Globe cited for outstanding Environmental, Social & Corporate Governance work by The Asset Corporate Awards

Leading telecommunications firm Globe Telecom reaped another major accolade for its Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) initiatives, winning the award 6 times for the past 9 years.

Globe again won the Platinum award given by The Asset Corporate Awards, the longest-running ESG award-giving body in Asia. The company received the prestigious award in recognition of its exceptional work in the Environment, Social and Corporate Governance space.

This year also marks the sixth time that Globe Telecom won the Platinum award, having won last year and previously in 2014, 2013, 2010 and 2009. The award further highlights the company’s consistent performance when it comes to its Environment, Social and Corporate Governance efforts. The award is bestowed annually by leading research firm Asset Benchmark Research (ABR).

“We are grateful for this recognition as we strive to manage our business impact while contributing to positive social change. Embedding sustainability practices in our business guide us in our decision-making processes to further improve our service to Globe customers and delight our shareholders,” explains Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer.

The Asset Corporate Awards consists of three categories: Platinum, Gold and Titanium. It offers a rigorous benchmarking service for listed companies in the region when it comes to corporate sustainability, which allows firms to join an exclusive and elite sphere of top corporations.

The criteria for evaluating these companies include a wide range of metrics regarding financial performance, which is also a barometer for gauging management acumen. Companies are also evaluated according to the quality of their governance, social responsibility, environmental responsibility and investor relations.

Since its inception in 2001, the Asset Corporate Awards has enabled past winners to bolster its credentials when it comes to showcasing their ESG efforts.

Nominees are first assessed through an online questionnaire submitted by the company plus supplementary information it provides. Several factors are then considered, which range from an evaluation of financial performance, management, corporate governance, social and environmental responsibility and investor relations. A point-score is awarded in each relevant category then the submissions are checked and assessed in detail.

Afthe initial assessment, interviews are conducted to acquire feedback, particularly from the investor community. Scores are then awarded based on this qualitative assessment, which adds additional thoroughness and objectivity to the awards.

For the final phase of the assessment, The Asset Corporate Awards editorial board carefully checks both quantitative and qualitative data to safeguard the results against any inconsistencies and maintain the awards’ integrity.

Public Advisory: Broadband service disruption in Cebu and some areas in the Visayas

PUBLIC ADVISORY

We sincerely apologize to our wireline broadband customers in Cebu and some areas in the Visayas region for the service disruption on our wireline broadband services. Our services are now fully restored and back to normal.

The disruption was due to a major fiber cut in the vicinity of Canduman, Mandaue City that occurred at 8:35 this evening, caused by a vehicle that dragged our cable. The situation was further exacerbated by an existing undersea cable cut which is currently undergoing repair, preventing it from carrying internet traffic in the said areas.

We appeal to our affected broadband customers for their understanding.

Globe taps partners to give surprise Noche Buena packs and transport discounts to returning OFWs, tourists

Globe Telecom's International Business Group, together with Philippine Airlines, Puregold, and the Manila International Airport Authority, pulled another Christmas surprise for arriving Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), balikbayans, and tourists this time from Hong Kong and Singapore. 

Upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Terminal 2, all passengers of flight PR502 and PR319 from Singapore and Hong Kong, respectively, were welcomed with holiday greetings and Noche Buena gift packs by representatives of the four organizations. 

Each passenger received a Noche Buena package and a P100 e-voucher discount from Grab, together with a free Mabuhay Miles Traveler SIM card which gives them 500 bonus Mabuhay Miles from PAL, free 300MB of mobile data and unlimited calls to Globe valid for one day, plus a 10% discount at selected Duty Free Philippines shops. 

This was the third and biggest one in a series of surprises prepared by Globe and its partners for OFWs and tourists this month, following the special treats provided to passengers of PR659 from Dubai last December 7 and to all passengers who arrived in NAIA Terminal 1 on December 17. 

