Jul 4, 2021

“No health without mental health”: A lesson from Globe, DepEd TAYO Naman! Webinar

“There is no health without mental health.” This was underscored by Philippine Mental Health Association (PMHA) member, Dr. Bernardino A. Vicente, at the fourth TAYO Naman! (Tulong, Alaga, Yakap at Oras para sa mga Tagapagtaguyod ng Edukasyon) session titled “Understanding and Managing Common Mental Disorders and other Psychological Concerns.” This webinar series is organized by Globe and the Department of Education (DepEd). 


While people are busy taking care of their physical health to avoid contracting the virus, Dr. Vicente said that many Filipinos suffer from mental health problems, resulting in about a 25.7 percent surge in the country’s suicide incidence in 2020. 

“Mental disorders are not uncommon. It’s like 'yung physical illness natin. COVID-19 does not only cause physical health concerns but also psychological disorders. The pandemic is really stressful to almost everyone and is actually the reason why there is an increase in depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders, including suicide,” he said. 

Thus, he reiterated the World Health Organization (WHO)'s statement that mental health and physical health are two inseparable things that one must care about for their own well-being. 

Dr. Vicente likewise explained that positive mental health promotes a longer life, slows the aging process, and helps provide a better prognosis when illness strikes. Thus, productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, the ability to adapt to change, and cope with adversities are vital in keeping a healthy mind. 

Stress from the current situation is also a challenge for educators, students, and their parents who have to cope with online learning and new ways of doing things. Time management, physical activities, relaxation training, continued social support and communication, and proper diet and nutrition are some recommended methods to help ease stress. 

Having a list of activities or memories that make one happy, and seven to eight hours of sleep are also handy in managing stress and achieving good mental health. 

“In stress management, you cannot manage something that you do not know. So 90 percent of stress management relies on becoming aware of what stresses you. Generally, it may come from you, from your family, or from work. It is not the number of stressors you have, it is the way you carry them,” he added. 

 Another key to prevent or solve mental disorders, aside from medical intervention and a healthy lifestyle, is to understand its concept. Dr. Vicente said to watch out for abnormal psychological and behavioral manifestations with associations of distress and dysfunction, that are recurrent or carried over a sustained period. Dr. Vicente also underscored that, aside from medical intervention and a healthy lifestyle, an important key to prevent or manage mental disorders is to understand their nature and symptoms. He emphasized the need to watch out for red flags of psychological and behavioral manifestations associated with distress and dysfunction that are recurrent or carried over a sustained period to be able to diagnose if a person has a mental disorder. 

The session also included panelists from DepEd Zamboanga del Norte Division, which was the week’s host. They are Education Program Supervisor Arcelita Zamoras, Medical Officer III Dr. Cheryl Ocupe, and Project Development Officer II Eunice Janolino. 

TAYO Naman! is an online Mental Health and Psychosocial Support program designed to help teachers, non-teaching personnel, and parents learn about self-care, wellness, and resiliency. The 14-part webinar series is led by the DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction Management Services (DepEd-DRRMS) and the Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development-Employee Welfare Division (BHROD-EWD) in collaboration with Globe’s Global Filipino Teachers Series on Psychosocial Support Services, Philippine Mental Health Association and MAGIS Creative Spaces. 

The fifth episode on June 18 will be about “Examining my inner struggles amid the pandemic” to be hosted by School Division Office of Negros Occidental. 

The webinars are held every Friday until August 20, 2021, from 8:30 to 10:00 am and streamed live on DepED Philippines, Deped DRRMS, and Globe Bridgecom

Globe strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals such as UN SGD No. 3 on good health and well-being and UN SDG No. 4 on inclusive and equitable quality education for all. The company is also committed to helping realize the 10 United Nations Global Compact principles. 

To learn more about how to create a #GlobeofGood, visit www.globe.com.ph/about-us/sustainability.html.

Thank you, BDO Unibank!

Ang pagpili sa maayo na bangko para sa atong mga savings importante kaayo tungod kay ang atong kwarta ato kining hinaguan. Daghang mga bangko karon ga offer ug nagka lainlaing mga serbisyo, lain-lain na offer ug interest rates. Apan usa sa mga butang na ginapangita nako sa bangko kay ang kadali sa pag access sa account ug kanang bisan asa ka muadto adunay branch sa imong bangko ug labaw sa tanan masaligan. 


Busa sa mga nilabay na tuig, nag open ako ug savings account sa BDO Unibank. Isa sa rason nganong sa BDO kay doul ra kaayo sa among balay. Kung gusto ko mag deposit dali ra kaayo nako buhaton ug pwede ra baklayon mag adto sa bank. Gawas niana, gamay lang ang requirements sa pag open sa account ug aduna kay pilian unsa na affordable opening balance na muhaom kanimo. Gawas niana, bisan asa ka padulong adunay daghang ATM nahimutang sa lainlaing lugar. 


Dugang pa, sa panahon karon sa pandemya nauso ang mga online banking ug online money transactions ug nahimo ko kini sa BDO na dali lang. Ang BDO online mobile app kay daghan kaayo ug functions sama sa transfer to other banks (sama sa Gcash ug PayMaya) load, bills payment ug pwede pa maka transfer money para ma-claim sa MLhuiller or Cebuana. 


