SAFE FROM EXTERNAL PARASITES

The product can be used as part of a treatment strategy for the control of Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD), reducing the risk of transmission of tick-borne diseases (canine ehrlichiosis, babesiosis) from infected ticks, and repellent (anti-feeding) activity against mosquitoes (Culex pipiens, Aedes aegypti).

For easy and convenient application, Effitix features a unique 'drop-stop' pipette technology that lets you apply the product in just the right place on your pets – with no mess and no fuss. The topical solution is available for puppies and dogs eight weeks old or older in three dose sizes for dogs from 4 to 40kg.

With Effitix, you can sleep soundly at night, knowing that your pet dogs are safe and protected from the dangers of external parasites. Virbac Effitix will be available at authorized online pet stores and at leading pet shops and veterinary clinics.

To know more about the product, visit their website at https://ph.virbac.com/home.html, their Facebook Page @VirbacPH, and Instagram profile @virbac_philippines.

ARTCOOL™ GALLERY

Set to launch at CES 2023, this new residential air conditioner creates a chic and comfortable living environment with its stylish design, personalized content, and the renowned LG dual inverter

LG Electronics (LG) is ready to unveil its latest ARTCOOL Gallery air conditioner at CES 2023.

Boasting a 27-inch LCD screen and upgradable options, the new model can display personalized content to match any season or instantly refresh the room using the LG ThinQ app. It also delivers energyefficient cooling and heating with LG’s DUAL Inverter Compressor and 3-way indirect airflow, provides a more

hygienic performance with AI Dry, and offers a variety of user-friendly features including an intuitive mobile app.

Presenting exclusive content on a bright LCD screen bordered by a simple, yet sophisticated frame, the ARTCOOL Gallery gives one the impression they are looking at a framed work of art rather than an advanced LG air conditioner. Using the ThinQ app, users can select

from a growing range of gorgeous, static, and animated images — or choose from favorite family photos — and display something new whenever they feel like a change. The new model can be easily managed using the included smart remote or via a mobile app that lets users choose settings and functions, and monitor the appliance’s status in real-time from any location.

Equipped with the LG DUAL Inverter Compressor, the new ARTCOOL Gallery delivers energy-efficient cooling, using up to 70 percent less power than a conventional residential air conditioner. The new model’s 3-way airflow provides indirect airflows suitable for the space. It also helps create an indoor environment that is as peaceful as it is comfortable, operating at noise levels as low as 20 decibels, and closing its ‘hidden’ bottom vane in sleep mode so as not to disturb or disrupt users’ rest.

The stunning ARTCOOL Gallery provides pleasantly fresh airflow thanks to LG’s AI Dry feature. Automatically setting the optimal drying time based on operation time and mode selection, AI Dry effectively removes any moisture that has formed inside the air conditioner. Additionally, the new model has a bottom grill that can be easily detached and cleaned, and a cover that helps make installation easier.

“Offering outstanding performance and artistic themes fit for all tastes and seasons, our latest ARTCOOL Gallery air conditioner delivers year-round comfort and elegance,” said Lyu Jae-Cheol, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company. “With the unique combination of personalized content and cutting-edge technologies, LG’s innovative, new air solution is designed to help provide consumers with a better life at home.”

For a limited time, Pinoys will have a chance to taste the country’s award-winning Liberica coffee from Sta. Maria, Laguna, in a Cold Brew Kit.

The coffee used in the Cold Brew Kit won 2nd runner-up at the 2022 Japanese Barista Championship held recently in Japan.

With support from 2019 Philippine National Barista champion Michael Harris Conlin and industry pioneer Henry & Sons, Philippine Liberica Coffee is being promoted around the world to capture the hearts and taste preferences of expert baristas and judges worldwide.

With cold brew’s ever-growing popularity and countless benefits,

COLD BREW IN A CAN

Henry & Sons notes that someone should make the cold-brew process easy and affordable. “Whoever adds the water makes money, but this time, we want you to be the one to add the water, so you get to save your hard-earned money,” said Conlin.

“With the ready-to-cold brew kit, you won’t have to fuss around with grind size, filters, or water-to-coffee ratio. JUST ADD WATER and put it in the fridge for 12 hours, and you’ll have a perfectly extracted, super sweet, low acidity, low bitterness flavor-packed cold brew. Making a cold brew is now easier than ever with the Ready to Cold Brew kit,” added Conlin.