"As Christmas draws nearer, more and more of our kababayans who work and live abroad come home to be with their loved ones. There is nothing like spending Christmas with family in the Philippines, going to Simbang Gabi, enjoying traditional Filipino goodies, and gathering for the Noche Buena feast. We at Globe, and our partners, wanted to share this joy and appreciation to our hardworking OFWs as well as to welcome tourists with our signature Filipino hospitality," said Jurist Gamban, Vice-President for Strategic Marketing for Globe International Business Group. 

The series of surprises was in celebration of the first year partnership of Globe and PAL. Globe and PAL are working together to be of service to more Filipinos in and out of the country with a common advocacy of delighting international visitors and returning Filipinos by giving them a wonderful experience every time they arrive in the Philippines. 

Caption 1:  

Caption 2:  

Globe Telecom wraps up TM Basketball Para Sa Bayan with championship games

 

 Provincial winners of Globe Telecom's TM Basketball Para sa Bayan travelled to Manila for the championship games spearheaded by PBA top player LA Tenorio.

 

Globe Telecom's TM Basketball Para Sa Bayan wrapped up another successful year of extending a helping hand to local communities by supporting sports development, particularly among underprivileged kids and youth throughout the country.

 

Just recently, TM Basketball Para Sa Bayan reached out to kids from Talavera, Nueva Ecija and Porac, Pampanga on December 10 with free basketball clinics and 3-on-3 tournaments. The first three stops were in Tondo, Dumaguete and Tuguegarao.  

 

No less than LA Tenorio, one of the country's top athletes, and his Method Basketball Academy led the way as they taught aspiring basketball players the fundamentals of the sport, like dribbling and shooting. The 33-year-old Tenorio, who is known for his big heart on the court, also inspired the kids to pursue their goals no matter how hard it gets. Following the conclusion of sports clinics conducted in various provinces, winning youth teams from the provinces traveled to Manila to train with Tenorio before competing in the championship games.

"It has been the company's goal to reach out to local communities especially the youth through sports under TM Basketball Para sa Bayan. It was a very fruitful year in terms of helping underprivileged kids throughout the country and we would like to thank LA Tenorio and his Method Basketball Academy for spending his time and effort. He is truly a champion on and off the court," said Chelle Obligacion-Gray, Globe Director for Citizenship and Advocacy Marketing.

The basketball runs aim to promote a healthy lifestyle, good values and create equal opportunities to Filipinos at the grassroots level. Through the sports clinic, Globe aims to emphasize the importance of sports in the formative development of today's youth. Sports is an effective tool to develop values and give kids opportunities to go to school.

 

Studies show that sports teaches self-discipline and builds confidence not only while playing but more importantly, off the court. It also helps kids veer away from drugs and keep them in school.

TM, being the number 1 prepaid brand of Globe, shares this advocacy of grassroots development and inclusivity, hence, the hashtag #LahatKasamaSaSaya.  A pair of 3-on-3 tournaments, split into two categories (youth and open), were held in each of the legs. The participants were made up of kids and teens aged 9 to 14 while those who joined the open division were aged 15 to 21.

 

 

GCash dominates Philippine retail e-payment landscape with over 4,000 QRs deployed nationwide

 

GCash dominated the Philippine retail e-payment landscape in 2017 with over 4,000 QRs deployed nationwide, a testament to the growing number of merchants who believe in the capability of GCash to usher in cashless payments in the country.

 

A mobile wallet service offered by Mynt, a financial technology company owned by Globe Telecom, Ant Financial and Ayala Corp, GCash has been relentless in helping Filipinos get used to a cashless lifestyle and has been bullish in its vision to create an inclusive cashless environment in the Philippines. E-payments provide safety and convenience when shopping for goods and services as people need not carry around loads of cash anymore.

 

In August this year,  GCash introduced the scan to pay feature in the GCash App  that allowed customers to pay by simply scanning QR (quick response) codes of merchants.

