Google is searching for a new batch of Web Rangers in the Philippines to make a campaign to encourage their peers to use the internet for good. Now on its second year, the competition’s campaign theme is digital literacy and the aim is to explore what netizens can do to use the internet for meaningful activities that will help them pursue their passion, develop new talents and skills and discover things that can help the youth level up.

Filipinos 15 to 20 years old are encouraged to take part by signing up at the Web Rangers website (http://webrangers.ph) beginning August 1. Sixty Web Rangers will be selected based on their answers to the questions they’ll get in the sign-up sheet. They will be teamed up with other Web Rangers and undergo a one-day workshop on September 17 on how to make an effective campaign on digital literacy. Experts known for their creative digital pursuits and innovation will share their insights, experiences, and techniques with the Web Rangers so they can get ideas on how to use the Internet for good and create a campaign that will encourage their peers to do the same. They will be given three weeks to produce a campaign, which will be their entry to the competition.

Applicants will have the chance to choose their Web Ranger character during the  sign-up process. These characters embody the five meaningful activities online that open up opportunities and encourage users to use the internet for good: First is The Innovator who goes online to be well-informed and find new ways to disrupt the ordinary to make it extraordinary; second is The Visionary who surf the net and sees the possibility in every opportunity, develops it and grows it; third is The Creator who logs in to create artistic content and share them to others; fourth is The Analyst who likes to search and research to delve deep into content that can enhance his knowledge and use it for something productive; and fifth is The Inspiration who likes to perform and upload content that entertain through different art forms.

“We’d like to give the Filipino youth an opportunity to use their creativity in the online space for a good cause. Web Rangers is a campaign and competition that will equip them to look at digital as an extension of their creativity where they can turn their ideas into something impactful and truly meaningful to others,” said Gail Tan, Google Philippines Head of Communications and Public Affairs.

The winning campaign will be awarded in October and will be supported by Google Philippines in terms of publicity and outreach.

Level up to become a Web Ranger at http://webrangers.ph.

Gear up trainers! Pokémon Go Philippines is finally a reality, and it’s time to fulfill your dreams of becoming a Pokémon master! Developed by Niantic Inc., Pokémon Go blends the much beloved world of the classic Pokémon game, with the real physical world through augmented reality. As a player of the game you must start your journey as a Pokémon Trainer to catch Pokémon, train them and eventually become a Pokémon Master. However, unlike other mobile games, Pokémon Go requires you to put more physical effort and even strategy to progress and master the game.

As the game is now officially available in the Philippines after weeks of anticipation, players are more than ready to go out and explore around. But don’t just roam around, be the very best like no one ever was with these tips when starting your Pokémon Go quest.

Pokémon Go Philippines Tips and Tricks

Always bring extra power – Playing Pokémon Go uses internet either through mobile data or WiFi, GPS to locate you and Pokémon nearby, and even your camera as part of the augmented reality experience, resulting to heavy battery drain when playing the game. It is best to always bring an extra power bank with you to keep your game going.

Hydrate properly – Pokémon Go requires you to go around and explore your surroundings, sometimes even walk or bike 10 kilometers just to hatch a Pokémon egg. Given this, trainers are advised to always bring water and wear comfortable clothes to avoid dehydration. Who knows, you might even need to climb to the top of a nearby hill just to find the Pokémon you’re looking for!

Have fun while being aware of your surroundings – Holding your phone in public can possibly attract thieves who may steal your phone. You might be also too distracted around you when you are enjoying too much of the game so be alert by keeping on the lookout from time to time!

Items are not unlimited – Playing Pokémon Go in the early stage might get you carried away in your excitement to catch Pokémon. Just remember that Pokeballs and other items are not unlimited, so use them wisely.

When catching Pokémon, keep the Pokémon centered in your camera frame so you can catch them more accurately. Don’t worry though, Pokeballs can always be acquired in Pokestops, or if you do ever run out of Pokeballs, you can purchase in bulk using Pokecoins. Need Pokecoins? On Globe you can easily buy more on Google Play via the hassle free Direct Carrier Billing so you can easily charge to your postpaid bill or prepaid credits!

Go to convergence areas for more Pokestops – Pokestops are there to provide you items to help you catch Pokémon, and can sometimes be spots where Pokémon can appear when lure modules are applied. Pokestops are most likely located in nearby convergence areas such as malls, parks, basketball courts or even mural paintings and statues. Pokestops refresh in a few minutes, so just keep on collecting items!

Watch out for Pokestops with lots of petals! This means that someone has activated a lure module in that Pokestop, and nearby Pokemon will be attracted to it for 30 minutes. You can activate this too by purchasing Lure Modules using Pokecoins.

Hint: You can check out https://www.ingress.com/intel for potential Pokestop and Pokémon Gym locations, as Pokémon Go uses the same data collected and used by the game Ingress, which is also developed by Niantic.

