Your 13th month pay is just around the corner, and as much as you want to enjoy the fruits of your labor and check out everything in your cart, it’s best to be wise about spending your hard-earned money. With ShopeePay, not only can you save more, but you can also enjoy big rewards while embracing the season of giving. Here are three tips on how you can make the most out of your year-end bonus with Shopee’s integrated mobile wallet, ShopeePay.

Be on the lookout for the best deals for big savings

Filipinos start the holiday shopping season as soon as the -ber months hit. If you’re thinking of saving up for holiday gifts to your friends and family and you're on a budget, why not not check out ShopeePay’s ₱1 Deals? Get your aunt a Christmas basket from Puregold or your nephew delicious treats from Potato Corner, Bonchon, Candy Corner, and Goldilocks. If you want something useful or educational, National Bookstore has some great finds, too. Want to give load to a student doing online schooling or reconnect with friends and loved ones via video phone calls? Load up using ShopeePay and get up to 10% off on load and promos from all networks.

Pay your bills ahead of time -- and get cashback too!

With the busy holiday season up ahead, being able to save time doing errands is a big help. With ShopeePay, you can conveniently pay for all your monthly bills with just a few taps on your phone. Not only that, you can even get up to 25% bills cashback for Electricity, Landline, Internet, Water, Postpaid Mobile, Credit Card, and TV Cable companies such as Meralco, Maynilad, Globe, Smart, PLDT, BPI, and over 60+ ShopeePay partner billers.

Cash in for more cashless transactions

Other than Christmas gifts, we also need to take care of other responsibilities this holiday season; like buying load, paying bills, and even buying groceries for our holiday festivities. ShopeePay makes it easier to go cashless when checking off our Christmas to-do list, as users can now cash in their ShopeePay wallet for free via InstaPay! You can cash in instantly from your bank apps such as RCBC, Metrobank, BPI, Chinabank, Unionbank, and more. Even better, until December 5, 2021, you can skip the added fees when you get up to ₱25 cashback on your InstaPay fee*.

Though it can be tempting to buy all the gifts to treat ourselves and our loved ones, it’s important to keep in mind that we should be practical on how we spend our money, even with our 13th month pay. With ShopeePay, not only can you enjoy greater savings, you can also look forward to plenty of rewards. Activate your ShopeePay now and experience seamless online transactions when you Buy Load, Pay Bills, and Scan to Pay with ShopeePay.

Download Shopee for free on App Store or Google Play Store

Two years into the coronavirus outbreak, there is no denying that the world has changed. At the onset of the pandemic in 2020, governments all around the world scrambled to find ways to contain the pandemic.

The virus also unleashed a deadly blow to the global economy, disrupting supply chains and forcing businesses to halt operations.

The power industry was not spared from the effects of the pandemic. Industry players had to think quickly and strategically about how to adapt to the new normal.

Power distribution utilities like the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) had to ensure that safeguards are in place so that operations regain stability at the soonest possible time as it put even more important to the health and safety of its customers and employees.

The current situation also underscored the importance of continuous, reliable, sufficient, and cost-competitive electricity supply that is necessary to carry out the efforts to fight COVID-19, to help businesses recover, and to sustain the needs of the people who are working from home.

Power service in 2020 most stable in NCR—study

As the Philippines continues to thread the challenges and impacts of the pandemic, Meralco lives up to its commitment to deliver impressive electricity service to its customers.

Data from the Department of Energy (DoE) and Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) showed that Meralco has among the lowest rates in the Philippines, according to energy think tank Energy Intel Philippines.

National Capital Region (NCR), which is served solely by Meralco, has the fourth-lowest generation charge at P4.38 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in 2020.

Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon (CALABARZON), portions of which are also served by Meralco, registered the third lowest generation charge of P4.27 per kWh in the same year.

The lowest generation charges in 2020 were recorded in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Eastern Visayas which were at P3.91 per kWh and P4.13 per kWh, respectively.

Even with one of the lowest rates, Meralco fulfills its mandate to deliver efficient and reliable electric service.

Energy Intel Philippines also stated that Meralco tops other regions in terms of the frequency and duration of its power interruptions – which are both indicators of service stability and reliability.

Meralco’s system average interruption frequency index (SAIFI), a metric that shows how often customers experience a sustained power interruption that lasts more than five minutes, was the lowest in the Philippines at 1.501 times in 2020, a 15 percent improvement compared to the 1.769 times in 2019.

