Davao, CDO to Get Free and Confidential HIV Testing on 26 May

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Olympus Society of Davao, Inc. (OSD) and Kagay-an PLUS–Preserving Life, Uniting Society, Inc. (K-PLUS) will join with LoveYourself, Inc. in a nationwide human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing day on May 26 (Saturday) to address the increasing number of persons diagnosed with HIV in Mindanao.

Based on records from the Department of Health (DOH), it showed that about 70 new cases were recorded in Regions 10 and 11 combined, which is equivalent to eight percent of the total 912 newly diagnosed HIV cases in March 2018 alone.

The OSD and K-PLUS will bring LoveYourself’s “This is Me: Brave and Free” campaign – the first-ever community-based multi-city HIV testing to Davaoeños and Kagay-anons on Saturday from 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. To join, register atwww.bitly.com/ThisIsMe2018.

The OSD of Davao City will hold the HIV testing at #36 Loyola St., Bo. Obrero, Poblacion District while the K-Plus in Cagayan de Oro City will conduct the testing at Pearlmont Hotel, Limketkai Drive.

OSD Chairperson Oscar Obenza Jr. said their group started as a text-based clan in June 2014 and evolved into a beacon for gender-equality, addressing the stigma and discrimination on HIV.

“We will continue advocating the programs [i.e., HIV prevention] in line with the thrust and direction of the organization,” Obenza said.

The K-PLUS, on the other hand, was formed mid-2015 with an aim to represent the LGBT and the people living with HIV (PLHIV) communities, according to K-PLUS, Inc. Executive Director Enrique Niño Patricio.

“We are doing this for a CAUSE [HIV advocacy], and not for APPLAUSE,” Patricio emphasized.

Patricio urged Kagay-anons to be open-minded on HIV-related services to eliminate the stigma of HIV in Cagayan de Oro. He also encouraged the public to take advantage of the free government services such as HIV testing and treatment.

The “This Is Me: Brave and Free” campaign is supported by the DOH-Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., Save the Children, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Philippines, Philippine NGO Council on Population Health and Welfare, Inc. (PNGOC), AusAID Australian Aid Program and HIVOS Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation.

Visit www.bitly.com/ThisIsMeInfo for more details.

Mastercard Takes You to Shopping Paradise in the Great Singapore Sale

Wazzup Pilipinas!

According to the Mastercard Future of Outbound Travel in Asia Pacific (2016-2021) Report, international outbound travel by Filipinos are estimated at 3.4 million trips in 2016 and are forecasted to grow by an average of 4.4 percent per year to reach 4.3 million trips in 2021. One of the most popular destinations visited in the Asia Pacific is Singapore according to the Mastercard Asia Pacific Destinations Index 2017. This is a country recognized for its two seasons: Summer and Shopping. Make sure you’re there for the latter when the Great Singapore Sale happens from June 8 to August 12.

With your Mastercard, shopping for the trendiest finds at irresistible prices becomes even more rewarding when your card of choice throws in more amazing perks to let you experience the best of the island city.

Shop at the glitzy Orchard Road. Known as Asia’s most famous shopping street, Orchard Road covers 2.2km of luxury brands, homegrown labels, and trendy high-street fashion collections. Pedder on Scotts is where you can score 100 brands for footwear and accessories, while the iconic TANGS, Orchard Road’s first department store, boasts a vast collection of clothing from international labels and local brands such as Aijek, Max Tan, In Good Company, and Carrie K.

For a minimum spend of SGD350 on your Mastercard, you’ll receive SGD20 worth of ION Orchard shopping vouchers. You can also get a 30% off on your stay in Holiday Inn Orchard Road when you book in advance.

Shop for the family at Vivo City. Singapore’s largest retail and lifestyle destination offers a plethora of options for the whole family. Vivo City is home to a series of artworks, an open playground for kids, and a rooftop amphitheater.

Stock up on the latest fun and stylish outfits for the young ones at Avenue Kids, then grab some haute couture-inspired pieces from the Australian retail brand Forever New. Comic book lovers will revel in DC Comics Superheroes, a retail concept featuring clothes, accessories, and collectibles centered on the finest superheroes: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, and more. After all that shopping, sit back and relax with a glass of wine. For a minimum spend of SGD120 on your Mastercard when dining in Putien or TungLok, enjoy a complimentary bottle of red or white wine.

