ABS-CBN Entertainment now Southeast Asia& rsquo;s most subscribed, most viewed Youtube channel
ABS-CBN Entertainment has achieved another milestone by becoming the most subscribed and most viewed YouTube channel in Southeast Asia, as the media company strengthens its digital presence to make its content more accessible to audiences in as many platforms......»»
Regine hugot na hugot: Mahirap kapag tumatanda ka na sa industriya!
INISA-ISA ng Asia’s Songbird na si Regine Velasquez-Alcasid ang ilang mga pagbabago na nararanasan ng isang babae habang nagkakaedad. Diretsahang inamin ng singer-actress at TV host na napakaraming challenges ang kailangang harapin ng mga kababaihan, kabilang na silang mga nasa entertainment industry. Sa naging speech ni Regine sa naganap na kauna-unahang Billboard Philippines’ Women in.....»»
Southeast Asian Police, Prosecutors Join Forces to Fight Scamdemic
Bangkok - Police and prosecutors across Southeast Asia are forging new ways of working together to thwart and pursue the sprawling criminal networks behind the online scam centers that have quickly taken root in the region, experts involved in the effort have told VOA.In a few short years, scamming hubs bilking billions of dollars out of victims across the globe have set up shop in Cambodia, Laos, the Philippine.....»»
Top 10 e-commerce sites in the Philippines 2019 - ASEAN UP
With a dynamic economy and a large population proficient with digital technologies, the Philippines is a fast-growing market for e-commerce in Southeast Asia. Several websites and digital applications are already fighting for market share, with global, regional and national players. The growing connectivity of the Philippines, rapidly overcoming the countrys infrastructure difficulties, enable more and Continue reading &q.....»»
Agoda Unveils Asia’s Top 9 Nature Destinations
To mark the launch of Eco Deals 2024, Agoda’s flagship US$1 million partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the digital travel platform has compiled a list of some of Asia’s favored nature destinations across Asia, based on searches made on Agoda in January 2024. Enric Casals, Vice President of Southeast Asia, Agoda, […].....»»
Creative Industries Month to witness ‘the grandest battle of creativity’
The buzzwords this month and until November are "creativity" and "creative industries." September has been declared the "Creative Industries Month" by the Philippine government, and one reason for such declaration is the activation of the law known as Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, or Republic Act 11904. Pangasinan 4th District Representative Toff de Venecia is the principal author of the law, the chairman of the House Special Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts. De Venecia's clan on his mother's side used to be entrenched in film production. He is a son of Gina Vera-Perez De Venecia, daughter of Dr. Jose Vera Perez, the patriarch of pioneering film companies Sampaguita Pictures and Vera Perez Productions. Before he joined Pangasinan politics as son of former senator Jose De Venecia, Toff was active in theater, all the way back to his schooldays at the Ateneo de Manila. Sen. Loren Legarda, aside from being Senate President Pro-Tempore, is chair of the Senate committee on culture and the arts. For years a top broadcast journalist at ABS-CBN, Legarda is the principal author of Republic Act 11961, also known as the Cultural Mapping Law. [caption id="attachment_186378" align="aligncenter" width="511"] ODANG Putik Pottery held workshops on basic pottery. | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF IG/ ODANGPUTIKPOTTERY[/caption] National competition DTI has announced that it will launch on 24 September a national competition, Young Creatives Challenge (YC2) "through the support of Sen. Imee Marcos." The competition -- described as "the grandest battle of creativity" in the country with a grand prize of P1 million per category -- "aspires to ignite, acknowledge, and spotlight the brilliance of creative minds... in the fields of Songwriting, Screenwriting, Playwriting, Graphic Novel, Animation, Game Development, and Online Content Creation." The semi-finals are set for October 2023, when the Top 30 creators and the Top 10 Grand Finalists will be revealed. At the grand finals on November 2023, cash prizes will be awarded along with millions’ worth of promotions, incentives, registration of intellectual property and possible production or commercialization of creative works. The competition has an Online Content Challenge with distinct mechanics and a separate prize pool. It