 

"With the GCash scan to pay feature, we bring in technology that lowers the cost of transactions. By enabling merchants to accept payments at virtually no cost, we are actually creating convenience for the merchants and translating that benefit back to the customers and that's how it becomes more accessible for everyone" said Anthony Thomas, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mynt.

 

"Before, you need a POS or a reader for the cards acceptance. But today, we eliminate all that.  With GCash, you can pay without cash.  That's the convenience that we bring to our customers," he added.

 

To date, QR payments across different merchants all over the country have been deployed successfully, transforming the local retail scene into a cashless landscape.

 

More than 4,000 GCash QRs are now being accepted in various merchants nationwide, including the biggest players in the retail industry such as Ayala Malls, Robinsons Department Store, SM Malls, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls Cinema, Puregold, Ministop, and NCCC Malls.

 

Other merchants where customers can pay using the GCash QRs are:

 

 *SSI Group, which carries an extensive portfolio of established international brands such as Banana Republic, Beauty Bar, Jimmy Choo, Burberry, Gap, Bally, Calvin Klein, Clinique;

 

 *Max's Group, the largest casual dining restaurant company in the country.  It includes Max's Restaurant, Krispy Kreme, Kabisera, Pancake House, Yellow Cab, Teriyaki Boy, Jamba Juice, Dencio's, Sizzling Steak; and,

 

 *Bench Group, which includes Bench, Human, Kashieca, Aldo, Charles & Keith, Cotton On, American Eagle.

 

Smaller sellers located at celebrity bazaar destination Noel Bazaar and food haven Mercato Centrale have also adopted the cashless payment option.

 

Over the next few months, GCash will continue to lead the way in promoting a cashless ecosystem in the country by aggressively rolling out the use of the scan to pay feature in other locations nationwide. This is aimed at encouraging more people to use it in day-to-day shopping, dining, entertainment, and other activities.

 

To start enjoying the benefits of the GCash scan to pay feature, customers must download the app for free from the App Store or Google Playstore and register an account. Once installed, customers can cash-in or reload at any GCash kiosk and digital payment booth in Globe Stores, and in over 12,000 GCash Partner Outlets such as Robinson's Business Centers, SM Business Centers, Puregold branches, 7-Eleven Cliqq kiosks, and TouchPay kiosks, among others.

 

Through the QR-based mobile payment system, customers can shop by just scanning the QR codes displayed by partner merchants and establishments. With the new smartphone application, there will be no need for customers to carry around wads of cash. It makes purchasing the latest fashion items or paying services more convenient and secure while eliminating the chance of having misunderstandings over payments and getting the wrong change.  With GCash, shoppers can skip long lines, keep track of their expenses and minimize the risk of theft, all through the use of their smartphones.

 

More Filipinos now streaming HD videos

By now, everyone is aware that internet speeds vary per country for various reasons.  Arguably, netizens in the Philippines have a love-hate relationship with their ISPs.  While this may be so, one thing is true across nations around the world: people love to be entertained. 

 

With the Philippines tracking a regular speed of 5.5 Mbps on wired and 12.33 Mbps on mobile, Globe Telecom's data traffic from major video streaming services including YouTube and Netflix accounted for 27% of total data traffic in mobile and broadband LTE at the end of September this year.

  

The significant contribution of video-streaming services in mobile and broadband LTE traffic reflects the company's aggressive deployment of infrastructure and technologies to increase network capacities and address customers' growing bandwidth requirement amid increasing popularity of on-demand video content.  

Joel Agustin, Globe Senior Vice President for Program Governance, Network Technical Group, emphasized that Globe is able to sufficiently provide a good quality of video experience for its customers despite current challenges in establishing telecommunication infrastructure that include cell sites. "The continuing deployment of LTE sites and fiber-optic cables for wider coverage and enhanced capacities is in anticipation that customer demand for bandwidth-intensive video materials such as those provided by Netflix and other video-streaming services will steadily increase moving forward," Agustin said.