Form a team! – Are you team Instinct, Mystic or Valor? Once you reach level 5 you have to choose which side you will be. It’s best to form a team within your neighborhood or friends, this will give you better advantage to certain situations such as taking over Gyms, which allows you to gain prestige for your team, allowing more Pokémon from your team to defend the Gym. Plus, if one of your Pokémon is defending the gym, you can get Pokecoins for free every 21 hours your Pokémon is in the gym.

Choose Pikachu! – You can easily get Pikachu from the start of your game, simply ignore any of the starter Pokémon Charmander, Squirtle or Bulbasaur, that might appear around you. Walk around for 3-5 times. Eventually Pikachu will appear and you will be able to capture the iconic Pokémon.
Transfer duplicate Pokémon for candy – Catching Pokémon might get you a lot of the same kind of Pokémon. Got 10 Pidgeys you say? Transfer your weakest 9 Pidgeys to Professor Willow for Pidgey candies!
You can transfer these duplicate Pokémon into candies if you hand them over to Professor Willow. Candies are necessary to increase the combat power (CP) and other stats of your Pokémon. Gain enough candies and you can evolve your Pokémon to its stronger form.
Pro-tip: Always transfer the duplicates with the lowest combat power (CP).

Eggs will make you travel – Hatching eggs will require you to travel a lot, make sure you always have an egg in the incubator to get the most of your travel. Eggs right now can hatch from distances of 10km, 5km or 2km depending on how rare the Pokémon is inside.

Level up fast – make the most out of your Pokemon adventure by using Lucky Eggs, which doubles the experience you gain from the game. Couple this with using lures or incense to catch more Pokemon. The more Pokemon you catch, the more experience you gain!

Pokémon Go just started its wave in the Philippines, and more and more trainers will venture to try out the new game and competition will get more intense in the coming days.

These tips will surely get you ahead of others. Playing Pokémon Go will get you hooked and it’s best to get the most of the trend. Globe offers 7 free days of access of Pokémon Go via the Globe Switch app, so you can maximize your data and enjoy playing without worries.
So go get your gear ready and catch ‘em all!

ZenFone 3 Laser and ZenFone 3 Max will arrive together with the ZenFone 3 smartphones series in the Philippines this August

The Zenfone 3 family just got bigger and bolder! ASUS Philippines confirms the arrival of its newest addition to the ZenFone 3 smartphone series, the ZenFone 3 Laser and ZenFone3 Max together with the three phones slated to launch in August in the country.
Conceived with sophistication and affordability in mind, these two products have outdone their previous predecessors with sophisticated design, a world-class camera, reliable performance, and unparalleled, lasting longevity.

Beauty and Elegance Inside Out

The ZenFone 3 Laser and Zenfone 3 Max features a 13MP camera with the latest Sony IMX214 sensor that captures stunning photos without any lag. The ZenFone 3 Laser in particular is able to achieve focus in just 0.03 seconds, and its laser has an operational range of 1.5, twice compared to other smartphones.
This camera also has an industry-leading Low Light mode with pixel-merging technology that captures 400%-brighter photos at night or in extreme low-light scenes – all that without the need for any flash.
Meanwhile, their Backlight (Super HDR) mode can see through daytime shadow with superb clarity, while its Super Resolution mode captures detailed images at resolutions of up to 52MP.

The 5.5-inch ZenFone 3 Laser and 5.2-inch ZenFone 3 Max sport a sophisticated aluminum alloy with design elements that add visual aesthetics and an easy, comfortable grip.

Both phones have a finely sandblasted matt surface and a gently rounded edge, combined with a refined metallic-chamfered edge surrounding its display.

Both also sport the quintessential and ergonomic fingerprint sensor placed near the top of its rear panel, allowing the index finger to naturally rest on it. The fingerprint sensor allows it to rapidly unlock the phone, using authentication by other apps.

ZenFone 3 Laser is available in two attractive colors to complement even the most-color conscious attire: glacier silver and sand gold. While the ZenFone 3 Max is available in three attractive colors: titanium gray, glacier silver, and sand gold.

Extreme Performance and Longevity

The ZenFone 3 Laser boasts a powerful Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage that will be able to satisfy everyone’s entertainment needs, that is also backed with one of the loudest and clearest speakers in its class because of the magnets used in its voice coils that have an extremely strong magnetic flux.

Meanwhile, the ZenFone 3 Max offers longevity like no other with its 4130mAh battery that provides up to 30 days of standby time, and the ability to turn into a power bank with reverse-charging capabilities offering high-speed charging of other devices, it is also equipped with a powerful Quad-Core 64 bit processor running at 1.25Ghz complimented with a Mali T720 graphics processor.