offers a platform for content creators to showcase their talents and make a significant impact by raising awareness about the vibrant and dynamic Philippine creative industries. The special category will have TikTok as its main channel for entry submission. The DTI invites all natural-born Filipino citizens aged 18-35, regardless of their level of experience, to participate as either individuals or teams. Entrants are required to submit "entirely original creations." The competition theme is deliberately broad, embracing an "open" and "free subject" approach to allow the participants the creative freedom to delve into any topic or subject matter of their choosing. For more information about the competition, visit www.youngcreativeschallenge.com. Capsule workshops On 17 September, the NCCA launched the Creative Industries Month at the Rizal Park Open Air Auditorium in Manila with creative capsule workshops in the afternoon and a grand concert of songs, dances and puppetry in the evening. The festivities had the full support of the National Parks Development Committee and Concert at the Park. The workshops were anchored on various creative industries in the country. For instance, for the audiovisual media domain, the Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. conducted an introductory workshop on Learning Filipino through Wikaharian. For the digital interactive media domain, Dr. Albert Mulles of METATOKYO tackled “How to Start Your Own Blockchain Game Project” while the Department of Science and Technology presented “Learning Through Minecraft Exhibit.” Under the Design domain, there were workshops on shoemaking, parol and jewelry-making and T-shirt printing Workshop. Under publishing and printed media, Rustico Limosinero offered a basic comics workshop, while the Barasoain Kalinangan Foundation, Inc. discussed book- selling and exhibits. Composer-singer Joey Ayala, meanwhile, held a Songwriting Workshop under the Performing Arts domain and later, at the concert, performed the finale solo vocal numbers. Nanding Josef, artistic director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Tanghalang Pilipino, conducted a capsule workshop on Theater Acting. Also within the Performing Arts domain were the dance and puppetry workshops facilitated by the Samahan ng mga Papetir ng Pilipinas. The other domains that presented workshops included the visual arts, traditional cultural expression and cultural sites. Aside from Ayala, the evening concert featured Noel Cabangon, the revived band Color It Red with Cookie Chua still its lead vocalist, Bayang Barrios and her band, the Sindaw Philippines dance troupe, Halili Cruz Dance Company, Teatro ni Juan and a puppetry group. [caption id="attachment_186377" align="aligncenter" width="1440"] HALILI Cruz Dance Company at the evening concert. | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF FB.COM/ HALILI CRUZ DANCE COMPANY[/caption] In his remarks, De Venecia pointed out that there are more than 7 million people in the Philippines employed in the creative industries, and the industries' contribution to Gross Domestic Product in 2022 was 7.3 percent percent or P1. 6 trillion, representing an increase of 12.1 percent from P1. 43 trillion in 2021. "This is a sector that has managed to survive and even thrive on its own, but with institutionalized support from the state, it will really help the creative industry sector grow and accelerate to the point where we want it to be — which is by 2030, the Philippines will be the number one creative economy in all of Asia,” said De Venecia. May we be really number 1 just seven years from today! The post Creative Industries Month to witness ‘the grandest battle of creativity’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China ships, jets swarm off Taiwan
China’s Shandong carrier strike group, along with other warships of the People’s Liberation Army, earned condemnation from Taiwan for its naval exercises near the self-ruled island. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, more than 100 Chinese warplanes and nine navy ships were sighted in the Bashi Channel, which separates Taiwan and the Philippines. Over the past decades, the People’s Republic of China has maintained its stance that Taiwan is a renegade province that it intends to reunite with the mainland, by force if necessary. Taiwan’s defense ministry described the number of warplanes detected around the island as a “recent high.” “Between the morning of 17th to 18th September, the Ministry of National Defence detected a total of 103 Chinese aircraft which was a recent high and has posed severe challenges to the security across the Taiwan Strait and in the region,” the agency said in a statement. While Beijing refrained from issuing an official statement on the sorties, Taiwan called on China to stop its “destructive unilateral actions” in the area. Beijing’s “continued military harassment can easily lead to a sharp spike in tensions and worsen regional security,” the ministry said. About 40 of the Chinese fighter planes crossed the so-called median line of the Taiwan Strait that separates the island from China, and entered its southwest and southeast air defense identification zone, the statement said. Taipei reported similar incidents last week following an increased number of incursions by Chinese warplanes and ships. High alert The uptick came as Beijing said its troops were on “high alert” after two ships belonging to the United States and Canada sailed through the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s defense ministry said 68 Chinese aircraft and 10 naval vessels were detected around the island between Wednesday morning and Thursday morning. Some of those planes and warships were heading to an unspecified area in the Western Pacific to “conduct joint sea and air training” with China’s Shandong aircraft carrier, the ministry said. The Shandong, one of two operational aircraft carriers in the Chinese fleet, was detected last week around 60 nautical miles (110 kilometers) southeast of Taiwan heading to the Western Pacific, Taipei authorities said. Japan, too Meanwhile, Japan’s defense ministry said its navy had detected six ships — including frigates, destroyers, one fast combat support ship, and the Shandong — sailing through waters some 650 kilometers (400 miles) south of Miyakojima island, east of Taiwan. It also confirmed that jets and helicopters had been detected taking off and landing on the Shandong. China’s increased military activities in the South China Sea were attributed to the multiple military drills being conducted by the United States with its allies in the Asia-Pacific. Among them are the ongoing US-South Korea exercise in the Yellow Sea, a drill involving the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea in the East China Sea, and the 19-nation Super Garuda Shield exercise. Counter to naval drills Last month, Japan, Australia and the Philippines conducted a naval drill led by the US. “Politically, China aims to counter the military containment by democratic allies led by the United States,” Su Tzu-yun, an analyst at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defence and Security Research, told AFP. Taiwan had reported a large number of Chinese warplane flights around the island following last August’s visit to Taipei by Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker of the US House of Representatives. In April, Beijing conducted a three-day “Joint Sword” military exercise to simulate the encirclement of the island, after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met with US house Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California. At the time, Taiwan detected 71 Chinese warplanes in a 24-hour period, matching the previous record daily high set in December 2022. WITH AFP The post China ships, jets swarm off Taiwan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
So why did KC unfollow stepdad Kiko, stepsister Frankie on IG?
KC Concepcion has confirmed unfollowing her stepfather, former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and her half-sister Frankie Pangilinan on Instagram, saying she just wants “peace of mind.” The 38-year-old actress-entrepreneur’s mother, Megastar Sharon Cuneta, is married to Kiko. The couple have three children: Frankie, 22; Miel, 19; and Miguel, 13. KC, whose father is Sharon’s ex-husband and former love team partner Gabby Concepcion, made the confirmation in an interview with Cristy Fermin in the 29 August episode of the showbiz commentator’s program Cristy FerMinute on One PH teleradio news channel. [caption id="attachment_179510" align="aligncenter" width="730"] Kiko Pangilinan. | kikopangilinanofficial/fb[/caption] [caption id="attachment_179507" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Frankie Pangilinan. | gmanetwork.com[/caption] “Hindi naman po masama na magkaroon ng time na meron kayong ina-unfollow, or meron kayong ipa-follow,” said the female lead star of the Fil-Am movie Asian Persuasion. “Mahirap lang po talaga kapag showbiz po ’yung family. Talagang lahat po pinupuna.” (It’s not bad to unfollow someone. It just becomes a big deal when it’s a showbiz family and everything gets scrutinized.) “Ako