A YouTube video with a resolution of 1080 pixels could be streamed with an internet speed ranging between 3 Mbps and 6 Mbps (https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2853702?hl=en-GB). Also, Standard Definition (SD) video content requires less bandwidth especially in small screen devices like mobile phones.

 

Agustin emphasized, however, that increasing customer requirement for on-demand multi-media content necessitates a continuing build of the company's network infrastructure such as cell sites and deployment of fiber-optic cables.  For many years now, Globe has had to deal with permitting difficulties in establishing right-of-way and cell sites in many villages and subdivisions as many homeowners associations are too slow in addressing the company's right-of-way applications, effectively tying the telecommunication provider's hand in addressing customer demand for high-speed internet service.

 

To date, Globe has so far deployed more than 5,000 LTE sites nationwide, using the spectrum assets it acquired last year including frequencies on 700 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz for wider coverage and increased capacities.  Majority of the company's LTE sites were deployed in Metro Manila and other high-density areas, where many of the country's smartphone users are located.  Mobile data traffic in January to September this year surged 73% to 430 petabytes from 249 PB a year earlier as smartphone penetration increased to 70% at the end of third quarter.

 

 

Level-up the Wi-Fi experience in every part of your home with the Globe Tech Squad

 

Having problems with your home Wi-Fi connection? To ensure that you make the most out of your Wi-Fi connection, Globe At Home introduces the Globe Tech Squad, our special tech customer service team that will provide end-to-end support for Wi-Fi connectivity and home-related needs.

With a one-time fee of P1,200, Globe At Home customers can avail of the Globe Tech Squad service. The Globe Tech Squad will diagnose the different spaces of your home to identify potential signal interferences, improve the Wi-Fi signal by recommending the best router placement to increase signal strength & coverage, and resolve connectivity issues with the necessary Wi-Fi mesh extenders and configuration. They can also connect all existing devices in the home to the Wi-Fi such as TVs, laptops, security cameras, printers, speakers etc.

"Globe at Home has always committed to providing first-world internet to all our customers. Now, we want to improve the experience by making the Globe Tech Squad service available so everyone can maximize their Wi-Fi connection and enjoy watching the latest videos, play their favorite games, and listen to the best music available at home," shares SVP for Globe At Home, Martha Sazon.

The Globe Tech Squad also offers Airties Wi-Fi Mesh, which extends Wi-Fi coverage to eliminate dead spots around the house and ensure that customers can enjoy Wi-Fi in every corner of their homes. The Globe Tech Squad will be able to assess and install the right number of Airties needed to ensure the major parts of the home are covered.

Globe customers can avail of Airties Wi-Fi Mesh via two payment options: upfront payment of P3,600 or charged to bill at P150/month for 24 months added on to your Globe At Home plan.

For more information on the Globe  Tech Squad call the Globe hotline at 730-1000.

 

Globe, Disney partner to support HERO Foundation

 

Globe, Disney partner to support HERO Foundation

launches 'Create. The Hero Within' campaign in time for new Star Wars movie

 

 

Globe Telecom and Disney reaffirm its strong partnership with the launch of the campaign Create. The Hero Within that encourages the public to support Filipino Soldiers' children's education through the HERO (Help, Educate, and Rear Orphans) Foundation.  

In time for the premiere of the latest Star Wars installation Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Globe launched its newest video found on its official Facebook page showing the journey of a mom and her son through a myriad of challenges.

The story shows a mom who works as a medical volunteer that spends long periods of time in various assignments. Despite her frequent absence, the mother sees to it that she is able to "train" her son to be on his own by taking-in the Jedi lightsaber spirit.

"We want to shed light and give our support to our heroes who risk their lives when their service is called upon. We hope that through this campaign, we are able to inspire others to share their strength and impart the values of kindness, compassion and courage. With Disney and HERO Foundation, we can create a better future for them and help them toward a brighter future," explains Albert De Larrazabal, chief commercial officer of Globe Telecom.

