More Courses Now Available in TESDA Online Program

Taguig City – The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is continuously expanding its online training program as more courses are now available in the platform.

As of October 2021, there are now 114 courses in the TESDA Online Program (TOP), according to the data released by e-TESDA.

Among the new courses integrated in the platform are International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Job Readiness, English as a Medium of Instruction, Using Educational Technology in the English Language Classroom and Microsoft’s Digital Literacy.

The TOP is a web-based platform that offers free Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for the technical education and skills development of the Filipino workforce.

Through the use of information and communication technologies, the TOP provides an effective and efficient way to deliver technical education and skills development services to Filipinos and widen their chances of employment or sources of livelihood.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has also pushed Filipinos to register in the TOP. From its launching in 2012 up to October 2021, the TOP now has 3,443,530 registered users.

Since the government imposed travel restrictions due to COVID-19in March 16, 2020 up to October 2021, there are 2,006,923 Filipinos who registered in the TOP, which is over the half of the accumulated registrants since 2012.

In June last year, TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña led the launching of “TESDA Abot Lahat ang OFWs” program which aims to help upskill Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Rodrigo Duterte, through his state-of-the-nation-address, ordered TESDA to empower OFWs especially those repatriated due to COVID-19pandemic.

Data, also released by e-TESDA, showed that a total of 163,750 OFWs and their dependents have registered in the TOP from March 2020 to August 2021.

With this, Lapeña encouraged everyone to avail of the agency's online courses to remain productive amid the mobility restrictions due to COVID-19pandemic.

“I invite the public, especially those who have lost their jobs or those trying to venture into a new livelihood, to try enrolling in our online classes. This is offered for free. I’m sure you can find a course from the many options that will best suit your need,” Lapeña said.

For those interested to register or view the list of available courses,just visit https://www.e-tesda.gov.ph/.

Enrollees will be given a certificate of completion after finishing a course.However, those who wish to receive a National Certificate must undergo competency assessment in TESDA-accredited assessment centers.

Share the Light this Holiday Season with McDonald’s Exciting Christmas Offers and Merry Antics!

Manila, Philippines, November 29, 2021 – With festive decorations up and holiday playlists on repeat, it’s no doubt that the most wonderful time of the year is here and the holiday season in the Philippines is on full blast. 

During the season of merriment, McDonald’s Philippines believes that happiness multiplies when shared with loved ones. With the advocacy of sharing the light to each and every one, McDo launches a slew of offerings and experiences to ignite the holiday spirit and give Filipinos a holiday celebration to remember. 

Witness a light spectacle at McDonald’s Ride-Thru

As the country emerges from one of the longest quarantines in the world, McDonald’s welcomes customers back to their stores with an experience like no other with the Ride-Thru Christmas Light Show! 

From November 29 to January 02, 2022, both the young and young at heart will be transported to a festive and vibrant wonderland in 3 of McDonald’s Drive-Thru stores. Witness the beauty of a winter wonderland when going through the Icy Wonderland Ride-Thru at McDonald’s McKinley West in Taguig, drive thru a factory of dreams at the Happyland Ride-Thru in McDonald’s Alabang West in Las Piñas, and celebrate a traditional Filipino holiday with the Parol Holiday Ride-Thru located at McDonald’s Savano Park in Bulacan. Customers will be able to grab a bite of their McDonald’s favorites while enjoying this unique light spectacle from the safety and convenience of their own rides. This new go-to destination will surely be an unforgettable bonding activity for family and friends alike!

Parol Holiday at McDo Savano Park,  Icy Wonderland at McDo McKinley West, and Happyland at McDo Alabang West                                                   

McDonald’s favorites and holiday cheer delivered to your doorstep

For customers who prefer to celebrate the holiday festivities from home, McDonald’s brings the light to them with the help of McDelivery Santa Riders. Make sure to keep a lookout for them this December as Santa Riders deliver happiness onto the streets and into one’s home with every McDelivery. To see how a McDelivery Santa Rider adds to the magic of Christmas, watch McDonald’s latest online video here.

Share the light to our fellow Filipino in need

Christmas isn’t complete if happiness is not shared with others, especially those who need it most. Through the McDonald’s Kindness Kitchen, McDonald’s commits to sharing a festive meal with nearly 7,000 chosen beneficiaries, while all its stores combined will donate 1 million Happy Meal books and toys to school beneficiaries.