Shop for collectibles and unwind at Sentosa Island.  This is Singapore’s premier island resort getaway brimming with spa retreats, lush rainforests, beaches, and shopping choices. Asia’s favorite playground, Resorts World Sentosa, is at the heart of Sentosa Island and home to over 45 retail outlets. It’s an absolute shopping paradise with specialty stores like Hershey’s Chocolate World, luxury designer brands, high-end home furnishings, and so much more. Mastercard makes the most out of your stay in Sentosa Island by giving you up to 20% off on dining outlets, spas, and world-class attractions including iFly Singapore, Madame Tussauds Singapore, Sentosa 4D Adventureland, and more. You also get special offers on admission packages and annual passes to Universal Studios Singapore, S.E.A. Aquarium, and Adventure Cove Waterpark, so you’ll have exciting experiences to look forward to all year.

Shop for last-minute souvenirs at Changi Airport.  Complete your shopping list right before you head home at Changi Airport where you’ll find over 350 stories for luxury goods and necessities.

Mastercard gives you exclusive offers of up to 20% off at participating outlets. Enjoy 10% off at So Chocolate, the largest confectionery store of its kind offering popular classics like Toblerone, KitKat, and Hershey’s and premium brands including Godiva and Valrhona. Get your niece or nephew a new backpack or character-themed utensils for school from The Little Shop. For travel needs like handbags and luggage accessories, make a stop at Trunk and Co so you can avail up to 10% off on regular-priced items.

As you indulge in the ultimate shopping trip to the Great Singapore Sale, you might even find yourself on a plane to Broadway or the West End afterwards. For every $100 single receipt spend on your Philippine-issued Mastercard when traveling or shopping (including online merchants) overseas until June 30, get the chance to fly business class with PAL to London or New York and get VIP seating to watch Hamilton, as well as perks like limousine airport transfers, luxury hotel accommodations, a private city tour, and so much more. For more details, visit http://mastercard.com.ph/priceless.

Smart Powers Sarangani Bay Festival

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Tourists and residents attending the Sarangani Bay Festival will enjoy much improved mobile data experience as PLDT wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) boosts connectivity in the area in time for the province’s much-awaited event.

As part of its commitment to cover 90% of the country’s cities and municipalities with mobile data service by the end of this year, Smart has fired up LTE-Advanced and carrier aggregation technology in the province to improve the mobile internet experience of residents and tourists, especially those expected to attend the sporting and music events during the festival.

After LTE-A was rolled-out last month, residents have reported experiencing download speeds of over 40 Mbps in Gumasa, Sarangani Bay.

“With Smart’s LTE-A network now in place in Sarangani, attendees of the province’s biggest festival can stay connected to loved ones via messaging apps, share their experiences in real time via social media, or learn about new ways to protect and preserve marine life,” said Mario G. Tamayo, PLDT and Smart Senior Vice President for Network Planning and Engineering.

In the first quarter of 2018, Smart installed 1,300 more LTE base stations across the country, raising the total count to over 10,000 nationwide. These base stations use various radio frequency bands, specifically the 700 MHz band for better coverage and indoor penetration, and the 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz for additional capacity. Smart aims to increase the number of LTE base stations to about 17,700 by the end of 2018, and raise the number of LTE-equipped cell sites to over 6,800.

The installation of multiple LTE base stations in existing cell sites paves the way for the activation of LTE-A, which can deliver faster mobile data services to customers. Through LTE-A’s feature called carrier aggregation, much higher mobile data speeds are achieved by combining the capacity of two up to five frequency bands.

“By boosting connectivity in tourist havens like Sarangani, we hope to help local tourism flourish and open up more opportunities for other local businesses, who can now be at par with their counterparts outside of the province,” Tamayo added. “This is part of Smart’s commitment to deliver world-class internet service to more Filipinos in all corners of the country.”

Other summer hotspots recently connected by Smart LTE-A include Batanes, Sagada and Baguio, to name a few.

Parent company PLDT has committed historic levels of resources to support network transformation. Capital expenditures are expected to reach P58 billion this year.

In the past, Smart has also been supporting Sarangani’s environmental campaign that pushes for the responsible use and protection of the 230-kilometer Sarangani bay, which is home to diverse marine life. Sarangani is popular for its bangus and tuna.

Now on its 11th year, the Sarangani Bay Festival is mounted by the Department of Tourism and the local government of Sarangani and will feature various sports competitions, fitness activities, environmental advocacies, nightly shows, concerts and a music festival.