NPC: Bagong Taon, Magbagong Buhay at Magbago ng Password/s

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) is recommending that Internet users change the passwords of their email and social media accounts as part of their new year’s resolutions. According to Privacy Commissioner Raymund Enriquez Liboro; “Regularly changing your passwords for online accounts such as email and social media is one of the most basic and easiest ways of protecting your data privacy.”

The Privacy Commissioner said this after it was recently revealed by Yahoo that more than 1 billion user accounts were compromisedfrom a data breach that happened in August of 2013. The breach is now considered the largest email data breach in history. Sensitive personal data were compromised including email addresses, dates of birth and telephone numbers that can be used in identity theft and phishing scams. The breach much was bigger than the data breach in 2014 of around 500,000 user accounts that was only announced by Yahoo in September of 2016.

“If you use Yahoo for email or other yahoo online services, we suggest that you not wait until the end of the year to change your account credentials, but instead change them as soon as possible.”, Chairman Liboro said. “Email is usually the means social media services such as Facebook confirm your identity, if your email is compromised, there is a chance that your social media accounts are compromised as well, and criminals could use confidential information there to commit cybercrimes directed at you or the contact list on your email and social media accounts.” Liboro added.

In the Philippines, personal data breaches must be reported to the NPC within 72 hours from their discovery, this is according to the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Data Privacy Act (R.A. 10173) issued by the Commission in August of this year.

Other than password changes the NPC is also recommending that Internet users utilize two-factor authentication for confirming their identity. Two-factor authentication is when Internet services send a text message or a code to your mobile phone to confirm who you are instead of just sending an email. Email providers sometimes use this feature when someone accesses their account from an unfamiliar IP address or device.

Best practices in changing passwords include:

1. Don't re-use passwords. One ultra-secure one won't be any good if someone finds it.
2. While combining upper and lower case passwords with numbers to alter a memorable word - M4raD0na - is often advised, these are more easily cracked than you might think.
3. Make a memorable, unusual sentence: “Ako ay isang responsableng mamamayang Pilipinong internet user (aa1-rmpiu).”
4. Changing passwords to passphrases like: “AskalsAreTheBestTeamInAsia”- dramatically improves security. Each additional character increases the number of possible combinations exponentially, making it virtually impossible to crack.

Globe and Partners Commit to Rehabilitation of PGH Pediatric Cancer Clinic

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Globe Telecom, together with its strategic partner Amdocs, major stockholder Singtel, concerned customers and employees joined forces to successfully raise funds for the much-needed rehabilitation of the Philippine General Hospital’s pediatric cancer clinic.

The cost of renovation, which is P863,380.52 will be turned over to the PGH Medical Foundation, Inc., a non-government organization founded in 1997 which acts as the fund-raising arm of PGH.

Amdocs and Singtel donated P200,000 and P100,000, respectively, as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts while the rest came from Globe employees and customers.

This was in response to a call made by Globe to its employees, partners, and customers to share their time, treasure, and talent in bringing cheer to the young cancer patients in PGH and in helping raise funds for the clinic. PGH currently serves about 600,000 patients annually, about 80 percent of which are indigent.

“We are proud to have our partners, employees, and customers step in to participate in this worthwhile undertaking. We continue to encourage everyone to work together so that through this project, we can all bring hope to the patients at the PGH pediatric cancer clinic,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications.

Earlier, Globe launched a heartwarming video in line with the premiere of the latest Star Wars movie franchise Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The video garnered over 40 Million views and was recognized by international news sites such as CNN, Mashable, and Huffington Post among others. The video strongly demonstrated the resilience of children in face of adversity and encouraged the audience to help in the rehabilitation of the PGH Pediatric clinic via donations through prepaid load or charged to their postpaid bill.

Globe always tries to give back to the communities where it operates, thus, PGH was chosen as the beneficiary of the project. Manila, where PGH is located, was the first local government unit to cooperate in removing the hurdles in infrastructure building, thereby, allowing the deployment of fiber optics in Binondo for ultra-fast internet access.

Those interested to help may still donate denominations of P100, P200, and P500 from their prepaid load or postpaid plan via SMS by texting PGH to 2158-0744 (PGH) or by using their GCash Android App and following the instructions given.

Six Filipino Kids Get Exclusive Training with FC Barcelona in Spain Through Astro Kem Bola and TM Football Para sa Bayan Programs

Wazzup Pilipinas!

After 89 years since legendary football superstar Paulinho Alcantara retired from FC Barcelona, homegrown Filipino booters will once again step on the popular La Liga team’s pitch but this time for an advanced training and schooling with some of the Spanish club’s most revered coaches and trainers.

The six young Pinoy footballers aged 10-12 who luckily punched a ticket to the 12-day Astro Kem Bola Overseas Training Programme in Barcelona, Spain this month are Lance Lawrence Locsin, Jared Alexander Peña, Ryan Philip Johansson, Astrid Heiress Ignacio, Mikaela Jacqueline Villacin and Jasmine Cassandra Agustin.

The team was the product of a two-month long TM Football Para sa Bayan (TM FPSB) talent search organized by Globe Telecom in July and August. Globe was tapped by Malaysian media and entertainment powerhouse Astro to be its partner in discovering talented young athletes and helping them further harness their craft.

Globe Director for Citizenship Fernando Esguerra expressed elation over the selection of the six players especially after going through tough competition against other footballers from the South East Asian region. The six were among 12 Filipino players who qualified for the Astro Kem Bola Advanced Training Programme held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia two months ago which was also participated by 60 players from Malaysia and Singapore.

“We are so happy with the turn-out, to think that this is the first time that Globe has partnered with Astro in this international activity. We are looking forward to being part of the Astro Kem Bola program again in the succeeding years,” Esguerra said. “The TM Football Para sa Bayan is now beginning to turn out quality players after four years of incubation. Hopefully this will be an avenue for furthering the football development in the country. This is just the first step albeit one big, giant step.”

The Philippine players will join 22 kids from Malaysia and four from Singapore to train with coaches from FC Barcelona.

Datuk David Michael Yap, Astro Vice President of Community Affairs said: “Astro is committed to championing sports and sportsmanship to aspiring athletes within the region. We continue this commitment through Astro Kem Bola.”

“Nothing is more rewarding than seeing potential turn into reality. In a special way for these young kids, the experience gives them a unique opportunity to really see how far their talent can develop at such an early age. I'm sure they will do us proud,” added Ray Guinoo, TM Portfolio and Brand Head.

TM FPSB technical director and Green Archers United coach Hans Peter Smit was not surprised with the naming of six to Barcelona. “I personally saw the potential of these kids having supervised the program and try-outs in Iloilo, Bacolod, Davao and Muntinlupa a couple of months ago,” said Smit. “This is a chance of a lifetime for these very young players. I wish that these kids will take it all in and savor the experience and use what they will learn to their advantage! What they will learn is a win- win situation not just for them personally but for Philippine youth football.”

The kids were selected not only based on talent but also on other criteria such a teamwork; discipline, behavior and sportsmanship; communication on and off the pitch; positive attitude towards teammates, volunteers, and coaches; ability to listen to instructions; and good personality.