But that’s not all – 12 days before Christmas, McDonald’s will also launch its Share-A-Meal program, giving its customers a chance to give back with the opportunity to send McDonald’s meals to their charity of choice with no purchase requirement! All a customer needs to do is to visit a McDonald’s store and fill out a Share-A-Meal card as McDonald’s will grant over 1,000 wishes and share over 18,000 meals come December 25! So, if you want to share your light and help give back to those in need, simply head on over to a McDonald’s store nearest you and give your chosen community a chance to enjoy these McDonald’s meals with the Share-A-Meal program!

McDonald’s Shares the Kindness with the Share-A-Meal card.

“The holiday season is undoubtedly the biggest celebration in the Philippines, which is why our efforts revolve around making it easier, brighter, and happier for Filipinos to enjoy! Through these experiences, McDonald’s hopes to be a part of an experience that’s worth remembering,” said Oliver Rabatan, McDonald’s Philippines Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Channels.

Because there’s no better way to celebrate the happiness of the holidays than to share it, McDonald’s invites Filipinos to create feel-good moments and share the light this holiday season by visiting their stores or ordering via the McDelivery PH App or website. 

Follow McDonald’s Philippines Facebook page for more information and share your McDonald’s holiday experience using the hashtag #McDoShareTheLight!

#FireUpTheGame & save up to ₱1000 as Infinix launches its latest high-performance gaming smartphone Note 11S, exclusively on Shopee

Add to cart the Infinix NOTE 11S as soon as it lands exclusively on Shopee on November 30, 2021, from 12mn to 1:59 am OR from 12nn to 1:59 pm to avail of its lowest price of ₱8,990, or ₱1,000 off its regular price.

If you miss these shopping windows, you can still enjoy ₱800 off on the Infinix NOTE 11S and grab it for only ₱9,190 from November 30 to December 1, 2021, on Shopee. 

If you can’t purchase the Infinix Note 11S from November 30 to December 1, fret not.  The global tech brand has partnered with Garena Free Fire, one of the world’s most popular and multi-awarded battle royale mobile games voted the "Esports Mobile Game of the Year 2020 & 2021,” to launch the exciting Infinix Note 11S Free Fire Limited Edition. It will drop exclusively on Shopee with a Free Fire customized box and phone case on December 12 for the affordable price of only ₱9,490 (₱500 off).

  

Infinix Note 11S, powered by MediaTek’s Helio G96 octa-core chipset, combines two powerful Arm Cortex-A76 processor cores clocking to a staggering 2.05GHz and an Arm Mali-G57 GPU for efficient and amazingly smooth graphics performance, allowing a fully immersive gaming experience.

 

Built for performance, the display is a whopping 6.95” FHD+ Ultra Fluid Display with a fast 120Hz refresh rate and 180Hz touch sampling rate for quicker response.

Other key features of Infinix NOTE 11S are:

• A 5000mAh battery and 33W quick charge: This massive power unit can support all-day use. Infinix Note 11s comes with TÜV Rheinland safe fast-charge technology with up to 800 charge cycle count, without noticeable battery degradation.

• 50 MP triple-camera: Capture every moment in magnificent detail with the 50MP f 1.6 wide triple camera consisting of a 2MP f 2.4 macro lens and a 2MP f 2.4 Bokeh lens. The 16MP front-facing selfie camera of the Infinix NOTE 11S, aided by the quick autofocus feature, creates a crisp image. 

• Side-Mounted Fingerprint and Face Unlock: Unlocking the Infinix NOTE 11S or making quick payments is now faster and more accessible because of the face unlock technology and side-mounted fingerprint sensor, allowing users to access their phone even with a facemask on.

• Extended RAM: Infinix Note 11s can be upgraded up to 11GB from 8GB. Lag will be a thing of the past. 

• Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 2.2 with Write Booster: This feature improves the reading and writing speed and accelerates the loading of all applications. It also reduces delay when opening different apps or switching between them. 

• Stunning colors: Infinix NOTE 11S will be available in Mithril Grey and Haze Green. 

Get the new Infinix NOTE 11S on Shopee through this link.

For more details, visit: http://www.infinixmobility.com/

Living Life to the Fullest in Your 50s

[Zsazsa’s IG post]

By the time we hit our 50s, we will start to notice more and more changes in our body and overall health. 

