Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Katrina Anne Johnson of Davao Wins as Miss Silka Philippines 2016

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Congratulations to the winners of the Miss Silka Philippines 2016 led by Miss Silka Davao, Katrina Anne Castañeda Johnson - the 2016 Miss Silka Philippines.

The Grand Coronation was held at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati on November 12, 2016.

Other winners are:

Miss Silka Philippines 1st Runner up - Cebu
Miss Silka Philippines 2nd Runner up - Pampanga
Miss Silka Philippines 3rd Runner up - Tarlac

Miss Congeniality - Miss Lanao

Miss Juicy Cologne - Miss Davao

Miss Photogenic - Miss Davao

Online Choice Award - Miss Iloilo

Best in Talent - Miss Bicolandia

Best in Casual Wear - Miss Zambales

Celebrity heartthrob Piolo Pascual serenaded the candidates earlier with song numbers. Hotspot was also there earlier to grace us with song numbers.

Miss Silka Philippines 2015, Kimberly Weber, was stunning in her elegant white dress during her farewell walk, and to welcome soon the next lady to wear the crown of Miss Silka Philippines for 2016.

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“(I spent) seven months of not hosting on TV. I promised myself, babalik ako for a once in a lifetime, one-on-one interview,” Kris Aquino said.

And that one-on-one interview was supposed to be with the President. However, Kris Aquino’s one-on-one interview with Pres. Duterte did not push through. It was supposed to be her much publicized, much anticipated one-on-one interview with the President of the republic. But as it turned out, television personality Kris Aquino was "stood up" by President.

"President Duterte doesn't know what he's missing" says Kris. Kris tried to lighten the mood after the President skipped the small and medium enterprises summit in Davao City. It was indeed an it was an epic snub which also led Kris Aquino to say "One day mamahalin mo rin ako" to the president who was said to be not feeling well that day. The president arrived before dawn on Friday in Davao City from a two-day visit to Malaysia.

The popular TV host handled the sticky situation with humor by posting a #GandangDiNapakinabangan hashtag after President Rodrigo Duterte's no-show at an event on November 11, 2016 called the "Townhall Interview with the President" at the National Micro, Small, and Medium Entrepreneurs’ (MSME) Summit 2016 organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Go Negosyo Foundation, TV-5 and state-run TV station PTV 4.

"I apologized again that the date hindi natuloy (did not push through). I was stood up. But I assume the next time, he realized that it was fun, sisipot na siya (he will attend)." say Kris.

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At the recent November 10 “China Philippines Dialogue 2016” forum organized by the “China Daily” newspaper at Peninsula Manila Hotel in Makati City, the Philippines, various speakers led by the Philippines’ newly-designated ambassador to Beijing Chito Sta. Maria look forward to better Philippine and Asian economic growth prospect with the normalization of Philippine-China bilateral economic, diplomatic, cultural and other ties due to efforts of President Rody Duterte. He cited new railways in Mindanao of southern Philippines, seaports, agriculture and others as areas where both countries can cooperate.

Former veteran journalist Chito Sta. Maria said that in tackling differences like territorial disputes over the Scarborough Shoal or Spratly isles, the reformist government of President Rody Duterte prefers the pragmatic and more effective “quiet diplomacy instead of megaphone diplomacy”. Sta. Maria said that China’s pragmatic leaders can reciprocate goodwill in negotiations, citing examples of China concluding territorial dispute agreements with like Russia and Vietnam after several years of high-level bilateral talks with each neighbor.

Sta. Maria explained that Duterte’s announcement of “separation” from longtime military ally and former colonizer USA and charting a new independent foreign policy is his way of pursuing a “hedging strategy” for the Philippines to “diversify risks and maximize the gains” from two superpowers the U.S. and China. The new envoy said that the new pragmatic approach shall also make the Philippines no longer be perceived byChina or others in the international community as “a pawn or vassal state” of the United States.

Former CNN Beijing bureau chief and now Peking University Visiting Professor Jaime FlorCruz is also supportive of President Duterte’s reformist efforts to uphold an independent foreign policy for the Philippines, in rebalancing the country’s diplomatic and economic ties with all powers.