kasi,” she added, “I think, ’yung sa akin is more of, like I said, may mga complicated po talaga pagdating sa blended family. Meron din po talagang mga times na hindi perfect. Hindi po kami perpekto. And hindi po lagi kailangang perfect. (There are complications when it comes to blended family. There are times when we aren’t perfect. And we don’t need to be perfect.) “So, wala naman po akong gustong ikuwento pa apart from the fact na, ako, I just want peace of mind. I want to be happy. I want my family to be happy. Ang gusto ko lang maging light, masaya. Ayoko ng maraming drama. (I don’t want to go into details except to say I just want peace of mind… I don’t like too much drama.) “’Yung forgiveness kasi sa family, important din ’yun siguro para maging okay ’yung takbo ng relationship ng lahat. And sometimes, mas gusto kong piliin ’yung peace of mind ko.” (Forgiveness should be important in a family for things to be smooth. Sometimes, I just choose what’s good for my peace of mind.) She added meaningfully, “Talaga pong ginagawa ko ang lahat para maging mabuting anak, mabuting ate” (I’m doing everything I can to be a good daughter and a good older sister). In addition to her three siblings from her mother’s side, KC has four sisters from her father’s side. The two are Garie Concepcion, likewise an actress whose mother is entrepreneur Grace Ibuna, and Cloie Syquia-Skarne, who’s based in Sweden with her mother, former actress Jenny Syquia. Then there are Samantha and Savannah, whose mother, Genevieve Yatco Gonzales is the current wife of Gabby Concepcion. Despite the seeming rift in the family, KC said she’s “very close” to her half-siblings. “I just think na may mga moments na wala na akong control… May mga panahon din po na parang isipin ko muna ’yung mental health ko, kung ano ’yung makakabuti sa peace of mind ko,” she reiterated. (I just think there are moments that are out of my control, and I have to think of my mental health first, what’s good for my peace of mind.) KC’s parents Sharon and Gabby, whose 1984 marriage was annulled in 1993, are reuniting onstage for Dear Heart, the Concert on 27 October at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. KC had said in a press interview that she’d feel left out if she didn’t have any participation in the much-awaited reunion, as she is the only offspring of the fabled ex-couple. The post So why did KC unfollow stepdad Kiko, stepsister Frankie on IG? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Medical miracle
It is commonly recognized that Taiwan is one of the world’s leading producers of information and communication technology products. However, it is not so widely known that the country is among the world’s top medical-care providers with advanced capabilities in biotech and pharmaceuticals. Taiwan has ranked No. 1 in the world in Numbeo’s mid-year “Global Health Care Index by Country” for five consecutive years with a score of 85.9 this year, on top of South Korea, Japan, France and Netherlands. Numbeo is the world’s largest database of user-contributed data about cities and countries which calculates a health score for each country based on technology, medical personnel qualifications, medical equipment, waiting times, accessibility of medical locations and staff friendliness. When it comes to health expenditure index, Taiwan ranked first as well with a score of 157.8. One National Geographic Channel documentary in 2012 dubbed the medical miracle in Taiwan and mentioned that among the world’s 200 best hospitals, 14 of them were located in Taiwan, which made Taiwan one of the best and most affordable countries in Asia for patients to seek medical help. One of the significant reasons Taiwan is able to provide high quality medical care is because being a doctor is one of the most sought-after jobs and only those who score the highest in college entrance exams can enter medical school. That’s why the smartest and top talents in Taiwan are doctors. On top of that, Taiwan began hospital accreditation programs in 1978, accrediting specific teaching hospitals providing practicum for medical students. The accreditation of hospitals was conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare but the Joint Commission of Taiwan was given the task in 1999. JCT aims to help healthcare organizations improve their service with recognition of accreditation and certification, thereby achieving the mission of enhancing healthcare quality in Taiwan. To develop and strengthen bilateral cooperation in South and Southeast Asian countries, the One Country, One Center project was launched in June 2018 with