MANILA, Philippines – OPPO's relentless pursuit of imaging innovation continues to earn global recognition as the OPPO Find X9 Ultra achieved an impressive result in DXOMARK's smartphone camera rankings, underscoring its excellence in mobile photography. The independent evaluation highlights the Find X9 Ultra's ability to consistently deliver exceptional image quality across a wide range of everyday shooting scenarios.

DXOMARK's assessment recognized the Find X9 Ultra for its outstanding balance of photo and video performance, praising its natural color reproduction, wide dynamic range, impressive detail retention, and versatile zoom capabilities. Together, these strengths enable users to confidently capture everything from sweeping landscapes and portraits to distant subjects and low-light scenes with professional-looking results.

As Kadayawan Festival fills the streets of Davao City with color, culture, and celebration, Discovery Samal marks the season with a collection of dining experiences inspired by Davao’s flavors, harvest, and festive spirit.

Guests can make an island escape part of their Kadayawan plans, whether that’s lingering over a regional feast, settling in for a barbecue dinner by the beach, or raising a glass to one of Davao’s most recognizable fruits. 

A Kadayawan Feast at The Bistro

From August 10 to 16, The Bistro presents its Kadayawan Special, a five-course set meal built around Davao's local ingredients and culinary heritage. The menu offers guests a quieter way to experience the festival through food — one that brings regional flavors to the table before, after, or in between the celebrations in the city.

Priced at Php 3,500 net per person, the Kadayawan Special is served from 11:30 am to 9:30 pm and includes round-trip boat transfers between the Davao Welcome Center and Discovery Samal. 

Flavors of Kadayawan at Morning Catch

On August 16, Morning Catch will host “Flavors of Kadayawan: A Feast of Davao’s Bounty”, a festival-themed lunch buffet celebrating the produce and flavors associated with the region’s abundant harvest.

The buffet runs from 11 am to 3 pm and is priced at Php 2,600 net per person, inclusive of round-trip boat transfers from the Davao Welcome Center to Discovery Samal. 

Beachfront Kadayawan Evenings at Haribar Lounge

Haribar Lounge puts the celebrated fruit in the spotlight with its Kadayawan Concoction, available throughout August in cocktail and alcohol-free versions. The Durian Breeze Cocktail, priced at Php 500 net per glass, offers a spirited take on the local favorite, while the Durian Paradise Mocktail is available at Php 300 net per glass. 

As a little extra for locals, Mindanao residents can enjoy the Glamping Buffet Dinner at Haribar Lounge for Php 2,700 net per person every Saturday in August. Locals can claim more savings upon presentation of a valid ID with a Mindanao address.

Make an Island Escape Part of the Celebration

Discovery Samal is extending the celebration across more of its dining venues with a 15% discount on à la carte food and beverage orders for Mindanao residents until August 31. The offer is available for dine-in orders at Morning Catch, Haribar Lounge, and The Bistro.

Reservations are recommended for the resort’s Kadayawan dining experiences, with booking or payment required for select offers. For reservations and further information, visit www.discoverysamal.com, email fb@discoverysamal.com, or call +63 84 308 2998.

From left to right: Dr. Mariann Almajar, Cardiologist and Chief Medical Officer, The Medical City; Racquel R. Cagurangan, Group Chief of Strategic Accounts and Patient Experience, The Medical City; Dr. Sarfraz Ahmed, CEO, The Medical City Clinics; Maria Noemi G. Azura, President and CEO, InLife Benefits; Dr. Charlotte B. Reyes, Chief Group Operations Officer, InLife Benefits; and Dr. Isabel Umali, Deputy Medical Director, InLife Benefits. 

InLife Benefits and The Medical City recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop an insurer-led Chronic Disease Management Program (CDMP) for corporate accounts and their employees. The partnership is the first of its kind in the industry, bringing together InLife Benefits’ corporate network and employee benefits expertise with The Medical City’s clinical capabilities in chronic and preventive care.

Under the partnership, InLife Benefits will serve as the insurer partner, identifying suitable corporate accounts and facilitating their engagement with The Medical City whereas The Medical City will serve as the clinical partner, providing the medical expertise, physicians, care teams, facilities, and patient pathways needed to screen, manage, and monitor members with chronic conditions or risk factors.

The program comes as chronic lifestyle diseases continue to place pressure on Filipino families, employers, and the broader healthcare system. Maria Noemi G. Azura, President and CEO of InLife Benefits, pointed to hypertension and obesity as examples of conditions that affect a large share of Filipino adults and can lead to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other complications when risks are not addressed early. 