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The new face of the most undisputed "Selfie Expert" has been revealed and it was no other than one of the most popular charming faces in the Philippines, Alden Richards.

With so many celebrity endorsements under his name, Oppo has surely wanted to cash in on his popularity as well. But who wouldn't ? Aside from his partner, Maine Mendoza aka Yaya Dub, which creates their viral tandem we all know as AlDub, the other popular celebrity couples could not really stand on their own when separated from each other.

In this case, we can see Alden Richards making a grand influential presence on his own minus Maine Mendoza. Though they are obviously stronger together since the female part of the AlDub fame also has a lot of followers, not too many brands can manage to afford the talents fees of the two combined.

But as for me, Oppo alone is also a brand that has able to effectively reach out to its consumers with its specifications that beats most brands within the competition. The barnd has not only revealed Alden Richards as its brand ambassador, it has also launced a limited edition Oppo F1s in metallic grey color. The previous Oppo F1s are available in gold and rose gold.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We invite you to witness Miss Silka 2016 Grand Coronation on November 12, 2016, 3:30 pm at the Glorietta Activity Center, Makati. Who do you think deserves to be crowned as the next Miss Silka Philippines 2016?

Vote for your favorite candidate at http://silkaskincare.com/vote.aspx for Miss Silka 2016 People's Choice Award! Who among these amazing ladies do you think deserves this award? Vote now!

Miss Silka Philippines is an annual pageant that aims to celebrate the Filipina’s beauty, confidence and sense of commitment.

"Cosmetique Asia together with Cornerstone Entertainment presented to the members of the media the thirty (30) candidates vying for the title of Miss Silka Philippines 2016 at Felicidad Mansion in Quezon City.

Silka, celebrating its 15th year, aims at selecting its next brand ambassador from the gorgeous delegates coming from all over the Philippines. The beauty brand will bring together delegates from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao who are blessed not only with fair and smooth skin, but also with confidence and sense of commitment to her community.

The winner will be crowned during the finals slated at the new Glorietta Activity Center on November 12, 2016. Reigning Miss Silka Philippines Kimberly Weber of Zambales will turnover his crown and title. The winner will also get a chance to donate cash to her chosen non-goverrnment organization courtesy of Cosmetique Asia." - Missosology

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Artistang Artlets, the Official Theater Guild of the Faculty of Arts and Letters of the University of Santo Tomas, has been in active service to the Thomasian community for the past 36 years. As part of the guild’s thrust to promote theater as an alternative educational tool for the people inside and outside the university, we will be staging our Major Production for this academic year 2016-2017.

Si Maria Isabella at ang Guryon ng mga Tala is a story based from Dean Francis Alfar’s The Kite of Stars. This was one of the most acclaimed productions in the Virgin Labfest 2015 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines written by Eljay Castro Deldoc and is to be directed by John Michael Peña and produced by Mary Claire Aquino this November 15, 16 and 17, 2016. The time slots will be 1 PM, 3 PM, 5 PM and 7 PM at Tan Yan Kee Auditorium, Tan Yan Kee Bldg., University of Santo Tomas.

As part of our goals and aspirations for this season, we aim to produce community development projects that would not only give great impact to the participants but would also bring about long lasting changes within them. In line with this, ArtistangArtlets will be holding a project entitled “Passion Project” together with our partner community, Cecilio Apostol Elementary School. ArtistangArtlets aims to teach the students the basics of theater-making and performance, to let the students assimilate themselves as vital parts of the production itself, which will in turn be a fundraising event for them to have a theater guild in their school.ArtistangArtlets, the Official Theater Guild of the Faculty of Arts and Letters of the University of Santo Tomas, has been in active service to the Thomasian community for the past 36 years. As part of the guild’s thrust to promote theater as an alternative educational tool for the people inside and outside the university, we will be staging our Major Production for this academic year 2016-2017.