India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam as primary partners. The New Southbound Policy countries are linked with hospitals in Taiwan to expand professional training programs, build medical industry collaborations and provide health consultation services for Taiwanese working and doing business in partner-countries. In 2018, 336 medical professionals from partner countries were trained in medical centers in Taiwan and 69 enterprises were introduced to the target region. Despite its high-quality services and relatively low costs, Taiwan is often overlooked as a medical tourism destination. In fact, Taiwan offers quality medical services especially in living-donor liver transplantation, craniofacial surgery, cardiovascular therapeutics, artificial reproductive technology and arthroplasty surgery. Moreover, to establish a smart health environment, Taiwan is integrating its leading-edge information technology capacities with innovative medical management. For instance, Taiwan has a high success rate of 81 percent for heart, liver and kidney transplants compared to 77 to 79 percent in the United States, and on average, the hospital and surgery costs are just 1/6 of the United Kingdom, 1/5 of the US and 1/3 of Japan, which makes Taiwan one of the best destinations for medical tourism. Another example is infertility treatment. The trends of delayed marriage and nonmarriage in Pacific Asian countries have a great impact on their fertility rates and thus cause infertility problems for many couples. Consequently, healthcare facilities are also promoting tourism packages for couples to receive infertility treatment in Taiwan. The post Medical miracle appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UnionBank taps tools for quick loans
Union Bank of the Philippines, or UnionBank, expects revenues to surge by 132 percent this year as it further streamlines digital and in-branch processes through communication solutions from global provider Infobip. Marc Angeles, UnionBank’s head for low-code development and automation, on Wednesday said the bank has been able to increase messages to clients from 20,000 per hour to 100,000 per hour using Infobip’s technology, leading to more applications for quick loans and a 12-percent growth in income. Infobip’s service called Moments helps the bank engage clients using artificial intelligence or AI to collect data from customers about the types of messaging tools they use often and the specific times in a day they open these communication tools. Different channels accessed “Before we were just sending via texts or SMS. With Infobip, we can deliver messages via different channels like Viber and email,” Angeles said. He said UnionBank started using Infobip’s Moments three or four months ago. With the automation features of Moments, UnionBank can talk to clients for updates on quick loan applications and marketing campaigns more effectively Quick loans provide clients cash for small and medium purchases of certain products and services, such as gadgets, home appliances and travel. “We know if they are booking the loan and engaging with us. Moment is an automated platform. If the clients are not active on SMS, communication automatically switches to Viber or email,” Angeles said. In this way, Infobip said UnionBank can maximize internet-based messaging apps amid the intermittent or low-signal connection in some areas, especially in the provinces. “We have time optimization which analyzes when the users access their messages and the time when they have the internet if they are using Whatsapp or Viber,” Andrew Egan, Infobip’s vice president of sales, said. To add new clients and introduce its digital services, UnionBank said it will continue to deploy physical tools and activities. “We have transformed physical branches into being more personal than simply transactional. We rolled out bank on wheels, for example, to reach clients including those in business process outsourcing during their payday, as well as visit remittance centers, especially in the provinces,” Angeles said. Infobip, on its part, stressed it will continue to tap messaging tools that appeal most to the consumers as UnionBank aims to provide financial services to all Filipinos. “The goal will always dictate the channel of choice. Infobip provides business opportunities not to use proprietary tools invented by Infobip. We don’t want to dictate another communication channel. This is ease of access,” Cecile Tizon, Infobip’s sales director for Asia Pacific, said. The post UnionBank taps tools for quick loans appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Kapuso star Julie Anne San Jose: ‘An honor’ to be on ‘It’s Showtime’
