PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, September 29, 2026 — Grab Philippines brings its Grab Asenso Learning Caravan to Puerto Princesa, holding a full-day masterclass that equipped GrabFood merchant-partners with practical digital skills and tools to grow their businesses.

The caravan is part of Grab Asenso Digital Diskarte, the company's flagship tech and AI enablement program for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). It was held with the International Trade Centre (ITC), the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations dedicated to helping small businesses compete.

Sessions covered growth and payment tools on the GrabMerchant app, including GrabAds Spotlight Campaigns; Tap & Scan to Pay, which lets merchants accept QR and card payments; and GrabMerchant AI Assistant, an AI co-pilot for daily operations. ITC experts led modules on digital content mastery and content strategy.

Welcoming Grab's efforts to help local MSMEs grow through digitalization, Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron said Grab's presence in the city reflects confidence in the local economy and its readiness for new opportunities.

"For us, Grab's arrival in Puerto Princesa is an indication of their trust in the economy of Puerto Princesa, and of Puerto Princesa's readiness to receive new investments and to accept new opportunities," he said.

The mayor also underscored the role of food delivery in helping local businesses grow. "Food delivery will help restaurant owners increase their sales. There are several people who don't have the time to go to restaurants, but they can take advantage of Grab delivery to order the food they want from our participating restaurants."

The Grab Asenso: Digital Diskarte Program supports Puerto Princesa's push to digitalize local MSMEs and expand their opportunities in the digital economy. [L-R] Grab Philippines Merchant Programs and Engagement Manager Bea Torricer, Public Affairs Manager James Roman, Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron, Grab Philippines Vice President for Cities RJ Cabaluna, Regional Manager for South Luzon Danver Mallari, and Merchant Operations Lead Donna Elagio

Helping local businesses thrive

GrabFood launched in Puerto Princesa in October 2025, and has since onboarded homegrown favorites such as Haim Chicken, Puerto’s Pancit Malabon, 100% Cafe Moto, and Del Cusina.

100% Cafe Moto began as A+ Moto Cafe in Bancao-Bancao during the COVID-19 pandemic, a gathering place for motorcycle enthusiasts and locals. Before joining GrabFood, customers ordered by phone and staff had to find a rider, which often delayed deliveries. GrabFood now brings delivery fees, estimated delivery times, and online payments onto a single platform.

"As a business grows, it is important to factor in technology. As a restaurant, we need to find ways to serve customers better through technology. More and more people are also now finding ordering more convenient than visiting a physical store, so we need to be able to bridge that gap," said Gladys Abad, 100% Cafe Moto's operations manager.

Del Cusina, a family-owned buffet restaurant that started in Sabang, was severely damaged by Typhoon Odette in late 2021. The business was rebuilt and relocated to the South National Highway in Tiniguiban.

"Our journey has taught us that running a small business means being ready to adapt. After Typhoon Odette, rebuilding and relocating was a major challenge. As we rebuilt and reintroduced our food, we realized we could also give customers the gift of convenience by partnering with GrabFood," said Dayan Jardin, Del Cusina’s Dining Supervisor. The partnership immediately lifted the restaurant's sales by up to 30 percent, with GrabFood delivery orders continuing to grow relative to walk-in orders.

Building an ecosystem for MSME growth

Grab Asenso's partnership with ITC runs through the agency's Digital PINAS program, which builds MSMEs' technology and AI capabilities and tracks how digital adoption translates into business growth.

GrabFood merchant-partners and fellow community business owners work through hands-on exercises during ITC-led modules on digital content strategy and branding.

Through the end of 2026, ITC will bring expert-led masterclasses to Learning Caravans in regional cities nationwide, along with a merchant monitoring framework that measures business results. Sessions follow Digital PINAS' hands-on format, covering digital business profiles, online presence, brand and marketing content, creative platforms, and AI for streamlining operations.