Si Maria Isabella at ang Guryon ng mga Tala is a story based from Dean Francis Alfar’s The Kite of Stars. This was one of the most acclaimed productions in the Virgin Labfest2015 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines written by Eljay Castro Deldoc and is to be directed by John Michael Peña and produced by Mary Claire Aquino this November 15, 16 and 17, 2016. The time slots will be 1 PM, 3 PM, 5 PM and 7 PM at Tan Yan Kee Auditorium, Tan Yan Kee Bldg., University of Santo Tomas.

As part of our goals and aspirations for this season, we aim to produce community development projects that would not only give great impact to the participants but would also bring about long lasting changes within them. In line with this, ArtistangArtlets will be holding a project entitled “Passion Project” together with our partner community, Cecilio Apostol Elementary School. ArtistangArtlets aims to teach the students the basics of theater-making and performance, to let the students assimilate themselves as vital parts of the production itself, which will in turn be a fundraising event for them to have a theater guild in their school.

Time schedule for the three (3) play dates:

TUES: Nov. 15- 11am, 1pm, 4pm, 6pm
WED: Nov. 16- 10am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm
THU: Nov. 17- 2pm, 4pm

Donald Trump is My President: What People Say About America's New Leader

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"There must be a side of Trump that the media ignores. The real Donald Trump must be good. There must be something out there that shows he is not racist, sexist, or homophobic. That he is not motivated by greed; that he's genuine. And that he is generous even when no one's looking. I am looking for those traits because now, Donald Trump is my president."

Congratulations to the new President of the United States of America (USA). This actually means most surveys, even the ones done in the Philippines, are inaccurate. You simply must prepare yourself to any outcome even if it's a total surprise for most Filipinos, here and abroad.

Just thirty-seven per cent of respondents to the network exit poll said that Donald J. Trump was qualified to be President; sixty-one per cent said that he was unqualified. And yet, on January 20, 2017, it will be Trump who will be inaugurated.

Donald J. Trump has won the presidential election in a stunning upset. How were you all feeling on the day after hearing about Donald J. Trump's victory? In his very first speech, he is very respectful of Hillary Clinton and notes: "...it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division. It is time for us to come together as one united people. It’s time.”

He must make a stab at uniting the country, after a scorched-earth campaign in which he consciously tore at the nation's gender, racial and economic fault lines to build a movement to win power. Whether or not America is ready for President-elect Donald Trump, the Walt Disney Company is prepared. Lol!

Trump's candidacy seemed like a bad joke. His victory has left a country shocked and ravaged by discord, especially along racial lines. This goes far beyond the usual partisanship. Some leftists are having a harder time than others adjusting to the idea of a Donald Trump presidency. But did you know that the Simpsons predicted Donald Trump to be the president 16 years ago? I an episode called "Bart to the Future", Lisa was elected as his successor. We have to face the reality that Donald J. Trump has been elected the 45th president of the United States, the capstone of a campaign in which he won over white voters with the promise to "Make America Great Again."

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The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship (ONE), returned to the Singapore Indoor Stadium for another exciting evening of world-class mixed martial arts (MMA) action. ONE: DEFENDING HONOR showcased Asia’s premier combat sports talents on the global stage of MMA with a series of compelling bouts. In the main event, Eduard Folayang shocked the world by stopping Shinya Aoki to become the new ONE Lightweight World Champion. In the co-main event, Marat Gafurov retained his title with a submission victory over Narantungalag Jadambaa.

Visit the official ONE: DEFENDING HONOR photo gallery by clicking: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ivh34n9pza3q94o/AADwuMwRg-gnDecd5AIBoQyTa?dl=0

In the main event, Eduard “Landslide” Folayang of Baguio City, Philippines completes his journey through ONE Championship’s lightweight ranks by stopping Asian MMA legend Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki by technical knockout within three rounds to clinch the ONE Lightweight World Championship. Aoki dominated the first round with his Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but Folayang came alive in the second round as he opened up his striking, showcasing his world-class wushu talent. In the third round, Folayang rocked Aoki against the cage fence and finished him off with ground-and-pound.

