Converge ICT Ties Up with Google, Facebook, Netflix, Akamai

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Converge ICT—a provider of world-class ICT products and services in the Philippines—recently tied up with several web giants in the US and Asia Pacific in a bid to bring a better internet experience to its customers in the country.

In an announcement made by the company, they now have a direct peering with tier-1 sites such as Google, Facebook, Netflix, and as well as with content delivery networks provider, Akamai.

“With these partnerships, our customers now experience seamless web browsing once they visit these sites. It also allows our network to have a better data traffic to achieve lower latencies, essential for diminishing internet lags,” said Emil Baniqued, Head of Network Operations of Converge ICT.

These developments are part of the latest upgrades made by Converge ICT, which focused on improving their customer’s internet experience. The company has amplified the bandwidth capacity of its core infrastructure all the way to the distribution of data.

“We have been doing these efforts in line with our thrust of improving the internet connectivity in the country,” explained Jesus Romero, Chief Operating Officer of Converge ICT. “These upgrades are a big leap for the company since we have quadrupled the bandwidth capacity of our network’s backbone. We are also doing these improvements to ensure that we provide best-in-breed ICT products and services to our clients, especially that we are now extending our capabilities to more communities.”

To date, Converge ICT has already connected its fiber-powered capabilities to communities in NCR as well as in Central Luzon.

To know more about Converge ICT internet packages, please visit their website at http://www.convergeict.com/about.ph.

Ayala SureSeats Partners with Globe Digital Ventures

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Customers can soon enjoy an enhanced cinema experience with the SureSeats website powered by Globe Digital Ventures.

Constant moviegoers now have a more convenient way of planning their movie dates and buying their tickets online as SureSeats seals its recent partnership with Globe Digital Ventures at Raffles Hotel, Makati.

Reinforcing the telco’s ties with its Ayala Corporation family, Globe Digital Ventures signed a contract with Ayala’s Sureseats for Globe Digital Ventures’ acquisition and management of its movie schedule and ticketing website, SureSeats.com. This latest partnership allows patrons to experience a faster and hassle-free process of purchasing movie tickets to Ayala Malls Cinemas with the technology that also powers GMovies.

“At Globe, we continue to strengthen our proposition to offer services that will enhance our customers’ digital lifestyle. Innovations like GMovies alongside our strategic partnerships allow us to achieve our objective and provide services that will upgrade the connected experience,” said Ernest Cu, President & CEO of Globe Telecom.

“We are very excited with the partnership of Ayala Malls Cinemas with Globe. We look forward to a rejuvenated Sureseats.com that will elevate the customer experience of our cinema patrons and bring significant growth in membership,” said Amir Precilla, General Manager of Ayala Malls Cinemas.

SureSeats is a complete online ticketing service for all Ayala Malls Cinemas in the country, allowing customers to reserve and purchase their movie tickets ahead of time. This kind of service lets everyone plan ahead, choose their preferred cinema, date, time, and even their seats. Through the partnership with Globe Digital Ventures, SureSeats users will be able to experience a new level of digital convenience and enjoy a more rewarding user experience.

"Partnering with Sureseats - a pioneer brand in the online convenience space for Ayala malls movie theaters, is a milestone for us as we are certain we can take the Sureseats brand to a whole new digital entertainment experience," said Glenn Estrella, Vice President of Globe Telecom Digital Ventures.

Through this partnership, customers can simply enter the cinema without the need for falling in line nor having tickets printed. For more information, visit www.sureseats.com.

Expanded Maternity Leave Bill to Benefit Dads

Wazzup Pilipinas!
"Ang Expanded Maternity Leave Bill ay hindi lamang para kay nanay, pwede din kay tatay."

This was the statement issued on Tuesday by Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros in response to questions whether the paid paternity leaves of working men can also be increased.

Hontiveros, who chairs both the Senate Committee on Women and Senate Committee on Health, filed Senate Bill 215 otherwise known as "The Expanded Maternity Leave Act" to double women workers' maternity leave from the current 60 days to 120 days, with extra 30 days for solo mothers, for a total of 150 days.


"Daddy quota"

The Senator said that fathers can avail of the benefits of the proposed Expanded Maternity Leave Law. She called this the "Daddy quota" of the proposed measure.

"The idea behind the bill is not only to give expectant mothers ample time to ensure the best possible conditions for a healthy delivery, recovery from childbirth and stronger mother-child bond, it also recognizes the role of fathers, adoptive parents and alternate caregivers, and contribute to a more equal distribution of child care among Filipino families," Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros said that 30 days of the proposed 120-day maternity will be alloted to alternate caregivers (spouse, common-law partner, relative up to the 4th degree of consanguinity). Adoptive parents are also included.

“Parenting is a collective effort, and pregnancy is both a delicate and precious time. Pregnancy and child care is not the responsibility of women alone. Fathers and other alternate caregivers deserve the opportunity to create meaningful memories with their partners as they welcome and nurture their children,” Hontiveros said. 

Mga tatay makikinabang sa Expanded Maternity Leave bill ni Hontiveros

"Ang panukalang batas na Expanded Maternity Leave ay hindi lamang para sa mga nanay, pwede rin ito sa mga tatay."

Ito ang pahayag ngayong Martes ni Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros bilang kasagutan sa mga nagtatanong at nagmumungkahing itaas din ang bilang ng paid paternity leave ng mga nagtatrabahong tatay.

Si Hontiveros, chairperson ng Committee on Women at Senate Committee on Health sa Senado, ay naghain ng Senate Bill 215 o ang "Expanded Maternity Leave Act" para doblehin ang kasalukuyang 60 araw na maternity leave sa 120 araw at karagdagang 30 araw sa mga solo parents, sa suma total ng 150 na araw.


"Daddy quota"

Ayon sa senador hindi lang ang mga kababaihan ang makikinabang sa kanyang Expanded Maternity Leave bill, maging ang mga tatay ay kasama dito. Sabi ni Hontiveros, may "Daddy quota" ang kanyang panukalang batas.

"Ang pangunahing layunin ng panukalang batas na ito ay bigyan ng tamang panahon ang mga nanay na magpagaling matapos manganak at masiguro din na may tamang oras na igugugol para sa mother-child bonding. Bukod sa pagbibigay halaga sa mga nanay, kinikilala rin ng Expanded Maternity Leave Act ang papel ng mga tatay, adoptive parents, at alternatibong tagapag-alaga o caregiver na may parehong responsibilidad para alagaan ang mga bagong silang na bata," ani ni Hontiveros.

Ayon kay Hontiveros, sa kanyang panukalang batas, ang 30 araw sa 120 araw na maternity leave ay pwede ibahagi sa mga miyembro ng pamilya na mag-aalaga ng sanggol (asawa, common-law partner, o kamag-anak hanggang 4th degree of consanguinity). Kasama rin ang mga adoptive parents.

“Ang pagiging magulang ay isang kolektibong pagsisikap. Ang pregnancy at childcare ay hindi lang responsibilidad ng mga kababaihan. Ang mga tatay, adopters at alternatibong tagapag-alaga ay kailangang mabigyan ng oportunidad na magkaroon ng makabuluhang panahon kasama ang kanilang mga partners para masubaybayan at maalagaan ang sanggol," sabi ni Hontiveros.