Our body’s needs have already evolved and with the health threats around us, we have to take more proactive measures to strengthen our immunity against infections and diseases so we can continue to live our life to the fullest. 

Staying ahead through immunity 

Mead Johnson’s New PROVITAL Immuna Plus adult milk is on a mission to help provide Filipino adults multiple nutrients that will help us boost our immune system so we can worry less about getting sick and help us improve our quality of life. 

Developing healthy habits is key: getting quality sleep, leading an active lifestyle, and more importantly, giving our body proper nutrition are just some of the many ways we can protect our health and increase our immunity. 

New PROVITAL Immuna Plus is an adult milk brand with Yeast Beta-glucan, a key immune-boosting ingredient which is clinically proven to reduce symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) by 64%.1 A variety of food contains different types of beta-glucan, however, Yeast Beta-Glucan is the most studied beta-glucan and well-recognized for its ability to enhance the immune system by activating the immune cells to destroy pathogens.1

This adult milk also contains Selenium, Zinc and Vitamins A, C, and E that help lower oxidative stress and enhance the immune system in response to infections together with proper diet and healthy lifestyle.  Fortunately, all these nutrients are conveniently found in one adult milk – New PROVITAL Immuna Plus. It helps activate and strengthen the body’s natural defences, helping people 50 years old and above continue to live their life to the fullest.

Living life like a Pro at 50

Life begins at 50. These celebrity influencers prove how age shouldn’t stop us from pursuing our passions, pushing boundaries, and overcoming our limitations. 

There’s no stopping OPM icon, Zsa Zsa Padilla, from leading an active life. At 50, she continues to inspire women her age to keep on pushing with her thrilling performances, travel escapades and her newfound love – vlogging!

Basketball coach, Chot Reyes, is always ahead of the game– both on the court and in life.

“There is so much more I can do in life when I am Life 5.0 Activated. I will not let my age stop me from achieving my peak!” says former collegiate star athlete and head coach of Tropang Giga TNT team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Chot Reyes.

[Coach Chot’s IG post]

As they continue to pursue their next life goals, Zsa Zsa, and Coach Chot, share how while a lot has changed in their lives over the years, some things remain true – they continue to live their lives to the fullest. 

You too can start living your best life now, with a healthy lifestyle and New PROVITAL Immuna Plus. With its Triple Immune Protection nutrients, you can boost your body’s immune defence so you can worry less and do more, and achieve your life’s milestones. 

New PROVITAL Immuna Plus invites Filipino older adults to not let age hold you back by enhancing your immunity so you can enhance your life. 

Aleli Arcilla, Reckitt Philippines President and General Manager says, “Our older population are some of the most at risk and vulnerable when there are serious health threats. We want to encourage them to be proactive about protecting their health through proper nutrition, a balanced diet and exercise.”

Mead Johnson’s Provital Immuna Plus is available through Shopee and Lazada. For more information about its immune boosting benefits, visit https://www.provital.com.ph.

 

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PROVITAL Immuna Plus

New PROVITAL Immuna Plus by Mead Johnson Nutrition (Philippines), Inc. is a nutritious milk drink scientifically formulated for adults 50 years old and above. With proper diet and healthy lifestyle, Provital Immuna Plus provides Triple Immune Protection nutrients from tri-blend formula of Yeast Beta-glucan, Selenium and Vitamin C that contribute to the maintenance of the normal function of the immune system, helping protect the individual against infections. Yeast Beta-Glucan helps activate immune response to fight against upper respiratory tract infection. Selenium and Vitamin C strengthen immune function and defences. Two glasses of New PROVITAL Immuna Plus daily, together with a nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle activities, can help fight the threats of immunity-related diseases.  Learn more and check your Immunity Score today at https://www.provital.com.ph.

UNITED CITY FC ANNOUNCES FIRST BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP - GRAVITY SPORT ADDS UCFC TO ITS GROWING SPONSORSHIP PORTFOLIO

4 November 2021 - Manila, Philippines:

United City Football Club (UCFC) announces Gravity Sport as its official blockchain partner in another landmark sponsorship deal for an Asian football club.

UCFC becomes the first Asian football club entering into a fully executed commercial & technology partnership with Gravity Sport. This consumer-focused universal blockchain solution enables sports teams to build & monetize content, data security, and entertainment in a custom-built digital asset ecosystem. Gravity Sport has previously signed a partnership with Italian side Parma Calcio.