In the co-main event of the evening, reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov of Russia successfully defended his title against challenger and top contender Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa of Mongolia. It was the champion’s second title defense, after lifting the belt from Jadambaa a year ago. After a brief exchange of strikes, action quickly went to the mat when Jadambaa missed a kick and fell to the canvas. Gafurov followed the Mongolian down and that’s where he worked on the submission. Jadambaa was able to defend for a few moments, but once Gafurov re-established himself, the choke came effortlessly.

Lightweight prospect Amir Khan of Singapore overcame a spirited effort from former Pan Asia BJJ Champion Vaughn “The Spawn” Donayre of the Philippines to win by submission in the third round. After spending the first half of the bout tagging each other with various striking combinations, the two fighters decided to take things to the mat. On the ground, Khan showcased his technical brilliance, threatening Donayre with multiple choke attempts while dominating the grappling exchanges. Although Donayre had his moments, particularly catching Khan in a very deep kimura attempt, the younger fighter survived to win by rear naked choke in the third round.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Seven remaining teams will have a taste of Vietnamese delicacy in The Amazing Race Asia Season 5

After arriving first at the pit stop for the past two legs, will Indonesia’s Treasuri & Louisa score a hat trick in tonight’s episode? Singapore’s JK & Mike struggle to move beyond second last place so will they turn the tide and move to safer ground this time around? Only seven teams remain and the stakes are so much higher, who will be eliminated this week?

Catch the all-new exciting episodes of The Amazing Race Asia Season 5 every 9pm only on AXN. For behind-the-scenes clips and extra footage, visit www.AXN-Asia.com/TARA or join the conversation on Facebook at TheAmazingRaceAsia.

AXN is seen on Cable Link Channel 38, Cignal Digital TV Channel 61, Global Destiny Cable Channel 61, Dream Channel 20, GSat Channel 51, and SKYCable Channel 49. AXN HD is seen on SkyCable Channel 247.

#AXNTARA

Friday, November 11, 2016

New NatGas Plants to Help Secure Energy Supply -Cusi

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OH MY GAS: Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi led the commercial operation ceremonies of the 414-MW San Gabriel and 97-MW Avion Natural Gas Power Plants Friday (11 November) in Batangas City. In photo is Sec. Cusi (right) shaking hands with Lopez Group Chair Emeritus, Oscar M. Lopez. Also, witnessing the ceremonies are (L-R) First Philippine Holdings (FPH) Chair & CEO Federico R. Lopez, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, former Senator Sergio Osmeña and FPH President and Chief Operating Officer Francis Giles Puno during the said event.

Committed to provide reliable and clean power supply towards industrialization, the Department of Energy (DOE) welcomes the commercial operation of the two natural gas-fired power plants, which were inauguratedFriday (11 November) by First Gen Corporation in Batangas City.

Considered the cleanest among the known fossil fuels, the 414 megawatts (MW) San Gabriel and 97 MW Avion Natural Gas Power Plants support the increasing economic growth trajectory target of 7-8%, while also balancing the energy mix.

In his Keynote Address, Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said “San Gabriel and Avion’s combined capacity of 511 megawatts will help secure our energy supply for the years ahead.”

Sec. Cusi emphasized that “It is also imperative for the DOE to find the right energy mix by considering technological advancements and all possible energy options, while also factoring in the growing social awareness on energy sustainability.”

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Jollibee, the Philippines’ leading fast-food chain, is known for its unparalleled support for Filipino family values. Following the viral advertisement #KwentongJollibee “Kahera”, the brand released yet another heartwarming online video, “Handog Kay Lola Maria”, that featured the exemplary proof of the selflessness, support, and love of grandparents.

The video featured a 74-year-old Badjao grandmother named Lola Maria Tequillo who, despite her old age, dove for coins thrown by tourists at a nearby pier in Lucena, Quezon Province to support her family, most especially her four grandchildren. Lola Maria was discovered through a viral feature of broadcasting network GMA’s documentary program, Front Row.