Meanwhile, the distributor’s system average interruption duration index (SAIDI), the average duration of interruptions per consumer, improved to only 163 minutes in 2020 from the 188.37 minutes a year prior.

Meralco aims to further lower its SAIFI to only one time and SAIDI to 100 minutes. In fact, in its latest performance report, the company’s SAIFI and SAIDI even went further down to only 1.154 times and only 109 minutes, respectively, as of end-September.

As a result of its system loss management initiatives, Meralco’s system loss as of end-September improved to 5.61 percent from 6.18 percent in the same period in 2020 – and well below the ERC’s 6.5 percent cap.

Balancing service with compassion

Cognizant of the challenges being faced by its customers amidst the pandemic, Meralco deferred disconnection activities as early as March 2020. The suspension remained in areas that were under strict quarantine classifications until October 2021.

Customers who are also encountering difficulty in settling their dues have been given the option to avail of installment plans of four to six months to give them more time to pay their electricity bills.

In addition, Meralco introduced innovations to make it even easier and safer for customers to reach out by offering virtual customer assistant (VCA) services and online customer appointment (OCA) services.

The VCA allows customers to speak to Meralco representatives working from home, while OCA provides scheduled visits at business centers if they still feel the need to do so.

Meralco also worked with Bayad Center to have VCAs available at select Bayad Centers, with more VCAs continuously being rolled out.

Meralco President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa said: “Over the past months, Meralco had been called to provide continued quality service under unprecedented situations. We have seen and heard firsthand the plight of our customers who have been economically challenged by the pandemic, and we took it upon ourselves to respond with the kind of service they need now – consistent and reliable, but most of all, driven by humanity and compassion.”

COVID-19 facilities highly prioritized

To support the government’s fight against the pandemic, Meralco also works to energize key facilities, including hospitals and vaccination centers.

Through the Meralco COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-out Task Force, Meralco is closely monitoring in real-time all circuits serving these vital facilities, which allows the distributor to respond faster to any unforeseen outage.

To date, over 140 COVID-19 facilities have already been energized by the distribution giant and this includes government offices, hospitals, testing laboratories, quarantine and vaccination centers, and vaccine storage facilities.

Among these facilities are the Mega Field Hospital at the Rizal Park; the Tondo Health Center that will be used as a vaccination center; We Heal As One Treatment Center in Pasay City; the Pharmaserv Vaccine Storage Facility and the COVID-19 Vaccination Facility in Marikina; the RT-PCR Testing Center in Makati City; the COVID-19 Treatment Facility in Malabon City; and the Solaire- PAGCOR Mega Quarantine Facility in Paranaque City.

The list of these vital COVID-19 facilities, especially the vaccination centers, is expected to expand as the government ramps up the inoculation for the younger population. The company said it is committed to continuing to prioritize the energization of these COVID-19 vital institutions until the COVID-19 is eventually contained.

Infrastructure development and a more resilient distribution network

As the country moves towards post-pandemic recovery efforts, Meralco also supports infrastructure development and ensures that network facilities are in place for timely construction of some major transportation projects, including the EDSA Common Station, LRT-1 Cavite Extension, MRT-7, NLEX-SLEX Connector Road, and Skyway Stage 2.

The company as of end-September relocated a total of 1,170 electric poles to support the government’s Build Build Build projects, while some 933 electric poles have been retired for the road widening projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The company also continued to expand and upgrade facilities to build a more resilient distribution network. Major capital projects completed in the first nine months of 2021 include the expansion of the First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) substation and San Mateo substation.

Just recently, Meralco also announced that it was transforming a 2.1-hectare property in Paco, Manila into a sustainable Meralco facility for a period of 10 years.

Get ready for some of the best deals on TECNO Mobile’s new “Movie Master” CAMON 18 Series! The premium smartphone brand has incredible bundles and discounts in store for shoppers at the Black Friday Sale from November 22-26, 2021. This is happening exclusively at the TECNO Mobile Flagship Store in Lazada and the TECNO Mobile PH Official Store in Shopee Mall.

To date, CAMON 18 is the most advanced pro-camera phone to come out of TECNO Mobile’s CAMON line. Ideal for filmmakers, and anyone who enjoys taking videos with their smartphones, CAMON 18 Premier features a Stabilized Gimbal Camera, enabling it to deliver a #SuperSteadyShot in every video captured.