With the rise of blockchain, NFTs, and metaverse in the country, UCFC is positive that this partnership will pave the future of football and how fans will have ownership of the club's collectibles and put a new meaning to tokenization.

"We are proud to have reached another milestone in our vision of how we think Club football not only in the Philippines shall evolve over time, and we would like to thank Gravity Sport for its vision to see the potential in partnering with UCFC as well as Orchid Sport & Entertainment, which helped us to complete the deal." States Eric M. Gottschalk, President of UCFC.

"We will be the first regional football club to integrate blockchain into its operations from merchandise, membership, data analysis & security. Therefore, it allows our fans to get closer to the players through our dedicated fan tokens and exclusive NFTs, which will be launched ahead of the 2022 season".

Through the Gravity Sport blockchain technology and NFT marketplace, United City will be able to create innovative fan-owned assets such as exclusive digital player cards, including interviews, match highlights, and goals scored. Such assets can be obtained using the unique UCFC fan tokens and can be traded among fans.
"The partnership with Gravity Sport and the use of blockchain technology will allow UCFC to make another step forward in unlocking new revenue streams and to become a sustainable football business that does not rely purely on match-day revenues or sponsorship income alone," states Gottschalk.

Also, it will connect to new global audiences with mass adoption, delivering next-generation adoption & future-proofing engagement.

As a digital economy enabler, Gravity Sport commercializes, hosts & operates the complete platform in partnership with the rights holder.

"Gravity Sport is tremendously proud to add United City FC to its growing portfolio of international sports properties, following our jersey partnership with Parma Calcio in August, "commented Stuart Gallacher, Founder at Gravity Sport.

"The Philippines is a very interesting market for us as the country is poised to reach new economic heights in the near future while its young, tech-savvy population is naturally equipped to easily grow into the new area of "blockchain technology".

"And just like us, UCFC is fast evolving, has a clear, futuristic vision while displaying strong values which assures that our ambitions are closely aligned. We are excited to innovate jointly with UCFC as we believe we have an incredibly exciting global blockchain NFT marketplace which will benefit all stakeholders, players, media, and of course the strong fan audiences that UCFC already has."

The Gravity Sport partnership is extended across all the UCFC football and esports properties, and while effective immediately, it will fully kick off early next year alongside the 2022 season.

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ABOUT UCFC: United City Football Club (UCFC) is a SEC registered Filipino Professional Football Club that aims to promote and build values such as equality, diversity, leadership through sports.

UCFC is a member of the Philippines Football League (PFL), the Philippines' professional level of men's club football in the country. The Club is currently the 4x defending national champion in the PFL and the first Philippine team to qualify and to win a match on the AFC Champions League level when the team featured against Beijing FC during the AFC Champions League Group stages in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

As a mission, the Club stands to help re-invigorate young athletes, families, and the local community through discipline, hard work, and passion. The ambition is to be the best of the best in Asia - be it on the football field, esports, or within the community - and provide a pathway and equal opportunities for the next generation of young talent in their pursuit of sporting & educational excellence.

The Club recently announced its move to the Pampanga / Tarlac region, where it plans to set up its youth football academy in Clark City and to and build its football stadium while making use of the already existing stadium facilities in New Clark City in the meantime.

As part of the move, United City FC will be renamed to United Clark FC by the end of 2021, while its Esports division will simply be called UCFC Esports.

The UCFC Esports division was successfully launched in June 2021 and currently features three professional teams participating in titles such as Valorant, League of Legends: Wild Rift as well as E-football (PES / FIFA), with more teams such as "Mobile Legends" etc. to be added in 2022.

Shopee Wraps Up 2021 and Introduces its Newest Brand Ambassadors, Dingdong and Zia Dantes, at the 12.12 Big Christmas Sale

MANILA, NOVEMBER 26, 2021 – Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, closes the year with its annual 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, the most joyful year-end celebration in the region. 12.12 is set to bring a smile to users as they shop from the widest variety of products to reward themselves and their loved ones during the happiest time of the year. Through the 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, shoppers can also spread the holiday cheer to their favorite local businesses, with 2 times more items sold by local businesses this year.