“Ang hanap-buhay ko ay maninisid araw-araw, mga bente-anyos na ako maninisid dito, (I dive for spare coins for a living and I’ve been doing it every day for 20 years now),” said Lola Maria in the video. “Pupunta ako sa pier, mag-aabang talaga ako ng barko at manghihingi talaga ako ng barya. Minsan parang ako’y aabutan ng mahinang katawan, kaya lang, konting tiis para naman meron kaming makain. (I head to the pier, wait for a ship to pass by, and ask its passengers to throw in some coins for me. Sometimes, my body would be too weak but I have to continue doing this so my family will have something to eat).”

Jollibee celebrated this year’s Grandparent’s Day by heading to Quezon Province to treat Lola Maria and her loved ones to a hearty Jollibee feast. Soon after, Jollibee, in partnership with Coca-Cola Philippines, granted Lola Maria her dream sari-sari store so that she never has to dive for coins again. Through the Coca-Cola partnership, Lola Maria and her daughter was also provided important sari-sari management tips and basic information on how to effectively run and maintain their new source of income.

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Late night shoppers started very early to take advantage of Lazada’s 2016 Online Revolution. Customers looking for the best deals from trusted brands started coming in from 12 midnight today. As of 9am, www.lazada.com.ph recorded 100,000 items, 29% of which came from the health and beauty category, with electronics as a close second.

Shoppers relished in the choice of products available to them at amazing offers –all at up to 95% discount. The very first order came from a customer in Tarlac City, who ordered a KDS Beats-0022 100dB Stereo Subwoofer Over-the-Ear Headphones.

Lazada’s Online Revolution excitement started much earlier this year,” said CEO Inanc Balci, “We’ve had an exciting and long night, with crowds of late-night owls turning into early-bird shoppers snapping up the best deals from Samsung, L’Oreal, P&G, BUM, Starmobile, Mamy Poko, among many others. Watch out for more deals coming later today and in the next 4 weeks for your Christmas shopping.”

The Online Revolution sale continues until December 12. Following 11.11, and during the next 4 weeks leading up to 12.12, Lazada is focusing on satisfying its customers’ interests with a weekly curated selection of products for beauty fans, supermoms and families, techies and fashionistas.

Be part of history as Lazada kicks off the Christmas shopping season with the best brands and wallet-friendly deals. Get a chance to win an Isuzu D-Max and Turkish Airlines international roundtrip tickets for all your shopping. Visit www.lazada.com.ph or download the Lazada mobile app for free.

Filipino Language Now Available on Microsoft Translator

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Leading the efforts to support and increase the reach of communication globally and locally, Microsoft Translator announces the addition of Filipino together with five other Austronesian languages, including Malagasy, Fijian, Samoan, Tahitian and Tongan. These new languages mark the addition to over 50 languages already available in the translation tool.

Being able to improve communications that traverses a breadth of geography is important when supporting communications between peoples, business and governments and to bring people of different cultures closer together.

With Filipinos around the globe speaking the language and more nationalities coming to the Philippines wanting to learn, these additional languages on Microsoft Translator will help users communicate better across different types of platforms.

Translator, whenever and wherever

A cloud-based and automatic service, the Translator is available in a wide range of Microsoft products and apps that facilitate communication in varied scenarios where translation is necessary. It is currently being used by many businesses worldwide for their applications and workflows to help enable their content reach a bigger, worldwide audience.

Specifically, the customizable, effectively scalable and business-ready Microsoft Translator is available on Bing, Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Cortana, Edge and Yammer. Microsoft Translator also has a full suite of apps for PCs and mobile devices including Windows, Android (including Amazon Kindle tablets), and iPhone.

It also offers a free open-source Document Translator app to easily translate batches of documents while preserving their formatting, and is available as a Web Widget, to easily, and at no cost, add multi-language support to website.

Learn more about Microsoft Translator:

· Getting started using the Translator API

· Microsoft Translator App

· To learn more on how translation works, visit Automatic Translator and Microsoft Translator.

Big Show, Big Moments with the Lenovo Pocket Projector

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The all-new, ultra-mobile innovation offers huge advantages for work presentations and pleasant surprises for gamers and home theater fanatics

Global technology leader Lenovo recently announced the availability of its latest innovation in the Philippine market: the Lenovo Pocket Projector, a carry-anywhere projection dynamo that turns any room into a private theater with a push of a button. All eyes will be on this device which allows work presentations, movies, TV shows, home videos, games, or photos to be shared and project up to 110 inches of stunning display.

