Lamudi and MyProperty to Begin Offering Virtual Tours of Properties

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippines’ best real estate marketplaces are looking to further the buyer experience with VR tours of properties for sale and for rent

As the Philippines’ Internet landscape continues to advance, the manner in which local real estate is marketed, bought, and sold continues to evolve with it. Convenience remains the name of the game, with buyers wanting to explore as many real estate options as they can, and sellers and brokers wanting to reach as many customers as they can.

Lamudi Philippines and MyProperty, the leading real estate marketplaces in the country, are looking to further improve property-buyers’ online experience via virtual tours. Developed by taking several photographs of a place and stitching them together to produce a full 360° view of the area, virtual tours give anyone who has Internet access via computer or smartphone a comprehensive view of a space from almost anywhere and at any time.

Lamudi Philippines’ Virtual Reality Specialist and Google StreetView Trusted Photographer Carlo Salgado says brokers and sellers stand to greatly benefit from the upcoming feature. “Interactive media such as virtual tours greatly increase views, and online listings with a virtual tour definitely receive more views than those without it.”

“Virtual tours would also save buyers, sellers, and brokers a lot of time,” Salgado adds, “as it works like a permanent open house, where property viewing can happen 24/7 even without the presence of the seller or broker.”

Apart from giving prospects a look at how properties on the market would look if they were actually standing in the space, virtual tours could also give them an idea of how these properties look during the day, night, and at different weather conditions.

It’s More Fun for Geeks in Panglao Island, Bohol!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It will be easy for geeks, people who are understood to be connoisseurs of tech, design and startups, to find Panglao Island to be a fun-filled and exciting place to visit. Gone are the days when the term geek used to refer to a circus performer whose act includes the eating of live animals. But today’s tech-dependent geek are not only certified tech-savvy millennials but also fun-loving, playful, witty, encyclopedic, and inquisitive party-enthusiasts. Of course, not all geeks are created equal so some may prefer quiet and relaxed atmosphere with nature. All of which can be found in Bohol.

Panglao Island has been the favored watering hole of tourists, diving enthusiasts, and nature lovers alike with its pristine waters, palm trees, white sand beaches, and coral reefs. A small town of over 68,000 people, Panglao is a mere half-hour away drive from the provincial capital Tagbilaran in the southwestern coast of Bohol in the Philippines. Its proximity to civilization while retaining its charms as an almost untouched tropical paradise should make it the perfect place for adventure-seeking yet tech-dependent geeks.

This is the place to be for geeks looking for an all-in-one escapade with resorts, bars and souvenir shops in an 80.5 square kilometer island considered to be one of the leading marine biodiversity hotspots in the world. Geeks can go island-hopping, dolphin watching, or take a dip in an underground lake inside a coral cave. Panglao is also the site of Hinagdanan Cave that hides within its naturally lighted depths a lagoon. It is also very near Loboc River which is world-famous for its river-cruise and floating restaurants.

Interestingly, Alona Beach is Panglao’s most famous beach. One intriguing detail about Alona Beach, where many of Panglao’s resorts and shops are located, is its name. This one and a half kilometer stretch was named so by locals after sexy star Alona Alegre filmed a television advertisement for an alcoholic drink in the beach wearing revealing bikini attire on horseback.

Globe Telecom Files Case Before Court of Appeals

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Globe Telecom filed a case before the Court of Appeals to preserve the multi-billion peso deal which will allow the telecommunications company to immediately use the underutilized frequencies owned by SMC for public benefit.

In its petition for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus with prayer for a temporary restraining order, Globe emphasized that when the acquisition was made in late May of this year, the parties have strictly followed the provisions of Sections 4 and 5 of the PCC Memorandum Circular No. 16-002. Under the MC, the deal is deemed approved if they are “consummated after the effectivity of the memorandum circular but before the effectivity of the implementing rules and regulations.” The PCC however chose to disregard this and took the position it is not bound by its own rules.

Under the own rules of the PCC, the transaction is already “deemed approved”, and the PCC cannot by whim or caprice state that it wants a review without any legal basis. The PCC cannot withhold and block the transaction out of a process not found in their own rules, and not disclosed to the public.

Despite this Petition, Globe continues to roll out using the co-used spectrum with the joint buyout of San Miguel’s telco assets, as the company is committed in improving the internet experience of its customers. Specifically, the company is activating the 700 MHz frequency spectrum in about 500 based stations in various parts of the country. Globe is also making use of its additional allocation in the 2600 MHz band to provide additional layer for its LTE network for faster data connectivity.

Globe further insists that there is nothing anti-competitive with the transaction to warrant its disapproval. In fact, the immediate use of the underutilized frequencies have spurred a series of competitive data offers that drastically brought down prices of mobile data for prepaid customers.