Gracee's Lifestyle Journal

ArenaPlus, your 24/7 sports betting app, maintains its roles as a champion of the local entertainment scene by bringing entertainment and fun-filled the 26th Kadalag-an Festival in Victorias City, Negros Occidental. Held last March 21 to 24, 2024, the 26th Kadalag-an Festival received ArenaPlus’ full support as a platinum sponsor in bringing quality entertainment to the Negrenses. The brand provided several avenues for festival-goers to enjoy the weekend and create memorable experiences.  ArenaPlus installed an interactive booth at Sidlak Victorias Global City, where booth-visitors received premium merchandise and had the chance to win prizes from playing Spin the Wheel and Roll the Dice. To add more fun and entertainment, ArenaPlus also brought Tony Labrusca and Elyson De Dios to perform for an audience. Similarly, the audience was invited to play games and win prizes on stage. In addition, ArenaPlus made sure to take part in one of the festival’s main events: the Miss Kadalag-an Quee

From L-R:  Maica Teves , Philippines Executive Director, SPARK!,   Honorable Joy Belmonte,  Mayor of Quezon City, and  Mich Goh,  Head of Public Policy for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, Airbnb Airbnb and SPARK!, a women’s entrepreneurship-focused NGO, today announced a partnership to promote women’s entrepreneurship in tourism and further enhance the dynamic hospitality landscape of the country. This collaboration underscores a joint commitment to foster women entrepreneurship in the tourism industry through year-long capacity-building initiatives, tailored to the specificities of local government units (LGU) across the nation. By strengthening the skills and competencies of women tourism entrepreneurs, this initiative aspires to propel the tourism ecosystem forward while creating avenues for individual prosperity. The collaboration is also underpinned by a robust investment of USD $100,000 from Airbnb, specifically earmarked for fostering women’s entrepreneurship in co

TNT, the value brand of PLDT mobile wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), has bagged a gold award for its viral SIM Registration video, “Mother,” at the prestigious AdFest 2024, touted as Asia’s most celebrated regional creative festival. “ Mother ,” which is part of a series of public service reminders encouraging subscribers to register their SIM, shows a woman who is struggling to prove her identity to her skeptical family as she spews out lines commonly used by scammers. The video, which TNT produced with GIGIL Philippines and Arcade Film Factory, bested over 200 entries from all over the region in the Film Craft - Script category of AdFest’s Lotus Awards. “This prestigious award is a result of a huge collaborative and creative effort by our internal teams and agency partners, who took to heart TNT’s mission of providing ‘saya’ or fun to subscribers even in conveying important public service reminders,” said Alex O. Caeg, Head of Smart Consumer Wireless Business.

EXL [NASDAQ: EXLS], a leading data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital operations and solutions company,  announced that the company has more than 1100 Philippine nurses that have obtained their U.S. Registered Nurse certifications.   “ In an era where data-driven insights play a crucial role in shaping the future of healthcare, EXL seeks to foster international collaboration by training skilled Filipino professionals to bridge the gap between available skills and the growing needs of medical institutions in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world,” said Jaideep Pradhan, EXL senior vice-president and Philippines country head. “ We now have more than 1,100 graduates at EXL working for our clients.  We are extremely proud that as of year to date, our passing rate is at 80.82% compared with the global passing rate of 69.33%.   Giving our scholars the highest chance of passing NCLEX.   These milestones signify the growing impact of our efforts to cultivate a workforce adept at

In an era where consumers demand instant, transparent information about their purchases, the supply chain industry is undergoing a transformative shift. The  2023 Global Shopper Study  by Zebra Technologies revealed that 77% of retail associates confirm that today's shoppers are more informed than ever, highlighting a well-connected, discerning consumer base. In light of these evolving consumer expectations, businesses are revamping their products and supply chains to offer greater transparency, resilience, and sustainability. The study further reveals that approximately 7% of companies are incorporating or planning to incorporate business intelligence and analytics into their supply chain management strategies. Responding to these industry challenges,  GS1 Philippines , the leading organization on local barcode standards, has announced the start of the adoption of the 2D barcode in the Philippines aimed at further enhancing operational efficiency in the supply chain industry and b