For the first time ever, Kapuso singer and actress Julie Anne San Jose performed in front of the “madlang people” on Monday, 17 July. San Jose, dubbed as Asia’s Limitless Star, kicked off the noontime show It’s Showtime with her rendition of the popular song “Cupid” by the K-Pop girl group FIFTY FIFTY. This performance marked her debut on the Kapamilya stage since It’s Showtime moved to GMA’s second free-to-air channel, GTV. “Sobrang happy ko na nandito ako ngayon. It’s an honor. It’s truly an honor and a privilege to be with you guys,” the singer said after her performance. The Maria Clara at Ibarra star also extended an invitation to the audience to watch her upcoming movie The Cheating Game, scheduled to open on 26 July, where she stars alongside her on-and-off-screen partner Rayver Cruz. After her guest appearance, the singer took to Instagram to extend her gratitude to the noontime show for the opportunity to perform on their stage. “What’s up, Madlang People,” the caption read. “Maraming salamat [It’s Showtime] sa masayang tanghali.” The post featured photos of the singer -actress in her vibrant red outfit and snaps featuring It’s Showtime hosts Vice Ganda and Anne Curtis. Earlier this month, It’s Showtime made its debut on GMA Network’s GTV, paving the way for exciting opportunities for collaboration and entertainment between the ABS-CBN show and its former rival, GMA 7. As part of this new partnership, artists from GMA have begun guesting on It’s Showtime, beginning with Barbie Forteza and Sanya Lopez. The post Kapuso star Julie Anne San Jose: ‘An honor’ to be on ‘It’s Showtime’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Puregold stamps class, wins best TikTok reel
Puregold’s first-ever local TikTok series “52 Weeks,” recently won the gold prize in the Best Social Media Campaign category of Hashtag Asia Awards, a competition that aims to recognize outstanding work in the field of online advertising. “52 Weeks” edged out the Raya Ni Saya Rindu campaign of BigPay, which won the silver prize, and the CP Malaysia TikTok Contents Creation & CP Chicken Roll Challenge of PRK Agro-Industrial Products, which won the bronze prize. Winners were decided by an esteemed panel of judges that included experts from around the world. All entries were judged on the following criteria: challenge, strategy, execution, and results. Retailtainment achievement “We’re very grateful to the Hashtag Asia Awards for the recognition,” Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, Puregold’s senior manager for marketing, said. “It is both exciting and rewarding to see that our retailtainment efforts are being acknowledged on an international scale. We share this honor with all Puregold channel subscribers, and the cast and crew who made ‘52 Weeks’ possible,” Piedad said. “52 Weeks” is part of Puregold’s retailtainment efforts — combining retail and entertainment to create delightful content for brand building and product awareness. “52 Weeks” was the company’s first episodic foray into TikTok, followed by several other series released on YouTube via the Puregold Channel. The series was directed by Lemuel Lorca and produced by award-winning filmmaker Chris Cahilig. The campaign was overseen by Republic Creative Creations, led by Sonny Bautista. The digital series starring Jin Macapagal and Queenay Mercado was released last 27 July 2022, and ran for 36 episodes. It told the story of Mina (Mercado), a hopeless romantic who had No Boyfriend Since Birth. Wanting Mina to finally have a love to call her own, her best friends Chem (Derick Lauchengco) and Eya (Herbie Cruz) gave themselves 52 weeks to find the perfect boyfriend for her. The series garnered over 34.1 million views across its run on TikTok. The post Puregold stamps class, wins best TikTok reel appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Retailers, e-commerce apps secure booze sale