"MSMEs are the backbone of our local economies. They create jobs, sustain families, and drive the growth of cities like Puerto Princesa," said RJ Cabaluna, vice president for Cities at Grab Philippines. "Empowering them is essential to building a more inclusive and resilient Philippine economy. Our partnership does not end when a store goes live on GrabFood. We are committed to growing alongside our merchants and the communities they serve, widening their access to technology, know-how, and opportunity so they can compete and thrive in the digital economy."

MANILA, Philippines -- Two of the country’s beloved personalities known for their humor and authenticity have teamed up for a special collaboration with Hanabishi Appliances. 

Comedy legend “Bossing” Vic Sotto recently visited Ninong Ry, who prepared delicious Chinese food using the brand’s various kitchen appliances. The visit can be seen on the food content creator’s popular YouTube channel. As of this writing, the hour-long episode has already garnered more than 4 million views.

“Bossing Vic has been a brand ambassador of Hanabishi for many years already, and we have worked with Ninong Ry countless times. Bringing them together was a dream collaboration for us as we mark our 40th year,” said Cherish Ong-Chua, VP for Finance and Marketing, Hanabishi Appliances.

Ninong Ry Whips Up a Chinese Feast

Ninong Ry, with his signature wit and humor, prepared Fried Mantou with the help of the Hanabishi Professional Stand Mixer Master Series 5L HPSTMIX-50, and Hanabishi Food Steamer HFS85; Steamed Fish also using the Hanabishi Food Steamer; and his own version of Dong Po Pork using the Hanabishi 18 in 1 Electric Pressure Cooker HDIGPC-18IN1 and Hanabishi Juice Extractor HPJ750SS. He showed how much easier and more convenient it is to prepare these dishes with these appliances as your ka-partner.

Bossing Opens Up About His Beginnings in Rare Interview

Bossing Vic and Ninong Ry enjoyed the food together before settling into a lighthearted interview, where the comedy icon offered a rare glimpse into his personal journey in the entertainment industry. He candidly shared how he entered show business through the music industry before eventually appearing in a gag show with his brothers. He also shared his thoughts on comedy’s evolution, and looked back on the beginnings of Eat Bulaga in 1979. He said that he is looking  forward to its upcoming 50th anniversary.

A Tried and Tested Ka-Partner

“Parang Eat Bulaga ang Hanabishi,” Bossing Vic observed during the interview, drawing parallels between the long-running noontime show and the brand’s longevity and partnership with Filipinos. “For 40 years, subok na ng buong bayan.”

He also shared how people would tell him about the durability of Hanabishi products, of how they have remained reliable for many years.

“As we celebrate our 40th year this year, we thank all the people who have partnered with us like Bossing Vic and Ninong Ry, and everyone who has chosen Hanabishi as their ka-partner in their homes and even their offices. As we look forward to more years in the industry, we will continue to fulfill our promise of providing quality appliances for Filipino families,” Ong-Chua said.

Learn more about Hanabishi by visiting www.myhanabishi.com. 

For K-pop fans and stans, every event comes with its own camera roll. From getting the perfect shot of your bias and documenting your favorite moments to capturing your barkada’s reactions and putting together the inevitable post-event photo dump, being part of the fandom today also means finding creative ways to preserve and share the experience.

That creativity was on full display at the recent OPPO x BABYMONSTER Global Fan Meet Up in Indonesia, where the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G captured BABYMONSTER, the excitement of fans, and the shared moments surrounding the event. While the gathering offered a closer, more intimate fan experience, it also demonstrated the versatility fans can bring to larger K-pop moments, including concerts, festivals, and live performances.

With its Pocket Studio experience, the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G brings together professional-level camera hardware, versatile shooting features, and AI-powered creative tools in one device. From zooming in on an artist from your concert seat and keeping performance videos smooth to filming the stage and your reaction at the same time, it gives fans more creative possibilities for documenting the K-pop moments they never want to forget.

Get closer to your bias with Zoom Into The Vibe

Getting the shot you want can be challenging when your favorite artist is several rows, or even an entire section, away. That is especially true at concerts and larger live events, where fans need the flexibility to frame moments happening from a distance.