The heartwarming video rallies more Filipinos to be a hero to others by supporting the programs of the HERO Foundation. Globe customers can lend their support through the following mechanics on http://www.globe.com.ph/star-wars/be-a-hero.

A non-stock, non-profit organization, HERO Foundation has been providing educational stipends to military orphans. The financial support helps keep these children in school as it covers much needed requirements such as school supplies, transportation, meals and even a portion of their tuition fee. 

Globe customers can also easily donate to the HERO Foundation from December 6 to December 31, 2017 using their Rewards points through the Globe Rewards App. Customers can just download the app, click on the What's Hot section then choose DONATE. Available denominations include HERO10, HERO20, HERO30, and HERO100. Globe Rewards will double the points donated from Dec 16 to Dec 22, 2017.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi will be out in cinemas nationwide starting December 13, 2017.

Download the GMovies app and call on your bravest and most reliable movie buddy to get two (2) movie tickets to the screening of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" from December 13 to 15. This exciting treat is exclusive to Globe Postpaid customers.

 

AirAsia celebrates inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Davao

Onboard AK590 at 10.25am with 100% load factor.

Passengers happily waiting at KLIA 2.

SEPANG, 22 DECEMBER 2017 - AirAsia has celebrated its inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur to Davao, Philippines. The new route will operate with four times weekly flights between Davao and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

 

A receiving ceremony was held at Francisco Bangoy International Airport to celebrate the maiden flight AK590 at 2.25PM with a 100% load factor. All guests on board the flight were presented with souvenirs.

 

Celebratory all-in-fares from PHP1599* one-way are available for booking online at airasia.com from now until 31 December 2017 with travel period from now until 30 June 2018. The promotional fares are also available on AirAsia's mobile app on iPhone and Android devices, as well as mobile site at mobile.airasia.com.

 

The new route signifies the fourth direct route from the Philippines to Malaysia after Manila, Cebu and Kalibo. AirAsia also connects guests to other cities in the Philippines including Clark, Manila, Caticlan, Kalibo, Tacloban, Palawan, Cebu and Tagbilaran.

 

For latest AirAsia news, activities and promotions, please follow AirAsia on Twitter (twitter.com/AirAsiaFilipino) and Facebook (facebook.com/AirAsiaPH).

Water Canon salute upon arrival at Francisco Bangoy International Airport, Davao City, Philippines

AirAsia Philippines CEO Capt. Dexter Comendador welcoming the passengers.

Flight schedule for Davao, Philippines (DVO) - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KUL)

 

Flight No	From	To	Departure	Arrival	Flight Schedule
AK591	DVO	KUL	1455	1845	Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday
AK590	KUL	DVO	1025	1425	Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday

 

 

Red Planet Manila Bay Is Now Open!

Red Planet Manila Bay opens its doors today!

Red Planet Manila Bay Is Now Open! JAPAN    INDONESIA    PHILIPPINES    THAILAND RED PLANET MANILA BAY OPENS ITS DOORS TODAY! Our newest hotel is ready to welcome you in the heart of Manila. Stay at Red Planet Manila Bay and experience our signature service, together with our new rooms, lobby and more! Marvel at the majestic Manila Bay sunset and be close to various tourist spots in Manila. Book your stay now and avail of our exclusive promo rates starting from PHP 2052! Get an additional up to 25% off when you book as a REMEMBERED member. Not a member yet? Sign up now HERE for free. Book & stay period: Today - 31 March 2018  DISCOVER ALL OUR HOTELS IN THE PHILIPPINES: METRO MANILA From PHP 1,980 ANGELES CITY From PHP 1,337 CAGAYAN DE ORO From PHP 1,485 CEBU From PHP 1,890 DAVAO From PHP 1,530 Copyright © *2017* *Red Planet Hotels*, All rights reserved. Contact us at:  Tel: +63 2519 0888  Email: philippines@redplanethotels.com     unsubscribe