Users can look forward to a delightful celebration throughout the festive season. In the past year, Shopee has brought fun to users with exciting giveaways and exclusive content, recording over 13 billion engagements and views across its social media channels. This 12.12, users can expect even more entertainment and engagement with a brand-new commercial featuring international superstar Jackie Chan and performances by popular K-Pop group Tomorrow X Together. To get into the Pinoy family spirit of the holidays, Shopee also welcomes first-ever celebrity father-and-daughter brand ambassadors, Dingdong and Zia Dantes. 

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “Every 12.12, Shopee comes together with our users to celebrate the milestones and achievements over the past year. This year, we would like to show our appreciation to all our users for letting us be part of their daily lives. Many more users are now using digital services, and local businesses are increasingly embracing the shift online. We are glad to have been able to adapt to their evolving needs this past year and we will continue to help more people benefit from the digital economy as we head into a new year. We look forward to celebrating the year-end with all our users as we bring smiles to one another this holiday season.”

1. Celebrating the happiest time of the year with the best deals

As shoppers hunt for the best gifts,  Shopee is thrilled to bring users the most exciting deals this 12.12. These include:

• The best promotions: Shoppers can enjoy the best deals for all their gifting needs with deals such as free shipping with no minimum spend, ₱1 Deals, and 10% off daily.

• Big discounts: They can also get discounts up to 90% off on the biggest Shopee Mall brands: 

2. Celebrating the holidays with entertainment for the whole family

Users can also expect non-stop entertainment from today until the big finale on December 12. Highlights include:

• Fun-filled 12.12 TV Special: Filipinos can tune in to GMA 7 and Shopee Live this  December 12, 10:30pm, to catch Tomorrow X Together, Korea’s hottest rising boy group, grace the stage with a very special performance. Celebrities such as Michael V, Ysabel Ortega, Kate Valdez, Rayver Cruz, Julie Ann Jose, and Andrea Torres will also join host Willie Revillame for a fun and star-studded evening. 

• Entertaining content from Shopee’s newest brand ambassadors: Fans can catch Dingdong and Zia’s festive new TV commercial, which features the beloved Pinoy Christmas tradition bunutan ng pera, on local TV networks and on Shopee’s official Facebook and YouTube accounts. Users can also check out Shopee’s YouTube and Tiktok accounts for heartwarming videos featuring Dingdong and Zia, wherein they recreate social media challenges, go shopping on Shopee, and more.

• Exciting games and contests: Users can win voucher giveaways by joining Dingdong- and Zia-themed games and contests on Shopee’s official Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. From December 1-12, users can win a total of ₱12,000,000 in prizes from their favorite local celebrities, including Dingdong and Zia, by playing Shopee Celebrity Pamasko on the app. Users simply have to tap on the angpao to win a prize from the celebrity of the day.

3. Celebrating local businesses and culture

Local businesses represent a significant part of local culture and as the need for digitalization increases, Shopee is committed to supporting these sellers and helping them thrive:

• Shopee Celebrates Local: Shopee launches ‘Shopee Celebrates Local,’ a special contest to share and promote beloved local sellers. Users can read their stories on the #TatakPinoy page and on Shopee’s social media channels, and vote for their favorites until December 5. Winning sellers stand to win prizes they can use for their businesses, while users stand to win Shopee vouchers. Through the Tatak Pinoy page, users can also enjoy exclusive deals when supporting these sellers. 

4. Celebrating wider communities 

Through 12.12, Shopee will continue to uplift local communities through its platform. In the spirit of Christmas, Shopee launches the Frontliner Holiday Package to show gratitude for local heroes. Starting December 10, frontliners can avail of this package, which includes vouchers they can use for their holiday celebrations. 

For more information about Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, visit https://shopee.ph/m/christmas-sale. 

Download Shopee for free on App Store or Google Play Store.

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About Shopee

 

Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia & Taiwan. Shopee connects shoppers, brands and sellers across Asia and other fast-growing markets, empowering anyone to buy and sell anywhere and at any time. 

 

Shopee offers an easy, secure, and engaging experience that is enjoyed by millions of people daily. It offers a wide product assortment, supported by integrated payments and logistics, as well as popular entertainment features tailored for each market. Shopee is also a key contributor to the region’s digital economy with a firm commitment to helping brands and entrepreneurs succeed in e-commerce.

 

Shopee is a part of Sea Limited (NYSE:SE), a leading global consumer internet company. In addition to Shopee, Sea’s other core businesses include its digital entertainment arm, Garena, and digital financial services arm, SeaMoney. Sea’s mission is to better the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology.