AirAsia MOVE named Digital Innovator of the Year at Aviation Festival Asia 2026

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AirAsia MOVE team, led by Lim Ben-Jie, Chief People and Partnerships Officer (right) accepted the award from Sohail Ali, Aviation Consultant and AFA Award presenter (middle) at the Aviation Festival Asia Keynote Stage yesterday.

 

SINGAPORE, 26 March 2026 – AirAsia MOVE (MOVE) has been named ‘Digital Innovator of the Year’ at the Aviation Festival Asia Awards 2026. The accolade, presented at the ceremony on Wednesday, recognizes the platform’s pivotal role in transforming the digital travel booking landscape in the region.

Aside from being a travel platform that offers access to over 700 global carriers and more than a million hotels, MOVE is powered by enhancements to its AI-driven AskBo chatbot, a refreshed user interface, and exciting offerings such as MOVETIX, its global live-events ticketing platform and Easy Cancel feature.

Nadia Omer, CEO of AirAsia MOVE said, “Being recognized alongside industry leaders like Qatar Airways and Changi Airport Group reinforces our position at the forefront of travel innovation. With over 15 million monthly users, we are encouraged by this award to continue providing affordable travel, enabling our guests to favour discovery for less. This is a testament to the hard work of our Allstars and the trust of our partners, guests and those who voted for us."

MOVE’s next phase will emphasize social discovery, enabling users to find trip inspiration through content, and booking it all seamlessly in one place, and remains committed to being a platform that keeps travellers curious, connected, and inspired.

Domestic abuse tops VAWC-related calls to 911; victims assured of safe, confidential reporting

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Domestic abuse continues daily in Philippine households, alongside wife battery, maltreatment, and rape, while children face online sexual abuse and exploitation, violent discipline, incest, bullying, neglect, psychological abuse, and economic exploitation.



Data from the Emergency 911 National Office from January 2025 to February 2026 shows domestic trouble as the most reported case, with 2,533 calls involving physical, sexual, psychological, or economic abuse. Wife battery, maltreatment, and rape cases followed at 214,209 and 106 incidents, while 173 calls involved child abuse.



Other cases included sexual harassment (80), acts of lasciviousness (60), prostitution (8), human trafficking (5), abandoned children (3), and abortion (1). Most VAWC calls came from Calabarzon, Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Cebu Province, followed by Dumaguete and Bacolod.

E911 National Office Executive Director Francis Fajardo said the hotline receives an average of 300 to 500 VAWC-related calls monthly, with increased reporting since the September 2025 rollout of Unified 911. He clarified that the rise does not necessarily mean more abuse, but reflects improved reporting through an easy-to-remember hotline and faster response using next-generation technology.



Call-handling efficiency also rose to 98 percent from 48 percent in 2024.



Despite this, many victims remain hesitant to report, even with confidential assistance available through the Philippine National Police and barangay VAWC desks.



Robert Llaguno, Country Head of NGA Philippines, assured victims they can safely and privately call 911.



“Abuse victims need not fear exposure or suffer retaliation from their tormentors when they call for help using 911. The next-generation emergency system that we have has enhanced security and privacy protocols that protect caller confidentiality even while voice calls, real-time text, photos or videos are being transmitted. The system is built on secure, IP-based networks that make sure personal data shared during an emergency is used only for the purpose of delivering immediate assistance,” Llaguno explained.



“All data, including caller location, is protected from unauthorized access during the emergency call. Digital infrastructures make sure that all information shared between caller and the emergency call center is confidential and secure. The system is engineered to protect the caller and also provide situational awareness to the first responders,” Llaguno assured.



He added that access is simple and nationwide.



“There are only three numbers to remember wherever you are in the country. Dial 911 and within seconds, the integrated system goes to work. Trained call takers evaluate the call to determine what type of emergency response is needed. The call goes through a network that engages the national police, the Bureau of Fire Protection, medical services and LGUs so help arrives almost instantly at the exact location of the call.



“The service is free and is available 24/7. It is language-sensitive so callers can converse in Tagalog, Cebuano, Waray, Ilocano, Tausug, and other native languages,” Llaguno added.



He urged continued use of the system beyond Women’s Month.



“It is time for women and children anywhere in the Philippines to get the respect, care and protection that they deserve. Now they have someone who will listen, act, and protect them from harm. The unified 911 system is designed to give citizens peace of mind and a reliable lifeline.”



As DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said, “Unified 911 should not just be a hotline. It is a lifeline. Every second matters, every call matters, every life matters. This is government fulfilling its promise that help will always be within reach.”

The Million-Ton Moonshot: Microsoft and Liferaft Strike Historic Blow Against Carbon

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In the quiet, rolling landscapes of Iowa and Illinois, a quiet revolution is being unearthed. What looks like simple black charcoal is becoming the cornerstone of a high-stakes battle for the planet’s future.

In a move that sends a seismic shock through the burgeoning carbon removal industry, tech titan Microsoft has inked a massive, ten-year deal with U.S.-based Liferaft. The agreement is staggering in scale: Microsoft has committed to purchasing one million carbon removal units (CRUs), marking the largest biochar-based carbon agreement ever witnessed on American soil.

The Alchemy of Biochar

At the heart of this deal is an ancient process reinvented for a modern crisis. Biochar—or biological charcoal—is created by heating organic waste like forest residue and crop husks in an oxygen-free vacuum. This process, known as pyrolysis, prevents the biomass from rotting and releasing CO2 back into the atmosphere.

Instead, the carbon is "locked" into a stable, rock-solid form. When buried in the earth, this carbon doesn't just disappear; it stays sequestered for centuries. But the magic doesn't stop at storage. This "black gold" is blended with compost to rejuvenate depleted soils, boosting fertility and helping farmers heal the land while they save the sky.

A Rural Renaissance

This isn't just a win for the climate; it’s a lifeline for the American Heartland. The CRUs will flow from Liferaft’s state-of-the-art facilities in Iowa and Illinois, transforming local agricultural waste into a high-value global commodity.

"We are excited to announce this transformative deal," said William Cowell de Gruchy, CEO of Liferaft. He emphasized that the project is about more than just carbon—it’s about people. The deal is set to spark a surge in high-quality job creation and specialized training in rural communities that have long been overlooked by the tech boom.

"This demonstrates how carbon removal can strengthen agricultural communities, improve land outcomes, and deliver durable climate impact," noted Phillip Goodman, Director of Carbon Removal at Microsoft.

Microsoft’s Race to Zero (and Beyond)

For Microsoft, this million-ton acquisition is a tactical strike in its ambitious "Moonshot" climate goal: to be carbon negative by 2030. The company isn't just looking to erase its current footprint; by 2050, it intends to remove every ounce of carbon it has emitted since the day it was founded in 1975.

With a record 45 million metric tonnes of carbon removal agreements signed recently, Microsoft has established itself as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the carbon market. By partnering with Liferaft, they are betting big on biochar’s scalability and its unique ability to offer low-cost, long-term storage.

The New Standard

Facilitated by the carbon marketplace Supercritical, the deal was built on a foundation of rigorous "Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification" (MRV). Every ton of biochar is tracked from the pyrolysis kiln to the farmer's field, ensuring that the carbon stays exactly where it belongs: out of the air and in the ground.

As the world watches, the fields of the Midwest are no longer just growing corn and soy—they are growing a cooler, more stable future for the planet.