Video enthusiasts will also enjoy shooting with the CAMON 18P model from the series, which is equipped with a 48MP clear and steady video camera, plus a 13MP 50mm pro portrait camera. Another great choice for mobile videography and photography is CAMON 18, which has a 48MP multi-function triple camera. CAMON 18 Black Friday Exclusive Offers Shop at the Black Friday Sale from November 22-26, and get the CAMON 18 Premier for only Php 14,990, CAMON 18P for just Php 10,490, and CAMON 18 for Php 8,999.

You may also choose from specially discounted Black Friday Bundles during the sale to avail of a CAMON 18 smartphone plus awesome AIoT smart accessories from TECNO Mobile. Get a CAMON 18 Premier bundled with TECNO Buds 1 for only Php 15,989, from its original price of Php 17,189. Another option available to buyers is the CAMON 18 plus TECNO Buds 2 bundle, priced at only Php 9,798, from its original price of Php 10,498.

Apart from the CAMON 18 bundles and discounts, other TECNO smartphones will be offered at special prizes during the Black Friday Sale, too. The brand is offering special discounts on TECNO Mobile’s AIoT products as well, including the TECNO Watch with smart temperature detector and smart health management, TECNO Buds, and TECNO Bravo B1 earbuds. Watch out for these at the TECNO Mobile Flagship stores in Lazada and Shopee, and other partner retail stores.

Don’t miss any of the amazing discounts and bundles coming to the TECNO Mobile Flagship Store in Lazada and the TECNO Mobile PH Official Store in Shopee Mall during the Black Friday Sale. Plus, stay tuned for even more discounts, promos, and bundles at the TECNO Mobile Pay Day Sale happening on November 27 and 30, 2021.

Stay updated on all the latest promos when you like and follow TECNO Mobile Philippines on Facebook. Visit www.tecno-mobile.com/ph to learn more about your favorite TECNO Mobile smartphones and gadgets.

Faberco Life Sciences Inc, an emerging Philippine-based pharmaceutical company is one of the firsts to bring in COVID-19 drug Molnupiravir (Molnarz) to the country, making the Philippines the first country in South East Asia to have access to this first-ever COVID-19 oral treatment.

Molnupiravir is the first oral antiviral drug that will prevent mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 from progressing into severe disease that needs hospitalization.

Developed by Merck & Co, Inc, (MSD), it has given the manufacturing rights to eight top generic manufacturers in the world for low and middle-income countries, including Faberco’s manufacturer, Aurobindo Pharma Ltd.

Faberco has currently made Molnupiravir (Molnarz) available in the Philippines through Compassionate Special Permit (CSP) issued by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration.

Though not yet available commercially, Faberco, has chosen RiteMed Philippines, Inc. to distribute Molnupiravir (Molnarz) to the private sector including hospitals, medical institutions, and treatment sites under compassionate use which allow institutions to procure and distribute products under study, or those awaiting approval for immediate use in emergency situations. 

FABERCO EXPECTS PHILIPPINE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION EUA APPROVAL SOON

Faberco Life Sciences, Inc. (Faberco) expects the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (PFDA) to approve its Emergency Use Application (EUA) application for the use of Molnupiravir in the country after the oral treatment received EUA approval in the UK few weeks ago.

“We are anticipating the approval from the Philippine FDA in the coming weeks” said Faberco Life Sciences Inc. founding member and Chairman of the Board, Vinay Panemanglor.

Molnupiravir, the first antiviral medication for COVID-19 is taken as a pill rather than given as an injection. In clinical trials, the pill, originally developed to treat flu, cut the risk of hospitalization or death by 50% when given as a 5-day treatment regimen in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. The drug needs to be given within five days of symptoms developing to be most effective. 

Molnupiravir is the first COVID-19 drug that can be administered outside of a hospital setting, before the illness has progressed to a severe stage.

This milestone in the history of the country’s fight against COVID-19 would not have been possible if not for the support of the Philippine government. The company lauds and continuously supports the government’s efforts in providing COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, which remains to be the cornerstone in preventing severe disease and deaths due to COVID-19.

“Faberco Life Sciences, Inc commits to the Filipino people to make available and accessible this life-saving drug, bringing hope and giving our nation more reason to celebrate this Christmas and welcome the new year with more optimism and enthusiasm”, said Mr. Kishore N. Hemlani, the company’s founder and Vice-Chairman of the Board.