Executives of Bayad and Gateway Express Travel and Tours (GETT) on their partnership signing. Seen in the photo (from L-R) are Bayad President and CEO Lawrence Y. Ferrer, Bayad Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer Dennis S. Gatuslao, GETT President and CEO Mark Anthony O. Bas, and GETT Officer In Charge for Travel and Ticketing Joanne Albis Bayad, the pioneer brand in the outsourced payment collection service in the Philippines, officializes its partnership with Gateway Express Travel and Tours (GETT), a travel agency arm of El Roi Group of Companies. El Roi Group of Companies is an international institution headquartered in Dubai that specializes in ticketing, hotel bookings, local and international tours, immigration consultancy, and a variety of online network marketing services. On the other hand, GETT is also widely present in Metro Manila and South Luzon. Through its partnership with Bayad, GETT will integrate a one-stop-shop solution in its web platform at  www.gettnetwork.com

For most people, understanding insurance boils down to the four most common types: life, health, auto, and long-term disability. While awareness of insurance importance is increasing, the aforementioned traditional insurance products are failing to resonate with many people due to various reasons including affordability, accessibility, and relevance . These factors have largely contributed to the low insurance penetration in the Philippines, which stands at 1.68% as of September 2023.  This is where microinsurance is changing the game as insurtechs and insurance companies have introduced personalized microinsurance products that cater directly to the unique lifestyles and needs of Filipinos as they go through various stages of their lives. As an insurtech, Igloo and its partners have been instrumental in facilitating a wide array of microinsurance products that safeguard the unique needs of digital natives and underserved sectors. These products run the gamut from travel insurance ,

  The Philippines is on track towards becoming a  US$35 billion economy by 2025 .  But even with the promising outlook, the country’s workforce remains challenged by a digital skills gap that hampers its transformation into a truly digital nation.  According to the 2023 World Digital Competitiveness Ranking by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), the Philippines ranked  59th out of 64 countries  in overall digital competitiveness , showing low rankings on knowledge and talent (63rd), technology (51st), and future readiness (59th). This underscores an urgent need to prioritize digital skills development to ensure the country's digital competitiveness and sustainable growth. “In an era defined by digitalization, the importance of digital skills across industries has become undeniable. KodeGo was developed to create more accessible and affordable opportunities for Filipinos to upskill themselves and strengthen their employability with advanced to intermediate

GFX Challenge Grant 2022 winner Jan Mayo, in partnership with Samsung, officially launched the photography exhibition, “Faces and Flora: A Philippine Native Plant Photography Exhibition” last February 14 at the National Museum of Natural History. The exhibit prides itself as a truly Filipino project, representing a first-of-its-kind collaboration between Filipino scientists and creatives to highlight native and endemic plants in the country.  The exhibit also features Samsung’s The Frame, a smart television that instantly turns into a canvas when it’s switched off through Art Mode. As the event aims to help bring art and culture closer to Filipinos, the collaboration with Samsung’s technology highlights how one can transform their living space into their personal art gallery.  True to its name, The Frame is the ideal device to showcase art as it allows you to customize the frame thanks to its interchangeable bezels to complement the aesthetics of your home, one of the over 1,600 artwor

The Department of Trade and Industry’s Philippine Trade Training Center – Global MSME Academy (PTTC-GMEA) has recognized the top designers among the 52 graduates of the very first Obra Design Masterclass, a design and product development mentorship initiative to uplift local talent within the furniture and creative industries.   Participants of the Obra Design Masterclass unveiled their exceptional furniture, lighting, and decor designs at the prestigious 32nd Philippine International Furniture Show (PIFS) held from March 7 to 9, 2024, at the SMX Convention Center Manila in Pasay City. The Obra Design Masterclass honorees are: Best Furniture Design: Apollo Coffee Table by Reimer Neil Bonghanoy (Cebu) 1st Runner-up: Heron Parasol by Luzel Andrea Alconera (Cebu) 2nd Runner-up: MORF (Modular ORganizer Furniture Set) by Dean Gabriel Lusung (NCR) 3rd Runner-up: Obrang Baybayin by Chester Gazzingan (NCR) 4th Runner-up: Hiraya Bar by Basil Rico Gahi (Cebu) Best Decor Design: Pangolin Sauce Bo