The OPPO Reno16 Series 5G helps fans Zoom Into The Vibe, bringing distant subjects closer while preserving the details that make the shot worth keeping. The OPPO Reno16 5G features a 50MP Telephoto Portrait Camera with 3.5x optical zoom, giving users more flexibility to frame artists from farther away. Its focal length is also close to the classic 85mm portrait perspective, helping produce natural-looking portraits.

At the OPPO x BABYMONSTER Global Fan Meet Up, that versatility made it possible to move beyond wider shots and focus on individual members, their performance looks, or expressions that happen for only a second. At a full-scale concert, the same versatility can help fans get closer to the action from their seats and create a more varied camera roll.

Paired with the 50MP Ultra-Clear Main Camera, the OPPO Reno16 5G gives fans more flexibility to document both the bigger scene and the details happening within it.

Keep every performance smooth with StableCam

No K-pop camera roll is complete without a fancam. At concerts and live performances, however, dancing along, waving a lightstick, and following an artist moving across the stage can make keeping handheld footage smooth a challenge.

With StableCam, the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G helps fans record smoother, more watchable videos even when the energy around them picks up. The OPPO Reno16 5G supports 4K video on both its rear and front cameras, giving users the flexibility to record the action in greater detail or turn the camera around to document their own reactions.

4K Auto Straighten Video also helps keep footage properly framed, giving spontaneous clips a more polished look straight from the camera. From a favorite choreography sequence at a concert to a special performance at a fan event, fans can stay immersed in the moment while still coming home with footage they will want to replay.

Tell both sides of the show with DualCam

Sometimes, what is happening on your side of the stage is just as memorable as what is happening in front of it. There is the reaction when the opening VCR starts, your barkada screaming when your bias appears, or the collective excitement when the first notes of a favorite song begin.

That is where Dual-View Video 2.0 comes in. The feature lets fans record two perspectives at once, bringing what is happening in front of them and their own reactions together in the same video.

At a concert, that could mean recording a favorite performance while simultaneously preserving your reaction to seeing it live. At a fan meetup, it can capture both the artist and the excitement shared with fellow fans. Instead of choosing which side of the moment to document, DualCam brings both perspectives into one more personal piece of content.

Put the whole fandom in the content with Camera Remote View

Some of the best K-pop memories happen away from the stage. Pre-event fit checks, lightstick photos, photocard poses, and group shots with fellow fans all become part of the story.

With OPPO Bubble with Camera Remote View, fans can remotely preview the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G camera frame and trigger photos or videos from a compatible device. This makes it easier to compose a complete barkada photo without assigning one person to stay behind the camera.

Users can control the camera from up to 10 meters away, adjust framing from 0.6x to 3.5x, and set a timer of up to 10 seconds, giving everyone more freedom to find the right composition. Camera Remote View is also compatible with supported iPhones, making it useful for fandom barkadas using different devices.

Whether it is a group shot at a fan meetup like the OPPO x BABYMONSTER Global Fan Meet Up or a barkada photo before heading inside a concert venue, everyone gets to be part of the memory.

Turn your camera roll into content worth sharing

After the event comes the inevitable camera roll review: sorting through favorite artist shots, performance clips, outfits, merch photos, barkada selfies, and all the little moments in between. With the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G, fans already have creative tools on hand to turn those memories into social-ready posts with minimal extra editing.

AI Remix Collage lets fans rework their favorite shots through playful formats such as Tiny Me, Giant Me, Time Freezer, and Motion Scrapbook, giving photo dumps and social posts a more creative treatment. Motion Photo Popout 2.0 adds another layer of personality by turning Motion Photos into more dynamic compositions that can help a favorite fan moment stand out on the feed.

For a more nostalgic finish, Pop Cam brings looks such as Digicam, Instant Film, and Light Leak directly into the native Camera app. From flash-heavy concert fits to candid fan meetup snaps and post-event barkada photos, fans can achieve the aesthetic they want without having to recreate it through a separate editing app.

With these creative tools built into the Pocket Studio experience, putting together the post-event photo dump, Reel, or next feed update becomes just as fun as scrolling through the memories afterward.