Smartphones have been a great part of our lives in everything we do, from communication to simply using them for our hobbies. These days, many continue to be on the lookout for a mobile device that can not only keep up with their aesthetics and lifestyle but also perform well within a certain budget.

Leading global smartphone brand OPPO recently announced their new addition to the best-selling A-series family, the OPPO A95 which is an affordable smartphone that offers winning features and stylish design.

High Performing Phone for High Performing You

In our fast-paced world, efficiency is a key to success. The OPPO A95 has increased speed and powerful performance that allows you to multitask seamlessly without any device lag thanks to its latest processor, the Qualcomm ® Snapdragon TM 662 platform. Storage can also be expanded with the help of the RAM Expansion Technology which allows you to have more room for apps, photos, and videos.

It also boasts ColorOS 11.1 which gives an efficient and convenient user experience, FlexDrop which can be used to resize the windows for the opened apps that ensure smooth multi-task among different applications; and Private Safe to keep private images, videos, audio, and other files.

Longer Battery Life

The OPPO A95 only needs 72 minutes to get fully charged. It comes equipped with a Battery Guard feature which helps prevent overcharging. It also has Charging Heat Control to monitor the temperature and control the heat coming from your phone during charging and Super Power Saving Mode and Super Nighttime Standby to maximize your smartphone’s battery life when you’re on the go.

Quality Shots whenever and wherever you are

It also boasts its clear 48MP triple-rear camera setup, perfect for your portrait and mobile photography to give you high-quality images. It also allows your photos to be automatically improved in terms of colors, saturation, and brightness thanks to the AI Scene Enhancement and Night Mode that can be useful for your flat lays, landscape, and cityscape photography. OPPO A95 front camera is also ideal for your selfies as it has beautification and a night mode to improve your selfies wherever you are.

Gaming Capacity with all the speed and mode you need

Gamers will find the OPPO A95 a delight to use thanks to its patented Hyper Boost technology which ensures a more stable gaming experience, less battery consumption, and better temperature control. Additionally, features like Game Space, Game Assistant, Game Focus Mode, and Bullet Notifications all contribute to creating a fully-immersive and interruption-free gaming experience.

Smartphone Style with Durability Like No Other

OPPO A95 is available in two variants, the Glowing Rainbow Silver and Glowing Starry Black. It has the exclusive OPPO Glow Design that gives the back cover of your phone a subtle shimmering appearance accompanied by fingerprint-resistant, scratch-resistant, wear-resistant, and fire-resistant that surely give you the flawless aesthetics you are looking for in a phone.

Chase Your Dreams with Your Smart Performer

#OPPOA95 is available via OPPO Brand Stores nationwide and retails at PHP15,999 that comes in Glowing Rainbow Silver and Glowing Starry Black. From November 11-17, Lazada is giving free OPPO Enco W11 for those who will purchase OPPO A95 during this period. This will be officially available in all OPPO Brand Stores, partner dealers, Shopee, and Lazada on December 1.

Additionally, get this latest handset for as low as PHP641.00 of installment up to 18 months via Home Credit.

To know more about the latest OPPO A95, visit the OPPO Flagship Store at Lazada and Shopee, the OPPO Philippines’ official website at www.oppo.com.ph or its official Facebook page at OPPO Philippines.

Photo shows the on-site launch which kicked off the new partnership between FPGMC’s ethyl alcohol brand AlcoPro andbeep™ card of  AF Payments Inc.

 

Commuters in Metro Manila can expect an added level of protection against COVID-19 in their daily trips as First PGMC Enterprises Inc. (FPGMC) ethyl alcohol brand AlcoPro enters into a new partnership with beep™ card, a stored-value contactless card of AF Payments, Inc.

The new partnership will see not only the production of AlcoPro-branded beep cards, but also the distribution of free 60ml AlcoPro samples at beep-enabled bus stations all across the metro. AlcoPro 1L pumps are also available for commuters’ use on each card distribution and loading booth. This move is a testament to AlcoPro’s commitment to keeping Filipinos safe, sanitized, and healthy as they go about their daily commutes.

The new partnership will see not only the production of AlcoPro-branded beep™cards, but also the distribution of free 60ml AlcoPro samples at beep-enabled bus stations all across the metro.

“Keeping our hands clean and sanitized is very important, not only to combat COVID-19, but also to prevent a range of other infections,” said Joseph Charles Cruel, New Business Development Group Head of NutriAsia, during the event that kicked off the new partnership.