An Incredible Smartphone Innovation

From the birth of ZenFone 2 Laser and ZenFone Max that pushed innovation to deliver an unparalleled smartphone experience, ASUS has outdone itself once more with a rebirth in the form of the ZenFone 3 Laser and ZenFone 3 Max which offers the best of both worlds in terms of design and performance, without a doubt – innovation is, and will always be, the middle name of ASUS.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser (ZC551KL) SpecS

ASUS ZenFone 3 Max (ZC502TL) Specs

For pricing and more info, check out Asus Philippines Online Pages:

• ASUS Global Press Room: http://press.asus.com
• ASUS PH Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ASUSph
• ASUS PH Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ASUSph
• ASUS PH Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ASUSph
• ASUS Zenvolution.ph: zenvolution.ph

Starting July 25, get 40% discount on Shakey’s Chicken ’N’ Mojos every Monday.

Always finding ways to cater to its Guests, Shakey’s has grown to be a favorite hang out among Filipinos. From their mouth-watering Thin Crust pizzas to their all-time favorite Chicken ’N’ Mojos, their ever-dependable menu has evolved over the years to cater to every Guest’s craving.

As a place that Filipinos know that they can count on for good times and great memories, Shakey’s is giving their Guests a good reason to look forward to Mondays much, much more through their Chicken ’N’ Mojos Monday Madness Promo.

An exclusive offer for all SuperCard holders, the promo entitles card owners to discounts on all Chicken ’N’ Mojos packs on the following Mondays – July 25, 2016 and August 1, 8, 15, and 22, 2016. To be enjoyed alone or shared with family and friends, the Shakey’s Monday Madness promo is taking 40% off on the prices of the Solo (3pcs), Buddy (5pcs), Family (7pcs), Party (12pcs) and Blowout (20pcs) packs.

Only available for dine-in transactions, Guests now have another reason to start their weekdays on a high note by planning their next Monday get-together at the nearest Shakey’s branch.

For more information on the Shakey’s Monday Madness promo, LIKE Shakey’s Pizza on Facebook and FOLLOW @shakeysph on Instagram.

Former women OFWs complete the micro-entrepreneurship program of DOLE and Coca-Cola

The first batch of women scholars, composed of former overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families under the Women Entrepreneurs Reintegrated and Economically Active at Home (WOMEN REACH!) Program, recently graduated from the Sari-Sari Store Training and Access to Resources (STAR) Basic Entrepreneurship and Gender Sensitivity Training.

The WOMEN REACH! Program is a partnership program of Coca-Cola Philippines, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) that seeks to provide women OFWs with micro-entrepreneurial skills training and business enhancement kits upon their return and to encourage them to stay for good in the country.

Barely four months after the roll-out of the WOMEN REACH! Program, 43 women graduated with the technical skills and network to help them better manage their chosen micro-enterprises, many of which are home-based sari-sari stores and carinderia.

“This is our way of helping women OFWs, their families, and their communities, achieve economic sustainability in the long run. By giving them technical skills and access to resources, the Company is helping women overcome the obstacles that they may encounter in running their micro-enterprises,” said Atty. Adel Tamano, Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications, Coca-Cola Philippines.

Most women OFWs are often caught unaware of the social cost of working abroad. The DOLE’s Institute for Labor Studies said that the continuing feminization of migration has the most detrimental impact to the family and children, especially when it’s the mother who goes abroad for work. The ILS cited that families often go through a lot of major adjustments when women migrate because along with her also goes the caregiving and nurturing responsibilities.

A combination of several program components, the WOMEN REACH! Program is composed of the STAR program of Coca-Cola Philippines and TESDA, and the Assist WELL (Welfare, Employment, Livelihood, and Legal) program of DOLE and its attached agencies, which aims to swiftly and efficiently provide assistance for returning OFWs.

The STAR Program is part of the 5by20 global initiative of the Coca-Cola Company to empower 5 million women within its value chain by the year 2020. Started in 2011, the STAR Program is implemented nationwide and has already touched the lives of more than 47,000 women micro-entrepreneurs, out of the 200,000 target in the Philippines up to year 2020.

Under the WOMEN REACH! Program, returning women OFWs with existing micro-retailing businesses, such as sari-sari stores or carinderia automatically qualify for STAR Program scholarship and undergo the Basic Entrepreneurship and Gender Sensitivity Training at the STAR Center for Excellence inside the TESDA Women’s Center in Taguig City.

By virtue of DOLE Order No. 139-14, the Assist WELL Program is a package of free assistance and services to ensure the successful reintegration of returning OFWs. Currently, there are international Assist WELL Processing Centers in Seoul, South Korea and in Dubai, UAE. In the Philippines, one process center is established in every region, except for regions 8 and 6, which have two centers each, and the National Capital Region which has processing centers at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and the National Reintegration Center for OFWs.