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(DNA) Mastercard and Grab have launched the “Small Business, Big Dreams” regional programme to digitally upskill gig economy workers and small businesses in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

In a joint statement, both companies said the collaboration is part of Strive Community, a global philanthropic initiative developed by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and Caribou Digital.

This community aims to support the resilience and growth of five million small businesses around the world, they added.

The “Small Business, Big Dreams” regional programme includes the launch of two online business courses for Grab’s driver and delivery-partners aspiring to start new businesses, and small business owners seeking to grow in a competitive digital economy.

The companies said the programme aimed at enabling small businesses to reach their full potential by supporting them to digitise their operations, unlock their access to financial services and more effectively participate in the digital economy.

Cheryl Goh, group head of marketing and sustainability at Grab, “Through our partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, we hope to give gig workers and small businesses a boost to get started,… Read More

(Manila Bulletin) UBX, an open finance platform in the Philippines and art-tech startup Unit 256 Ventures Inc., are revolutionizing the way Filipinos consume art with the introduction of Artifract, the country’s first tokenized NFT platform.

Artifract utilizes the proprietary “token factory technology” that was co-developed by UBX and Unit 256. Token Factory is a system wherein real world or digital assets are represented by “tokens” on the blockchain.

Trading transactions are thus streamlined since the tokens can create a trustworthy framework for tracking and settling assets. The system ensures security for digital transactions without the need to rely on third party institutions or intermediaries… Read More

(Manila Bulletin) Discover meteorites found in the country at the National Museum of Natural History’s newest exhibit
Life is full of magical moments and among those is witnessing a shooting star. Many of us had the chance of seeing it and whispered wishes and dreams we hope to come true, and others have yet to experience it. While it is called a shooting star, that chance encounter doesn’t really involve a star. Stars are floating celestial bodies made of gas. The shooting star, however, is a space rock that passes through our atmosphere and becomes a fireball that is known as a meteorite.

Throughout its history, the Philippines has been the landing spot of six meteorites. If you want to learn more about them, three of the six space rocks are now on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Manila City. On Oct. 11, the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) unveiled its latest exhibition dubbed “Philippine Meteorites,” located at the Godofredo Alcasid Function Hall of the museum. The launch of the exhibit comes at a good moment as we celebrate Museums and Galleries Month and World Space Week.

The exhibition is now the new home of the Orconuma meteorite and the NMP’s newest pieces, the Pantar and Bondoc meteorites. Discovered by farmers Fredo Manzano, Edgar Francisco, Sr., and Enrico Camacho Jr., the Orconuma meteorite is the first-ever meteorite specimen acquired by the NMP. Last July, the space rock was donated by Aubrey Whymark from owners John Higgins and Jasper Spencer. Weighing 160.17 grams and measuring 149x108x3 milimeter, the showcased piece is part of the 7.8-kilogram meteorite that landed in Orconuma, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro on March 7, 2011… Read More

(Interaksyon) MANILA— The Philippines will boost its budget for rice buffer stocks by around 70% next year to ensure enough supply in times of global food shortages and emergencies, the budget department said on Tuesday.

The National Food Authority’s allocation for rice purchases from local farmers will increase to 12 billion pesos ($203.74 million) under the proposed 2023 budget, from 7 billion pesos this year.

That will increase the agency’s buffer stock capacity to 15 days of national rice demand, from nine days, the Department of Budget and Management said in a statement.

Rising food inflation and tightness in global commodity supplies are among the biggest challenges facing the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who is also the agriculture secretary… Read More

(Manila Bulletin) After the SIM Registration Act was signed by President Marcos, legislators are already working on similar bills to protect the people’s personal information in this digital era. But as nations take proactive legislative measures to protect the consumers’ rights to their personal information in a world of hackers, fraudulent marketers, and cyber bullies, an emerging technological advancement is making headlines yet again.

The metaverse. If you see anonymous comments on your social media pages and text messages from unregistered numbers inviting you to invest in bitcoin (another example of data breach), this is merely one facet of the metaverse. Simply put, the metaverse is a virtual world that mimics the real world and allows end users to exist in it through technologies including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), social media and digital currency. If you have a teenager like me, a perfect example of metaverse is the online game Roblox which advertisers have tapped into to sell their products and services. From this online game popularized during the lockdowns when our children were left without much choice but to befriend their gadgets, actual retailers such as Amazon, have used the metaverse in allowing their customers to try on clothes online… Read More

(GMA News) SB19 graced the launch of “Donghaeng: Gunita at Pag-asa,” the Philippines-Korea Media Art Show at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City last Thursday.

According to a National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Facebook post on Tuesday, the artists expressed their gratitude to platforms that help promote Filipino talent and culture.

They also encouraged the audience to “reconnect with our traditions and history to better appreciate the present and strengthen our relationship with one another,” the NCCA said.

The media art show is open and free for the public until October 21, every 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the CCP Facade… Read More

(PR Newswire NY) NINGBO, China, Oct. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The September 8–9 Future Energy Show Philippine 2022, which was held in Manila, successfully concluded. Customers were given an overview of the company’s extensive selection of hybrid inverters and solutions by Solis, one of the most seasoned and significant producers of string inverters in the world.

Solis exhibited its mature and intelligent grid-tied and off-grid energy storage inverters. There were three phases S5-GC(50-60)K-LV. Attracting lots of attention were S5-EO1P(1.5-5)K-48 and S5-EH1P(3-6)K-L,and the utility-scale Solis-(215-255)K-EHV-5G. ‘They were several of our best-selling models, which can meet the need of market and customers, from configuration to model to operation,’ said, Eric Zhang, Solis’ Global Sales Director.

Customers also have firsthand contact with everything from the fundamental workings of inverters to the sophisticated remote monitoring feature. One-touch operation is possible without leaving the house while using a mobile phone. Low installation costs and real-time monitoring of equipment status genuinely save time and money… Read More

(PosVideos) A NEW smartphone brand is eyeing to open 200 stores nationwide this year as it aims to reach out far-flung communities.

Narzo, a newcomer in the smartphone segment, also wants to raise the standards of entry-level smartphones by offering high-quality handsets at a more affordable cost.

“As a challenger to the local tech landscape, Narzo sets itself apart from the competition by offering nationwide accessibility and long-term quality to customers from purchase down to aftersales,” the company said.

Narzo, which was born out of the Realme ecosystem, is anchoring its optimism of reaching out far-flung communities to the improving connectivity in the country. Its support from Realme also assures users of the same standard of quality when it comes to overall user experience.

Narzo was launched in the Philippines in 2022. It targets communities and niches such as gamers, streamers and students… Read More