“This is why we are grateful for this partnership with beep™ card. It is our own way of empowering more Filipinos to be extra vigilant with hand hygiene to combat the spread of the virus and thus win the battle against COVID-19. We will continue to respond to the needs of millions of Filipinos all over the world and remain a steadfast partner in mapping out better, brighter days for our country.”

“We have formed a strategic partnership in light of the pandemic to bring more value to our customers through this very unique opportunity. Even though we are from different industries, what we both do is help Filipinos go back to normal lives. We accomplish this with our beep™ cashless product, while you do it with your AlcoPro sanitation products,” said Bing Barraquias, head of transportation of AF Payments Inc.

The partnership kicked off with an on-site launch at the BGC Bus Terminal McKinley at EDSA corner Ayala Avenue, Makati City last October 15. Free AlcoPro beep™ cards, as well as 60 ml AlcoPro samples were distributed to commuters at the terminal. Distribution of free cards and samples continued in BGC Market-Market and Precious Grace Transport Trinoma Terminals. It will be extended to EDSA Carousel buses later this year up to early 2022.

AlcoPro is a 70% ethyl alcohol that is naturally sourced from sugarcane, posting a 99.9% kill rate against illness-causing germs. It contains Aloe Vera and Pro Vit B5, which act as moisturizers for the skin and comes in a Powder Fresh scent for a light and clean fragrance.

beep™ is a stored value contactless card that can be used for fare payments in Metro Manila’s three elevated railways—LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3—and can be used for fare payments in a growing number of Point-to-Point (P2P) buses and PUVs nationwide. Outside of public transportation, beep™ can also be used to pay for Cebu Ferries and is accepted in selected Ministop branches.

In a recent survey, results showed that 5 out of 10 Filipinos claim they are bothered by the dry skin they experience due to regular alcohol usage. Another interesting insight was that 6 out of 10 Filipinos agree that roughness of skin is a characteristic of dry skin. Aside from roughness, 3 out of 10 also agree that dry skin is characterized by stinging sensation, skin peeling and presence of skin cracks, the survey revealed.

These concerns can be alleviated with the use of AlcoPro with the following benefits validated in a clinical test:

- Dermatologically and clinically proven and tested safe

- Gentle on the hands

- Clinically proven to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses

- Clinically tested effective to moisturize skin

For more information and updates about AlcoPro, follow AlcoPro on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/alcoproph.

 

Today, we all need take care of health and live safe. That is why Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol encourages Filipinos to live safe with many establishments slowly re-opening and allowing people to resume their pre-pandemic lifestyles.

With the nationwide vaccination program in full force, Filipinos can slowly enjoy various activities such as more dining options as well as doing physical activities by going to the gym. However, health experts continue to remind everyone to not let their guards down even as we gradually go back to normal.

As there are reports of new and potentially more contagious variants, everyone must remain vigilant through following established health protocols and getting vaccinated so we can all continue to live safe and prevent the cases from surging again.

That’s why when we do essential errands such as buying groceries, exercising outdoors, or simply going outside, disinfecting your hands and any surface you interact with goes a long way to ensure living safely for you and your family.

One way to prevent the spread of the virus is by always carrying a trusted rubbing alcohol brand that contains at least 70& alcohol solution whenever you go outdoors. 

It seems that alcohol will be one of the must have in our bags. Like me, a mom, will always keep my self safe for my family.  

Now that face-to-face events are starting, I really need to be safe by having alcohol in my bag always, to disinfect.

Defensil 70% Solution Isopropyl Alcohol, the alcohol recommended by the Philippine Society for Microbiology (PSM), can kill 99.9% of common germs and bacteria starts to kill them on contact so that you can safely do the activities you love wherever you are. Defensil also provides up to 12 hours of protection upon constant use so that you are protected and do activities with ease.

Skin dryness from too frequent sanitizing will also not be a worry as Defensil has moisturizing properties and is hypoallergenic, giving you one less thing to worry about when going indoors.

"We are 100% behind the government in their efforts to prevent further spread of the virus. Defensil encourages everyone to remain vigilant now more than ever and do our part in this fight towards eventually resuming our normal way of life by adhering to social Distancing and sanitation protocols, especially when doing essential errands outdoors," shared Nikko Cruz, Brand Manager of Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol.

For more information on how to stay protected, you may visit the Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol’s Facebook page at facebook.com/defensil.philippines.