“We created this unique coffee blend to mirror how coffee is a slow and meticulous process. It takes five years

for a newly planted tree to bear fruit, six months for pollinated flowers to grow into a ripe cherry, harvest and processing is three to four months, drying takes four to six weeks, and the parchment is rested for 90-120 days before hulling and roasting. Coffee is a slow, meticulous process, so once in a while, let’s pause and reflect on the hard work of the people who made this coffee and its long journey to your cup,” added Conlin.

The coffee in the Cold Brew Kit has a characteristic aroma of berries and honey lemon, with flavor impressions of jasmine, aloe, natural orange zest, yuzu, violet florals, and Fuji apples.

For more information, visit www.henryandsons.ph and www.thevault.ph.

O3b mPOWER

SES launches second-generation Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites

SES is a leader in global content connectivity solutions via satellites, distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. SES satellites carry around 8,000 channels and have an unparalleled reach of 366 million households, delivering managed video services for both linear and non-linear content.

SES operates the world’s only multiorbit constellation of satellites with over 55 geostationary (GEO) satellites and 20 O3b Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites currently in orbit, providing a unique combination of global coverage and high-performance, including the commercially proven,

low-latency O3b MEO system. With over 70 satellites in two different orbits, SES’s reach is unlike any other, serving 7 out of the top 10 global telecom companies, connecting to 5 out of the world’s 6 major cruise liners and supporting 58 government organizations across 29 countries with reliable, robust, and secure connectivity solutions.

O3b mPOWER

O3b mPOWER is SES’ secondgeneration MEO system. It builds on the success of SES’ first-generation O3b system, the industry’s only commercially proven nongeostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) constellation. It will operate in the

medium earth orbit at 8,000km away from Earth. The O3b mPOWER communications system comprises an initial constellation of 11 high-throughput and low-latency satellites as well as extensive ground infrastructure. The first of the five O3b mPOWER launches was set for midDecember 2022, and the global terabitlevel scalable constellation with begin providing services in Q3 2023.

Designed to enable the delivery of high-throughput in the most flexible manner, O3b mPOWER will offer uncontended low-latency (roundtrip latency of less than 150 milliseconds) connectivity services ranging from 50Mbps to multiple gigabits per second to the telecommunications, maritime,

aeronautical, and energy sectors, as well as to governments and institutions across the world.

Investment in satellite technology has grown significantly in recent years, driven by demand for greater mobile and internet connectivity. SES is at the leading edge of this industry, leveraging years of experience and technology to deliver connectivity to millions around the world.

The possibilities of O3b mPOWER

O3b mPOWER is backed by an ecosystem of technology partners and is designed for mobility, telecom, government, and enterprise customers

that require much throughput for their cloud-based applications or real-time tools. Even before the launch date, O3b mPOWER has achieved development and delivery milestones and has already announced major customer wins.

Satellite communications are providing connectivity for millions of people and businesses around the world. We’re often unaware of the role that satellites play in our daily lives, with data streaming services and communications supported by this technology. With O3b mPOWER, SES is redefining global connectivity.

Access more information on the O3b mPOWER satellite and technology specifics here

The Philippines

As of 2022, 76.01 million internet users in the Philippines account for only 68% of the population. There is high connectivity in urban areas, but the opposite applies to rural areas. More than ever, the Philippines is recognizing the need for connectivity services to drive digital inclusion and bridge the digital divide across the country. Under the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), several initiatives have been put in place to connect unserved and underserved areas of the country, including geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA).

Expected to launch in the Philippines and other Asia Pacific markets in 2023, O3b mPOWER will help to further bridge the digital divide in previously unconnected areas in the country by delivering high-quality connectivity in remote areas or where geography makes communications infrastructure expensive to build. O3b mPOWER will also support 4G and 5G mobile deployments in these areas, ultimately driving digital transformation, cloud adoption, and digital services for businesses and individuals here. Lastly, O3b mPOWER will provide instant bulletproof recovery solutions in case of natural disasters by ensuring uninterrupted connectivity.

Indonesia

Indonesia is an ideal market for satellite communication solutions, due to its geographic spread, large population of heavy mobile users and television viewers. As internet penetration rate struggles to keep up with the fastgrowing demand for connectivity, satellite will be instrumental in bridging the digital divide between urban and rural areas.

SES is working with the Indonesian government to support digital inclusion initiatives, including delivering 4Gbps of high throughput satellite (HTS) connectivity to rural areas in Indonesia (Papua region). As the Indonesian market is rapidly expanding its 5G network, SES’s O3b mPOWER will deliver seamless 5G experiences even

in remote and rural regions with high-throughput and low-latency performance.

Malaysia

Malaysia is an exciting emerging market for SES. With a high density of knowledge-based industries and aggressive adoption of cutting-edge technology, capacity demand and bandwidth allocation are growing exponentially. However, a digital divide remains between urban and rural areas as well as hard-to-reach mountainous regions.

Since the beginning of SES’s operations in the Asia Pacific region, SES has been engaging with customers and partners in Malaysia to meet the rising network capacity demand in the country. SES is also helping to bridge the digital divide in rural population by improving connectivity and offering improved access to e-learning, e-government, e-health services, and the digital economy. SES is also delivering satellite connectivity to industries such as mining, offshore and marine, agriculture, and fisheries to support seamless communication and operations.

As Malaysia experiences a wide disparity of 4G between thinly and densely populated areas across the country, SES will be able to leverage O3b mPOWER satellite system to improve mobility growth via wireless backhaul solutions, village WiFi and other network deployments.

“Expected to launch in the Philippines and other Asia Pacific markets in 2023, O3b mPOWER will help to further bridge the digital divide in previously unconnected areas in the country by delivering high-quality connectivity in remote areas or where geography makes communications infrastructure expensive to build.”

HP Philippines is certified GPTW

GPTW conducts the world’s largest study of workplace excellence. It is the global standard of what it means to be a great workplace, backed by over 100 million employees around the globe. The recognition of HP Philippines affirms its commitment to championing a positive workplace culture by embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion as business imperatives that fuel innovation.

“We are grateful to the HP Philippines team, who continue to inspire and nurture a positive workplace culture and bring extraordinary contributions to wider communities. This is the culture that our founders, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, envisioned when they started HP in 1939. I am very proud that we continue to uphold that even after all these years,” shares Christian Reyes, the Philippines’ managing director of HP Inc.

According to the study, 94% of surveyed employees say that HP Philippines is a great place to work. The company

enjoys a two percent increase compared to last year’s findings.

Employees also noted HP’s inclusive culture, saying that they are made to feel welcome when they join the company (95%).

Overall, employees feel a sense of pride when they look at what they accomplish (95%). They are also proud to tell others that they work at HP Philippines (97%), and would even endorse the company to friends and family as a great place to work (94%).

Earlier this year, HP Philippines ranked fifth in the GPTW 2022 list of the top 25 best workplaces in the country under the medium business category, making it also to the 2022 Best Workplaces in Asia™ list. What’s more, GPTW featured the company in its latest Employee Well-being Insights Report for fostering an inclusive, flexible, and holistic approach to caring for the people.

Driving innovation in culture and technology

HP believes that the future of work requires innovation in culture and technology for employees to thrive. Starting with culture, HP is empowering its hybrid workforce to build resilience, take ownership of their careers, and develop an enterprise mindset. This means striving to grow together by adapting to changing dynamics and learning constantly from one another’s diverse perspectives. They do this by implementing people-centric programs and initiatives that focus on

• Employee connectedness: Next Generation Business Impact Network Philippines (NGen PH) is established to create a culture of inclusion and inspire success for all generations at HP, Quarterly Coffee Talks and Connect Series are aimed at regularly having collaborative sessions where everyone is encouraged to speak and be heard, and the Global Wellness Challenge keep employees engaged in different activities to promote a healthy and active community.

• Future-readiness: Women’s Impact Networks (WIN) and Women in Leadership Lab (WILL) are built to empower women and boost female leadership today and into the future, and Trailblazer and Jumpstart are both leadership development programs to prepare employees for career advancement.

• Driving a purposeful business: sustainable impact programs across climate action, human rights, and digital equity, which foster growth driven by the passion to create a positive impact not only to customers and partners but to the wider communities. This year, employees at HP Philippines volunteered on a project called, Play and Learn: The Digital Way. In partnership with Childhope Philippines, the program is focused on teaching junior to senior high school level and street educators how to use technology safely and responsibly.

Aside from having the right culture to nurture talent, flexible work also requires powerful technology. Balancing these

needs is crucial to a collaborative and productive workforce. HP is leading powerful advancements in PC and print, built for the hybrid world, providing flexibility and end-to-end security for its people and businesses of all sizes. All the while reducing the impact on the environment.

These breakthroughs in culture and technology are rooted in the HP legacy of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. These are fundamental to HP’s culture and are business imperatives. They lead to thoughtful ideas that have the power to change the world.

“To be certified by Great Place to Work® is an honor. Knowing that it was direct feedback from our employees makes the title truly special. It means that the HP Way continues to be practiced. This culture is grounded on trusting and believing individuals, and operates on the belief that people want to do a good job and will do so, as long as they have the proper tools and support,” ends Rena Marin, country human resources head of HP Inc. in the Philippines.

3M GLOBAL SERVICE CENTER PHILIPPINES AWARDED PMAP EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR–NCR

3M, the leading provider in sciencebased solutions, has announced that its global shared services hub in the Philippines is now the top employer in the National Capital Region, according to the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP).

In the recently concluded PMAP Annual Conference this 2022, 3M Global Service Center (GSC) Philippines was awarded as Employer of the Year–National Capital Region. PMAP bestows this award to an organization that fulfills its business objectives and successfully manages its social and people management responsibilities. The award recognizes a purpose-driven organization that puts its people philosophies, principles, and values at the core of its operations— one that operates beyond profits and nurtures passion & a sense of personal growth in its people.

Reggie Pulumbarit, vice president of 3M GSC Philippines and managing director of 3M Southeast Asia region, presented the case

for 3M GSC Philippines prior the awarding ceremony, highlighting the organization’s initiatives, strengths, and biggest differentiators.

“3M Global Center Philippines takes pride in our ways of working and company culture, and we are humbled to gain recognition as a top employer,” said Pulumbarit. “Since its establishment in 2016, 3M GSC has committed to keeping people at its core. From consistently anchoring actions on employee feedback, to prioritizing the wellbeing of our people, to empowering employees to reach their full potential, we put our people at the forefront because we believe that they are the key to 3M’s continued success.”

3M GSC Philippines has grown exponentially in its six years of operation, with over 800 employees in 2022. The organization has been certified as a Great Place to Work for three years in a row, and was recently awarded Gold accreditation status by Investors in People.

However, what sets 3M GSC Philippines apart is its commitment to improving its workplace culture by developing programs to empower its employees. On top of providing opportunities for internal conversations to stimulate personal and business growth under its Performance Everyday program, the organization nurtures and empowers its employees’ well-being through an extensive list of initiatives such as:

• Work Your Way, a trust-based program where employees can choose where they work

• 3M Learn, an all-encompassing learning platform for 3M employees

• Employee Resource Groups offering volunteerism and communitybuilding opportunities for employees who are passionate about women leaders, GLBTQI+, differently-abled, and new hires

• Everyday Wins internal recognition programs in one platform

• MindNation that provides mental health support for employees and their dependents

• 3Mgives, a social investment and community engagement program

Reggie Pulumbarit, vice president, 3M GSC Philippines and managing director of 3M Southeast Asia region

MERALCO ICTT HEAD IS 2022 INFO-TECH CIO AWARD WINNER

Meralco first vice president and head of information, communication, technology and transformation (ICTT) Rocky D. Bacani has been recognized as one of the winners at the 2022 InfoTech CIO Awards.

Bacani, who has been instrumental in Meralco’s digital transformation journey, is the only Filipino among the 14 awardees globally under the Large and Enterprise Business category.

Organized by Info-Tech Research Group, one of the world’s leading IT research and advisory firms, the Info-Tech CIO Awards recognizes outstanding IT leaders for delivering exceptional value to their organizations and achieving high scores in stakeholder satisfaction through the Info-Tech’s CIO Business Vision program. This program measures an organization’s satisfaction with IT’s core services and provides CIOs with the foundation to jump-start a successful IT strategy.

Through Bacani’s leadership, Meralco successfully embarked on a digital transformation journey through its Customer Centricity Transformation Program and Digital Projects (CCTP+D), a holistic and end-to-end approach that aims to improve the company’s customer touchpoints and operations. Meralco also launched the Meralco Data Platform (MDP), a platform that enables the creation of management and operational dashboards and insights crucial for business decision-making.

“This recognition signifies the importance of strong synergy between business operations and technology along with the collective commitment to excellence that led to the effective execution of our digital transformation strategy. This is also a clear testament that Meralco’s IT platforms and processes are on par with other

companies globally. I share this award with my colleagues in Meralco who relentlessly work to deliver valuable services for our stakeholders, including our employees and our customers,” said Rocky D. Bacani.

The winners of the Info-Tech CIO Awards were selected from hundreds of eligible contenders and were determined based on IT satisfaction and value scores as assessed and quantified by their direct business stakeholders.

“The most critical metric for any IT leader is stakeholder satisfaction. The 2022 Info-Tech CIO Award recipients have demonstrated excellence through this key outcome and delivered exceptional value to their organizations,” said Geoff Nielson, senior vice president of global services and delivery for Info-Tech Research Group. “It is our privilege to recognize and honor this year’s award winners for the business and industry value they have delivered, and we wish them continued success.”

BLACKLIST INTERNATIONAL DOTA 2 SQUAD

World-class all-Filipino roster breaks the code in Dota 2 in the partnership between Predator Gaming ang Blacklist International

After solidifying their position in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang as a global esports giant, Tier One Entertainment and Blacklist International are finally expanding to Dota 2 in partnership with Predator Gaming. Blacklist Dota 2 is here and the team has some of the best Filipino talents on its roster as it vies for international acclaim in the highly competitive esports landscape.

The star-studded team includes:

• Marc “Raven” Fausto

• Karl “Karl” Baldovino

• Carlo “Kuku” Palad

• Timothy “TIMS” Randrup

• Nico “eyyou” Barcelo

“Tier One has always believed that talents in South East Asia are capable of competing globally regardless of which country. However, we opted to go for a full Filipino squad because we also believe in the value of communication in a team game like DOTA 2. The players from the Philippines have had a long history of success in this game and for me I’m just excited to have the opportunity to see some of the best players in SEA assemble under the Blacklist Rivalry banner and compete against the best in the world.” said Tier One Entertainment co-founder Tryke Gutierrez.

This inaugural Blacklist International Dota 2 squad also joins the prestigious roster of Predator Gaming ambassadors.

“We at Predator are honored to work hand-in-hand with Tier One Entertainment and Blacklist International in helping put the Philippines on the world stage. We

have an extremely talented allFilipino roster playing for Blacklist International and these players happen to be former champions of the Asia Pacific Predator League (APAC PL). We hope this all-star roster can also represent our country in the upcoming APAC PL 2024 which will take place in Manila. We can’t wait to see them break the code and claim another championship in front of a live audience right here in the Philippines! Blacklist International is an organization that Filipinos can stand behind and cheer for together so we’re going to help them succeed any way we can and we are committed to making that happen.”, said Acer

The team’s ultimate goal will definitely be representing the Philippines in The International, the most prestigious Dota 2 tournament in the world, in 2023. Blacklist International officially acquired the slot of Singaporean organization RSG in Division 1 of the next DPC season, which kicks off early next year so fans can catch them in action very soon!

For more information about Predator Gaming, follow Predator’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Philippines general manager Sue Ong-Lim.

NARZO PH OPENS 50TH STORE

narzo inaugurated its 50th store last November 19, 2022, in Las Piñas, Metro Manila. During the ribbon-cutting ceremony held at the 3rd Level of SM Southmall, the newcomer welcomed new customers from the South with games, prizes, and freebies to celebrate its offline landmark achievement.

“We are very happy to have Aerophone as a part of our growing dealer network in the Philippines. narzo’s rapid business expansion as a young brand in the face of tight competition in the local smartphone market is made possible by the strong support we are receiving from both our partners and fans,” says Joanne Idorot, narzo retail head.

“As part of our retail strategy, we’re aiming to establish more narzo stores

in all 17 regions of the country, with a strong emphasis on provinces especially in Visayas and Mindanao. We want to be one of the first

newcomer brands to touch base with rural areas and give them narzo’s quality sulit advantage,” she added.

(From left to right: narzo Sales Head Mr. Johnson Chen; Aerophone CEO Mr. Alex Fong; and narzo Retail Head Ms. Joanne Idorot)

VIRTUAL BOY

VIRTUAL BOY

Words by Jose Alvarez

Is innovation good or bad? The intent of innovation is to improve on a previous idea and make it more efficient or even better than that idea. However, it depends on who you ask. Sometimes innovation can spark success. Sometimes it can utterly fail. It can also teach valuable lessons on what to do next time. Failure is often the motivation to try again — if, at first, you don’t succeed, right? In terms of video game consoles in the 1990s, there were plenty of commercial and critical failures. The Virtual Boy happened to be one of the few blemishes on Nintendo’s otherwise excellent track record.

The story of the Virtual Boy goes back to 1985. Nintendo was not yet a household name in North America. A company called Reflection Technology Inc. (RTI) produced a stereoscopic head-tracking prototype called the Private Eye. The company demonstrated the technology to major toy companies such as Mattel and Hasbro. Ironically, Sega turned this down because of its single-color display and the potential for motion sickness. While Sega took astronomical leaps into the unknown when it came to innovation, Nintendo also had its reputation for doing so. However, the products centered more around the user experience rather than trying to be too far ahead of their time.

Nintendo was enthusiastic about this new technology. The late Gunpei Yokoi, who invented the Game & Watch and Game Boy, saw this as something competitors would find difficult to emulate. He nicknamed the project “VR32” and saw it as a way to encourage more creativity in games. They then signed an exclusive agreement with RTI to license the technology for the display. In the early 1990s, Research & Development 3 was working on the Nintendo 64, so the other two R&D units could free up their time to develop the Virtual Boy. Development began in 1990, and Nintendo even built a dedicated manufacturing plant in China for the Virtual Boy.

BOY BOY

The Virtual Boy was most well known for its red and black graphics. Having actually played the Virtual Boy, I have never really understood their choice of red and black. Still, after researching this article, the reasoning was simple: red LEDs were the cheapest, and not having a backlit screen made the user experience more immersive. Nintendo had to also remove the head tracking feature for both health and legal reasons, giving it the design of goggles on a stand — not the best design choice for what was supposed to be a futuristic console. But this was the 1990s, and trying to develop something we would take for granted today was a pretty Herculean task.

The Virtual Boy made appearances at major video game and electronic conventions such as E3 and the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Nintendo projected sales of 3 million hardware units and as many as 14 million games sold by March 1996. Was this arrogance, or was virtual reality finally here to stay? One telling sign that this would be a commercial failure was the lack of involvement from

Shigeru Miyamoto, according to author David Sheff in the 1999 edition of his book Game Over. Yokoi’s reluctance to release the Virtual Boy in its current form was another factor, yet Nintendo pushed it to market in 1995 so that even more resources would be freed up for the Nintendo 64.

Nintendo released the Virtual Boy in the summer of 1995 at USD179.95 (about USD330 in 2021). It toed the line of not being as powerful as a console, but more powerful than the Game Boy. Some critics had called it a more evolved version of the View-Master. Nintendo reported sales figures of only 770,000 and claimed to have spent USD$25 million on marketing. However, there were reports of dizziness, nausea, and headaches when using the Virtual Boy, with some contemporary articles suggesting that prolonged use could even cause permanent brain damage.

Nintendo also heavily focused on the technology of the Virtual Boy rather than the games. Only 19 games were released in Japan and 14 in North America. The console performed so poorly that the plug was pulled on this particular project in 1996, less than a year after its release. This may have been good for Nintendo, as the company released the Nintendo 64 later that year, which sold nearly 33 million

units. This might have blunted the negative PR from the Virtual Boy.

Sheff placed the failure of the Virtual Boy squarely on Gunpei Yokoi, who left the company shortly after Nintendo discontinued the Virtual Boy. As a result, RTI went out of business by 1997. Yokoi, unfortunately, passed away in a car accident in October 1997. Yet there was some hope for Nintendo to return to VR, even though the prospects were bleak. In 2010, then-Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime even said he was unfamiliar with the Virtual Boy when asked if any of the Virtual Boy games would come to the Nintendo 3DS’s Virtual Console.

Some hobbyists had taken to bringing emulated Virtual Boy games to the Samsung Gear VR in 2016 and the Oculus Rift in 2018. Former president of Nintendo Tatsumi Kimishima also said in 2016 and 2017 that there might be the possibility of a VR peripheral for the Nintendo Switch. Still, as of 2022, this has not yet become a reality. The Virtual Boy only lives on as an example of a commercial failure and innovation that we can all learn from.