“About 1 in 3 Filipino adults has hypertension or roughly 16.8 million people, yet only around 1 in 5 has it under control. Almost 4 in 10 Filipino adults are overweight or obese, increasing the risk of diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions,” said Azura. “The role of the insurer should not begin when somebody gets sick and end when we pay the claim. We need to help our members stay healthy, identify risks earlier, and help those who already have chronic diseases manage them better.”

The CDMP is designed to move employee healthcare beyond a largely curative model, where care may begin only after a condition has progressed. Members can undergo a health risk assessment and risk stratification, after which they can be guided toward the appropriate care pathway based on their needs. The approach seeks to encourage earlier screening, regular disease management, and continuity of care before complications require emergency or inpatient treatment.

“Through CDMP, we want to champion screening and prevention of Chronic Diseases by providing benefits to our employees and to our members even before catastrophic claims are necessary,” said Dr. Isabel Umali, Deputy Medical Director of InLife Benefits.

For employers, the partnership is intended to provide a more coordinated way to support employees living with, or at risk of developing, chronic conditions. Better navigation across healthcare touchpoints may help employees receive appropriate care earlier, potentially reducing avoidable complications and supporting more sustainable healthcare utilization over time.

The Medical City will provide the clinical infrastructure behind that patient journey, from screening for non-communicable diseases to regular monitoring and treatment for conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia.

For Dr. Ruben G. Kasala, Executive Vice President and CEO of The Medical City Ortigas, the partnership reflects a broader shift toward preventing chronic conditions and their complications rather than waiting until patients require more intensive treatment.  “We are going to continue to focus on preventive healthcare and lifestyle management,” said Dr. Kasala. “Even if patients are not feeling anything at the moment, it is important to monitor the disease, take the medication, and focus on lifestyle management. Once complications set in, it impacts the quality of life and the lifespan of the patient.”

The Medical City’s physicians and care teams will carry that approach throughout the patient journey, beginning with screening and extending to regular monitoring and treatment when needed.

“We want to make sure that we screen them early, manage them, so that we delay complications related to these diseases,” said Dr. Mariann Almajar, Cardiologist and Chief Medical Officer of The Medical City. “As a network, we’ll be able to take care of the patients from the clinic to the hospital.”

Racquel R. Cagurangan, Group Chief of Strategic Accounts and Patient Experience at The Medical City, added how the partnership can provide valuable patient outcome data that could strengthen the delivery of preventive care and, over time, support a more predictive approach to healthcare.

As global temperatures threaten to cross critical warming thresholds, the Philippines called for a shift from isolated, short-term projects toward predictable and sustained financing for permanent, nationally owned systems of resilience, particularly for early warning systems.

Atty. Analiza Rebuelta-Teh, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary for Finance, Information Systems, Climate Change and Administration, spoke at the Solutions Dialogue on Financing Adaptation in the Era of Global Overshoot held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York and stressed the need for multi-year and predictable financing to sustain early warning systems and ensure that warnings are translated into timely protective action.

For climate-vulnerable island nations like the Philippines, “we are already confronting increasingly intense and compounding hazards that threaten lives, livelihoods, food and water security, ecosystems, and economic stability”, Undersecretary Rebuelta-Teh said.

Undersecretary Rebuelta-Teh pointed out that global adaptation costs for developing countries are projected to reach $310 billion to $365 billion annually by 2035, compounded by acute debt distress and prohibitive capital costs. In the Philippines alone, the economic cost of inaction across eight priority sectors identified in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) is estimated at ₱645 billion annually.

"Adaptation cannot remain reactive," the Undersecretary emphasized. "We need new, additional, predictable, and scaled-up public finance to enable developing countries to respond to growing climate risks at the speed and scale required."

To strengthen financing for early warning systems, the DENR official highlighted three key areas:

1. Making Early Warning Financing Predictable and Permanent. Moving beyond short-term projects and recognizing early warning systems as critical, permanent public infrastructure supported by multi-year and predictable financing.

2. Financing the Last Mile from Warning to Protective Action. Ensuring that warnings translate into timely action through pre-arranged and trigger-based financing, local risk information, warning dissemination, and community preparedness.

3. Financing the “Unfunded Middle” and Building Domestic Ownership. Sustaining operations and maintenance, data collection, technical personnel, system upgrades, and training, with a clear pathway toward domestic budget ownership.

Underscoring the Philippines' commitment to disaster resilience, Rebuelta-Teh highlighted the country's recent formalization as the 71st member of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), making it the second Southeast Asian nation to join the global body.

“For the Philippines, our goal is to move from isolated projects to permanent, nationally owned systems of resilience,” Undersecretary Rebuelta-Teh said. “With predictable international support aligned with domestic planning and budgeting, we can ensure that early warnings are not only issued, but translated into timely action that protects lives, livelihoods, and development gains.” ###

Some days are planned down to the hour. Others take shape as they go: a full day at work or school, a quick coffee that turns into a long conversation, a run squeezed in before sunset, and an invitation to go somewhere as you’re about to head home. Somewhere along the way are the moments you’ll want to remember, like the people you were with, the places you found, and the details that made the day feel like yours.