The online sale of liquor and cigarettes is a ticklish topic primarily since there is no guarantee that the youth can’t access these health hazards through the use of online marketplaces. Alcoholic beverage sellers have decided to take action by undertaking a pledge with the online platform operators, in the presence of government regulators on Thursday in Makati City. The pact was sealed among the Asia Pacific International Spirits & Wines Alliance or APISWA, the Alcoholic Beverages Alliance of the Philippines Inc. or ABAPI, and the online shopping platform Lazada, with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines director general Roel Barba, and Department of Trade and Industry Competitiveness and Innovation Group chief Mary Jean Pacheco as witnesses. In his presentation, Barba disclosed that based on the report of the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade or TACIT, the Philippines has incurred $438 million in losses due to illicit alcohol trade, while 44 percent of the total alcohol consumption in the Asean region were unrecorded since these have escaped regulations and taxes. “Reasons for unrecorded alcohol are smuggling, tax leakage, counterfeiting and illegal artisanal,” Hermance de la Bastide, director of APISWA, said. Based on a report by online research outfit Statista, five percent of Filipinos under the age of 16 to 24 are buyers of alcoholic drinks on social media as of the first quarter of 2023. The Philippines, on the other hand, ranked 8th among 12 countries in Asia with the highest purchase of alcohol using social media in the first quarter of 2023, while in 2022, the household final consumption expenditure of alcoholic beverages and tobacco in the country was valued at approximately P211.8 billion, growing 0.7 percent compared to the previous year. Integrity pledge The pledge primarily aims to develop and enhance safeguards to prevent the online sale and delivery of alcohol to minors, making the two groups collaborate in reinforcing regulations that prevent those below the legal purchase and drinking age from accessing alcohol products, and support the legitimate sales of alcohol in the online environment in the country. Under the pledge, ABAPI and APISWA members also vowed to ensure compliance with licensing, taxation, and other relevant organizations on the distribution and sales of alcohol by their respective companies and encourage online retailers to reinforce and or put in place safeguards to protect minors. Significantly, the pact seeks to promote the fight against illicit trade by providing a direct channel for e-commerce platforms to raise any suspicion about counterfeit alcohol and to request specific training to online platforms on how to identify counterfeit products. Meanwhile, the virtual marketplaces that signed the pledge said they will encourage the display of responsible drinking messages on all accounts or pages which list alcoholic beverages for sale and adopt age-screening technologies to reduce the potential for minors to have access to alcoholic products or partner platforms. “Online platforms are encouraged to put in place safeguards upon delivery of purchased alcoholic beverages to protect minors, including identification checks upon delivery and the screening of addresses,” the pledge read. Moreover, online selling to support the legitimate sale of alcoholic beverages online was stated. The post Retailers, e-commerce apps secure booze sale appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
ASEAN ‘centrality’ needed amid challenges
INDONESIA — Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Tuesday emphasized the importance of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ centrality as the organization faces increasingly complex challenges. Speaking at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting, Manalo acknowledged the growing interest in ASEAN from the international community, with Panama, Saudi Arabia and Spain recently joining the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. “Through the increased interest of the international community in ASEAN, that already points to the affirmative, that ASEAN does matter,” Manalo said. However, the Foreign Affairs chief also stressed the need to ensure that ASEAN’s profile and interests remain at the forefront of engagements with external partners. “We must channel this greater interest into high-quality engagements, with a robust agenda that puts ASEAN’s profile and interest front and center,” said Manalo, as he highlighted the importance of reinforcing ASEAN’s centrality outward and projecting it beyond the organization’s 10 member states. “We need to ask how ASEAN can matter not just to our circle of 10, soon to be 11, but to the larger region and the world,” said the DFA chief. He also cited the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific as an example of how ASEAN can project its centrality in the region as he stressed the need for an ASEAN-led resolution to the Myanmar crisis, despite the mobilization of international support. The post ASEAN ‘centrality’ needed amid challenges appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Singapore ship ‘hijacked’ off Ivory Coast
Suspected pirates have boarded a Singaporean-owned chemical tanker in the Gulf of Guinea, off Ivory Coast, according to reports. The status of the Success 9’s crew members, including one Singaporean, is unknown since the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore reported its hijacking on Monday. The MPA said late Tuesday it was working closely with the ship’s owner, as well as the Monrovia Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Center and the Changi Command and Control Center’s Information Fusion Center “to monitor the situation and render the necessary assistance.” Hai Soon Group, a Singapore-registered company that owns the tanker, declined immediate comment, saying it awaited further updates, Channel News Asia reported. A senior Hai Soon executive confirmed that contact with the Singapore-flag chemical/product tanker has been lost and it is presumed to have been hijacked, shipping portal TradeWinds reported. “We are closely monitoring the situation and trying to reestablish contact with the vessel,” the executive said, according to TradeWinds. An Ivorian security source involved in the matter said a patrol boat had been sent out to rescue the tanker but was unable to locate it because its beacon had been turned off, according to CNA. Security company Ambrey said the vessel believed carrying diesel when it was boarded routinely engages in ship-to-ship operations with commercial fishing vessels and other bunker tanker operators in West Africa. “It appears serious attacks are increasing in the Gulf of Guinea. We hope more international warships with helicopter facilities will be able to patrol the area,” Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy reporting centre told Agence France-Presse Wednesday. In March, pirates seized a Danish oil tanker off Congo and kidnapped six crew members before abandoning the ship. The post Singapore ship ‘hijacked’ off Ivory Coast appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Niana Guerrero nominado bilang ‘Favorite Asian Creator’ sa Kids’ Choice Award
KAHIT sa murang edad pa lang, pinatunayan na ng dancer at social media influencer na si Niana Guerrero na pang-world class ang kanyang talento. Nominado kasi siya bilang “Favorite Asian Creator” sa Kids’ Choice Award ng American TV channel na Nickelodeon. Base sa Instagram post ng Nick Asia, ang mga makakalaban ni Niana sa kategorya […] The post Niana Guerrero nominado bilang ‘Favorite Asian Creator’ sa Kids’ Choice Award appeared first on Bandera......»»
Sam YG enjoy na enjoy sa buhay may asawa: ‘She’s my queen…I’m looking forward to a lasting marriage with her’
BAGAY na bagay sa TV host-actor na si Sam YG ang bagong proyektong ipinagkatiwala sa kanya ng Anima Studios at A+E Networks Asia. Siya ang napili bilang host ng “Nego King”, ang tinaguriang ultimate “budol” show na in-adapt mula sa isang hit Korean web variety show na mapapanood na sa ANIMA Studios’ YouTube channel at […] The post Sam YG enjoy na enjoy sa buhay may asawa: ‘She’s my queen…I’m looking forward to a lasting marriage with her’ appeared first on Bandera......»»
Warming everyone& rsquo;s heart this summer
The hottest season of the year is upon us and to make it more exciting and fun, GMA Network’s digital channel Heart of Asia presents a musical treat to avid viewers via its summer station ID titled “Heart of Summer.”.....»»
Animax, Gem expand audience reach with Cignal and TrueID Philippines
Fans of Japanese entertainment in the Philippines will now be able to watch Animax and GEM on more screens. KC Global Media Asia, the network that owns and operates Asian content leaders Animax, GEM, and ONE along with leading English general entertainment channel AXN, launches Animax on TrueID Philippines and GEM on Cignal......»»
ABS-CBN Entertainment now Southeast Asia& rsquo;s most subscribed, most viewed Youtube channel
ABS-CBN Entertainment has achieved another milestone by becoming the most subscribed and most viewed YouTube channel in Southeast Asia, as the media company strengthens its digital presence to make its content more accessible to audiences in as many platforms......»»
Alden naniniwala sa milagro; may mga katrabaho ring hindi nakasundo
NANINIWALA ang Asia’s Multimedia star na si Alden Richards sa milagro. Ayon sa Kapuso heartthrob at tunaguriang Pambansang Bae, maraming milagro ang nangyayari araw-araw sa ating paligid na hindi lang natin namamalayan at napapansin. Sa isang video na in-upload sa YouTube channel ng Kapuso noontime show na “Eat Bulaga”, nagkaroon ng Q&A session si Alden […] The post Alden naniniwala sa milagro; may mga katrabaho ring hindi nakasundo appeared first on Bandera......»»