Bring Pocket Studio to your next K-pop moment

From the first photo outside the venue to the post-fan meet up dump that keeps the night alive on your feed, being a K-pop fan today also means finding your own creative way to tell the story.

As seen at OPPO X BABYMONSTER Global Fan Meet Up in Indonesia, the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G gives fans a Pocket Studio they can bring along for every part of that story, helping turn fleeting fan moments into photos, videos, and posts they will want to revisit long after the lights go down.

With the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G in your pocket, your fan moments era is ready to begin.

The OPPO Reno16 Series 5G is now available in the Philippines. Visit the OPPO Online Sore or your nearest OPPO Store nationwide to get yours and bring Pocket Studio to your next fan experience.

To know more about the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G visit OPPO Philippines’ official website at www.oppo.com/ph/ or OPPO Philippines’ official social media pages on Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. 

There was a time when buying insurance meant setting aside time for paperwork, visiting a branch, meeting with a financial advisor, and waiting for an application to be processed.

For something designed to provide peace of mind, the experience could sometimes feel intimidating.

But the way Filipinos live has changed. People now bank, shop, book appointments, communicate, and manage many aspects of their lives through their phones. They expect services to be simpler, faster, and easier to access.

Insurance is no exception.

For InLife, (formerly known as Insular Life,) this changing behavior has prompted a bigger question: How can we make protection work better for the way Filipinos live today?

The answer has been more than simply going digital. It has meant rethinking the insurance experience, developing new ways to provide protection, and listening constantly to what else Filipinos need. 

“We believe there is something powerful about being Filipino and protecting fellow Filipinos. We place the same value on family and preparation for the future, and understand the different challenges Filipinos face because we experience them ourselves. That shared understanding inspires us to keep finding better, simpler, and more meaningful ways to protect Filipinos throughout their lives,” said InLife Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Bancassurance Officer Gae L. Martinez.  

Innovation starts with making life easier

Over the years, InLife has invested in digital tools that address the abovementioned customer pain points.

Its pioneering Automated Underwriting System has made life insurance application faster. Through the InLife App, policyholders now have easier access to their policies and services. Financial Advisors have the InLife Super Compass app, an all-in-one digital sales and productivity tool for easier sales activity management. Ella, InLife's AI-powered digital assistant, helps customers find policy-specific information when they need it, wherever they may be. 

These are technology projects that respond to a simple reality: people have less time for complicated processes and expect greater convenience from the companies they deal with.

For InLife, innovation means removing unnecessary friction from the experience of getting and managing protection. It means blazing trails beyond technology and rethinking what insurance solutions could make Filipinos’ lives easier. 

For instance, to help Filipinos gauge their retirement readiness, InLife developed the country’s first-ever Retirement Readiness Index. The Index measures retirement preparedness through six factors: life stage, personal finances, health, pension program participation, retirement sentiment and social support. 

And to ensure Filipinos could retire without worries, InLife launched Retire Assure, the country’s first true retirement product, made around a need that is becoming increasingly important as Filipinos live longer: having a reliable source of income during retirement.

Retire Assure was designed to provide guaranteed income to Filipinos after their working years, from age 60 up to 100.  It has flexible payout options and does not require medical exam, allowing Filipinos to build a more secure and worry-free retirement.

These developments reflect a broader shift in how InLife approaches insurance: looking at the financial realities Filipinos face and creating solutions around those needs.

The same thinking can be seen in Stackbit, an affordable, flexible insurance product designed for young Filipinos and emerging customers, offering protection that can be built up bit by bit. Starting at just ₱10, customers may choose from three stackable coverage, allowing them to get protection that fits their needs and budget. With its low entry price and simple, accessible format, Stackbit makes insurance easier to understand, start, and build into everyday financial habits without forcing Filipinos to make large financial commitments before they are ready to do so. 

Recently, it also launched the InLife Global Care for Filipinos who want more flexible healthcare protection and a way to supplement their Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) coverages. 

InLife Global Care provides coverage for major illnesses and medical needs, with access to healthcare services and treatment options locally and abroad, helping ease the financial burden of costly medical care. Designed for Filipinos who want greater peace of mind for themselves and their loved ones, InLife Global Care combines access to world-class care, delivered with a genuine Filipino heart, and backed by InLife certainty. 

Innovation also means looking beyond insurance

InLife's innovation extends to how it responds to broader needs affecting Filipinos.

Through the InLife HealthCheck, InLife brings health and wellness support closer to members of the Amorsolo Circle. Amorsolo Circle is InLife’s program for its high-net worth policyholders. 

The InLife HealthCheck is a preventive wellness tool designed to encourage proactive health monitoring. It allows users to obtain a snapshot of over 30 wellness indicators through a simple 60-second video selfie on a mobile device. By detecting blood flow beneath the skin, this feature empowers individuals to track key health metrics early, making routine wellness tracking accessible long before symptoms appear. However, it is not a medical device nor a replacement for clinical diagnostic tests.

The biggest innovation may be the one customers don't see

Some of InLife's transformation happens behind the scenes.

The company has adopted Agile ways of working and established Mission-Based Teams (MBT), bringing people from different functions together around specific customer and business needs.

This matters because a customer's experience does not belong to just one department. Life insurance involves sales, underwriting, customer relations, and technology, among others. A customer question can reveal an opportunity to improve an entire process. A recurring frustration can point to something that needs to be redesigned or created. Two of InLife’s products, Retire Assure, and Stackbit, are products of these MBTs. 

That is why listening has become an important part of InLife's approach to innovation.

Customer feedback and satisfaction measures provide insights into what works, what doesn't, and where the experience can be improved. The result is a cycle: listen, understand, improve, and build again.

InLife, a company that keeps moving forward

After almost 116 years of protecting Filipinos, InLife continues to reinvent itself and transform. The name is shorter and more modern, but it also reflects a more agile, modern and customer-focused organization while still honoring the trust and heritage built over more than a century. More importantly, InLife’s approach to innovation has always come back to one question: 

What do Filipinos need next?

Because innovation is about seeing a need, listening to people, and finding a better way forward. And after 116 years, InLife has mastered the art of helping Filipinos prepare for the future.

Know more about InLife by visiting https://www.inlife.com.ph/. 

Save up to ₱8,000 on the Reno16 Series and discover deals on phones, tablets, and earbuds from October 3 to 12

A sale is more exciting when the deal leads to something you will use and enjoy every day. Maybe it is a camera that makes you the designated photographer of the barkada. Maybe it is a battery that gets you through work, school, and the trip home. This 10.10, OPPO is giving shoppers a chance to choose an upgrade that fits their lives, with offers on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop  from October 3 to 12.

The biggest phone offer is ₱8,000 off the OPPO Reno16 Series across all three platforms. For anyone who has been waiting to upgrade their camera phone, it is a chance to bring home OPPO’s Pocket Studio experience for less. From group photos and travel clips to spontaneous moments that deserve a place in the camera roll, the Reno16 Series gives users more ways to capture, create, and share. The OPPO Reno16 5G, for example, brings together a 50MP main camera, ultra-wide camera, telephoto portrait camera, and ultra-wide selfie camera, giving users options for the scenes and people they want to photograph.

Find the phone that fits what you love doing

For shoppers who want to take their photography game to the next level, the OPPO Find X9 is ₱4,000 off on Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop. Its Hasselblad camera system makes it a compelling choice for travel, portraits, and the details you might otherwise miss, while its large battery helps keep the day going when there is still more to see and capture. On Shopee, shoppers can also get ₱5,000 off the OPPO Find X8.

The OPPO Reno15 Series is ₱1,000 off on Lazada and TikTok Shop. With tools for portraits and video, it is an option for people who want to make more of the moments they share online.

If staying powered up matters most, the A Series has several reasons to take a closer look. The OPPO A6t Pro is ₱2,000 off on Lazada and TikTok Shop. Its 7,000mAh battery makes it a practical choice for long commutes, streaming, and busy days away from a charger. The OPPO A6s is ₱3,000 off, and the OPPO A6c is ₱2,000 off on the same platforms. Lazada shoppers can also save ₱2,000 on the OPPO A6 8GB + 256GB variant.

Make more of your 10.10 upgrade

The offers do not stop at phones. Select OPPO Enco earbuds are ₱1,000 off across Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop, making it easier to bring music and calls along wherever the day goes. Shoppers can also save ₱2,000 on the OPPO Pad SE WiFi and LTE variants on Lazada and TikTok Shop, or ₱1,000 on the OPPO Pad 5 on Shopee. The OPPO Bubble is ₱2,000 off across all three platforms.

The deal may not be the only thing shoppers take home. OPPO’s Pingu raffle will draw 100 winners on October 26, 2026, for prizes including Pingu stickers, phone grips, straps, and crossbody pouches. Select OPPO phone cases and Bubble sleeves are also up for grabs, depending on the device purchased. Winners will receive claiming instructions through Shopee, Lazada, or TikTok.

Whether the goal is to take better photos, stay powered through a full day, or complete an everyday tech setup, OPPO’s 10.10 Sale gives shoppers a reason to choose the device they really want. Explore the offers from October 3 to 12 on Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop. Discounts and participating products vary by platform.

To know more about OPPO’s 10.10 Super Sale, check out OPPO Philippines’ official stores on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop or visit OPPO Philippines’ official website at www.oppo.com/ph/ and Facebook page.

To get the best care for OPPO devices, visit the nearest OPPO Care Center or contact us on our website, via Facebook.

One of Makati's best-kept secrets gets a refresh, inviting more people to discover a unique Japanese garden in the heart of the city.

Ten years on, the spirit of wa lives on. The renewed Tsuruki-en Japanese Garden stands as a lasting symbol of the partnership between Security Bank and MUFG.

Makati City, Philippines – A quiet green corner in the heart of Makati has been given new life for the community. Security Bank and MUFG Bank, Manila Branch Ltd. (MUFG) have restored the Tsuruki-en (Crane and Turtle) Japanese Garden at Washington SyCip Park, creating a refreshed urban retreat to the Makati community where one can recharge and connect with nature.

Set amid the city’s office towers and busy streets, the garden offers something increasingly precious in the city: a peaceful public tranquil space open to office workers, residents, families, tourists to pause, unwind, and soaking in the Japanese garden zen. 

First unveiled in 2017 by Security Bank, MUFG and the late Washington SyCip, Tsuruki-en has become a distinctive green landmark and a shared place for the Makati community. Its renewal is timely as it marks the 10th year of partnership between MUFG and Security Bank and celebrates the enduring ties between Japan and the Philippines.

"The Tsuruki-en Garden is a special place that brings a sense of calm and reflection to the middle of a busy city," said Victor Lee, President and CEO of Security Bank. "As we celebrate ten years of partnership with MUFG, we are proud to renew this space and share it with the public. We hope more people will discover and enjoy this unique corner of Makati."

Inspired by wa, the Japanese idea of harmony and balance, the refreshed garden brings together stone, water, greenery and carefully shaped landscapes. Sustainable materials sourced in the Philippines help create a calm, welcoming setting that reflects the friendship between Japan and the Philippines.

Markers of a shared journey, honoring the vision, friendship, and collaboration behind Tsuruki-en.

“Refreshing Tsuruki-en is a simple but meaningful way to care for the city we share. We are honoured to mark this milestone with Security Bank by helping preserve a place where people can find calm, enjoy nature and feel welcome. It reflects the care, respect and shared purpose that guide our partnership and our commitment to the Philippines.” said Masami Yoshitake, Country Head of MUFG Bank, Manila Branch.

Representatives from Security Bank, MUFG, the Makati Central Estate Association (MACEA) and other partners came together for the rededication and a walkthrough of the renewed garden.

With its refresh complete, the garden is ready to welcome the community again — whether for a quiet break, a walk among the greenery or a visit to one of Makati’s hidden gems.