Capturing those moments has become part of how today’s generation tells its stories. A photo can hold on to a fleeting scene and a short video can bring friends back to a shared experience. But when the day refuses to slow down, creating something worth keeping should feel as natural as noticing the moment in the first place.

That is where the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G and the OPPO Watch S each come in. The OPPO Reno16 Series 5G puts capturing and creating at the heart of its Pocket Studio experience, while the OPPO Watch S keeps essential updates, music controls, and fitness information within easy reach, whether users are on the move or spending time with friends. One keeps you connected; the other helps you capture, create, and keep up. Together, they support a day that is meant to be lived as much as it is documented.

Keep your day moving from your wrist

The day usually starts with notifications. With the OPPO Watch S, calls and messages are accessible right from the wrist, so whether you are commuting to class, walking into the office, or simply trying to stay focused on what you're doing, a quick glance can help you decide what needs your attention without interrupting the moment.

Music controls are just as convenient. Start a playlist on the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G, then use the Watch S to skip tracks or adjust the volume from your wrist, keeping the soundtrack to your day moving with fewer interruptions. 

And when one of those messages turns out to be the barkada asking to meet for coffee after class, the OPPO Watch S has done its job of keeping you in the loop. What happens next is the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G’s to capture.

Turn the moments in between into Pocket Studio memories

At the café, the best moments rarely wait for anyone to get ready: the drinks lined up on the table, a friend mid-laugh, the whole group finally in one place. Through its Pocket Studio experience, the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G gives users a versatile imaging system for everything from barkada portraits and café snaps to travel adventures, events, and spontaneous moments. 

On the OPPO Reno16 5G, each of the four 50MP cameras has a part to play. The 50MP Ultra-Clear Main Camera takes in the table spread and the café details, the 50MP Telephoto Portrait Camera frames a friend from across the table, the 50MP Ultra Wide Camera fits the whole barkada and the room around them, and the 50MP Ultra-Wide Selfie Camera makes space for everyone in the group selfie. That is four perspectives in one phone, without a separate camera setup to carry.

Capturing the moment is only half of it. Pop Cam brings nostalgic looks such as Digicam, Instant Film, and Light Leak straight into the native Camera app, so a shot can carry its mood from the second it is taken. AI Remix Collage and Motion Photo Popout 2.0 then turn those café shots into expressive, social-ready posts, sometimes before the group has even left the table. On the Reno16 Series 5G, the moment goes from capture to creation in the same place, with fewer steps in between.

Pick up the pace with the Watch S

By late afternoon, the day shifts gears again, and the OPPO Watch S moves back to the front. Its more than 100 sports modes cover a wide range of activities, while 12 professional sports modes offer more detailed tracking for users who want to understand their performance.

Runners can go deeper with Pro Running Mode, which brings together dual-band GPS, posture analysis, fat burn tracking, and lactate threshold insights. Once the run is done, the activity information is easy to review on the paired Reno16 Series 5G. And with the phone already in hand, Pocket Studio is ready for what comes next, whether that is a post-run photo with the running group or the sunset caught on the cool-down walk home.

Keep up with everything in between

Then comes the message so many busy days end with: an invitation to go somewhere just as you're about to head home. Powered by ColorOS 16, the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G is built to keep up with that part of the day too.

AI Mind Space gives users a dedicated place to collect and organize useful information, so the meeting place, the reservation details, or the link a friend just sent do not get lost across different apps. Nano Second Smooth keeps everyday interactions fast and responsive while jumping between chats, maps, and the camera. And when the barkada asks for copies of the day's photos, O+ Connect serves as an iOS Bridge for easier file sharing between compatible OPPO and iPhone devices, so friends on either side get them.

Through it all, the roles stay clear. The OPPO Watch S keeps users connected to what is happening at a glance, while the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G takes on the heavier lifting: capturing, creating, organizing, and sharing as the day unfolds.

Best Paired with OPPO Watch S and OPPO Pad 5

Complete your ecosystem with the OPPO Watch S, available in Phantom Black for ₱9,999 and Silver Gleam for ₱10,999 on the OPPO online store. 

For a day that never slows down, the OPPO Reno16 Series 5G and OPPO Watch S are made to keep pace together, one keeping you connected and the other ready to capture, create, and keep up with whatever comes next. The OPPO Reno16 Series 5G is now available in the Philippines. Visit the OPPO Online Store or your nearest OPPO Store nationwide to get yours and discover how it pairs with the OPPO Watch S for a smarter, more connected everyday 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.