Powered by Lenovo’s vibrant color technology, the Pocket Projector delivers amazingly high contrast images and features a built-in lithium ion battery for extreme mobility.

“The Lenovo Pocket Projector helps users turn simple visuals into big cinematic moments,” said Michael Ngan, Country General Manager, Lenovo Philippines. “This is the first standalone projector of Lenovo that truly delivers innovative technology right where it matters: display, versatility, and true portability. As always, Lenovo utilizes the rapid advances in imaging technology to provide consumers with innovations that allow them to make the most of their images, videos, and ideas.”

Larger-than-life brilliant display

Dim and blurry projection is a thing of the past with the Lenovo Pocket Projector, which consistently delivers stunning display of up to 110 inches with a 50-lumen, high-contrast Digital Light Processing (DLP) Technology optical engine designed and developed by leading semiconductor manufacturer Texas Instruments. DLP technology allows projection quality of up to 1080p for larger screen sizes, perfect geometry and linearity of images, and a wider range of colors than other display technologies.

Every small detail is clear and vivid, making the Pocket Projector perfect for any type of presentation, even for discerning, meticulous clients. Couple this ultra-portable projector with a great speaker system and you can turn a boring old room into a high-end theater with dramatically crisp and clear visuals.

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In a bid to further push financial inclusion in the country, Globe Telecom, Cebuana Lhuillier and Mynt inked a memorandum of agreement that will pave the way for several initiatives combining the products and services of the three companies.

The tripartite partnership was signed by Globe President & CEO Ernest Cu, Cebuana Lhuillier President & CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier, and G-Xchange President Albert Tinio. G-Xchange is a subsidiary of Globe Telecom’s wholly-owned financial services unit Mynt.

“The idea is to disrupt the traditional banking system of having to personally go to a bank, fill out forms, fall in line and pay for bills or deposit money. This initiative will create an avenue for the companies to leverage on each other’s strengths and capabilities to create a better financial system for the consumers,” said Cu.

Meanwhile, Lhuillier stated, “This undertaking is a great opportunity to address the financial concerns of many Filipinos, especially those in unbanked and underbanked communities which is very aligned to what we do as a company. I am glad that Cebuana Lhuillier, together with Globe and Mynt, is taking this big step to revolutionize the way we serve our mutual clients. I am certain that this partnership will positively impact the lives of many individuals.”

Most of the initiatives involve GCash, a micro-payment service operated by G-Xchange. Already commercially available, one of the projects allows GCash customers to perform cash-in and cash-out transactions in any of Cebuana Lhuillier’s 1,800 branches nationwide. Also being developed are systems that would enable GCash accounts to submit payments for Fuse loans and accept proceeds of international remittance. Other projects in the works include the vice versa conversion of rewards points under the loyalty programs of Globe and Cebuana Lhuillier, cross-selling of Cebuana Lhuillier’s microinsurance product, development of donation channels for Cebuana Lhuillier’s chosen beneficiaries, real-time posting of Globe Bills, reselling of Globe AMAX, a mass market postpaid product, and other innovations that that would make financial services more conveniently available.

In addition to the commercially available products and services, the partnership will also yield business-to-business solutions and other initiatives catering to internal stakeholders.

During the official announcement of the partnership, all three companies emphasized the need for innovative offerings, the value of convergence and the importance of technology in order to achieve financial inclusion.

Globe is a telecommunications company with a mobile subscriber base of about 65 million, while Cebuana Lhuillier is a micro-financial institution that has over 1,800 branches in the Philippines, and Mynt is a FinTech startup wholly-owned by Globe and offers a range of key financial services.

PHOTO CAPTION: (L-R): President and CEO of Globe Telecom Ernest Cu, President and CEO of PJ Lhuillier Jean Henri Lhuillier and President of G-Xchange Inc. Albert Tinio