Gawas niana, ang mga empleyado sab sa BDO padayon nagahatag ug tinuoray na serbisyo. Kaniadtong miaging tuig 2020, nakapalit kami sa usa sa ilang mga pre-owned cars. Dako among pasalamat sa ilang empleyado nga nag assist kanamo ug dali ra na process ang among pag-acquire sa maong sakyanan labi na ang pag-process sa ownership papers. Kompara sa akong experience sa laing bangko naghulat ko ug 6 months sa akong ownership papers, apan sa BDO wala lang maabti ug bulan na process na. Ingon si Mr. T, kung wala lang mag pandemic mas madali pa gyud daw ang processing. 

Daghang salamat, BDO Unibank! Hinaut padayon ka magahatag ug daghang pamaagi ug tinooray na serbisyo sa tibook Kagay-anons ug tibook Filipino.

Jun 9, 2021

Naproxen Sodium (Sarimax) says, “What body pain?”

 

The effects of COVID-19 are felt to this day most especially economically. People lost their jobs, some needed to close shop after years of existence, others are barely surviving. Needless to say, numerous people found themselves working double to make up for income losses. Challenging as it may be, there is a silver lining as the situation proves how resiliency will get one by. This story is evident in the world more so in the Philippines. 
 
Not only are Filipinos known to be a friendly race; Filipinos are also popularly known to be hardworking. For some reason, the more physical the job, the more effort has to be exerted. Often do we hear the term “Push lang ng push!” Push to keep going, push to finish the task, push not to quit. Pushing the body strength reflects a strong and determined attitude translating that Filipinos will go through great lengths in order to provide for themselves and their families. 

With the pandemic, the roster of heroes has evolved from the National Heroes that we know, to the OFWs, and now the Delivery Riders, Service Crew, Medical Front liners, who all spend long hours to cater to the needs of many. And do they deserve the recognition! Real life Lodi! But wait! We can also here them say, “Tao lang po! Kapuy!” 


No doubt that the challenges faced in the past year have already caused some concerns on one’s health and bodies especially for this type of workers. Imagine traversing the roads all day to get packages from one point to another, standing countless hours to check patients here and there, pushing the body never ends. Body aches and pains are inevitable though often ignored. Inasmuch as the motivation to go on is there, these manifestations of long working hours also take a toll on the bodies to a point that ignoring it no longer becomes an option. 


Fortunately, a product that can be brought to work, what can be called a “work buddy”, is available. Naproxen Sodium (Sarimax), from the same makers of Vice Ganda’s endorsement Paracetamol + Propyphenazone + Caffeine (Saridon Triple Action), is ready for the hardworking Filipinos. There is no stopping the hustle because Naproxen Sodium (Sarimax) provides upto 12 hours pain relief from body pain and arthritis vs. plain Ibuprofen and Paracetamol. This will allow long hours of non-stop work required to provide for the family. 


Naproxen Sodium (Sarimax) associate marketing manager Toby Manlapat shares, “The effects of the pandemic are making us work doubly harder so becomes even more important to relieve our bodies from aches and pains to go through the daily grind and allow us to be in a good condition to deliver our tasks and provide for the family. Push!” 


Naproxen Sodium (Sarimax) is manufactured by the global pharmaceutical company Bayer. Available in leading drugstores in Luzon (Dagupan and Pampanga), Visayas (Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod), and Mindanao (Davao, Cagayan De Oro, General Santos, Zamboanga). Naproxen Sodium (Sarimax) may also be availed nationwide via Southstar Drug Online (Sarimax for Southstar) and Watson’s Online (Sarimax for Watsons). 

Naproxen Sodium is the generic name of Sarimax. If symptoms persist, consult your doctor. 

 ASC Ref. No. B114N053121SS
There is no stopping the hustle because Naproxen Sodium (Sarimax) provides upto 12 hours pain relief from body pain and arthritis vs. plain Ibuprofen and Paracetamol. Naproxen Sodium (Sarimax) is priced at P9.00 SRP for 275mg variant.

May 13, 2021

GCash Futurecast 2021: The Country’s Undisputed #1 E-wallet Shares a Peek Into its Newest Innovations for the Year!

Introducing new in-app products and services to make finance easy, approachable, and accessible to all Filipinos! 

12 May 2021, Manila, Philippines - From starting out as an e-wallet for making fast and secure online transactions to being the undisputed #1 mobile wallet app in the Philippines, GCash is now transforming itself once again to respond to the call of the times by launching new products and services to further its vision of making Filipino lives better everyday, with finance solutions made for all. 

GCash as a platform has enabled Filipinos with digital finance which is easily accessible through their phones. With 1 in 3 Filipinos currently using the app after growing its user base from just more than 20 million in January 2020 to over 40 million to date, GCash is going beyond just providing seamless and secure transactions through cashless payments. This does not stop the leading mobile wallet to just be still and not look forward to the future. The organization has anchored its thrust towards building robust financial services offerings, extending the app capabilities to fit the lifestyle of its users, empower businesses and entrepreneurs across different enterprise sizes, and anchor the app’s ecosystem, partnerships, and capabilities to be a change agent and to commit to doing its part of nation-building.

With new financial and lifestyle services, GCash now allows its users to shop, save, invest, get insurance coverage, and more -- all within the GCash app. That not only means having a more frictionless user experience and convenience for all, but more importantly, it means that many Filipinos will now have access to services that could help unlock a better everyday, and eventually, a brighter financial future.

 “We want to make a real difference in the lives of every Filipino and break the existing boundaries to enable financial freedom. We envision a Philippines where people have equal access to financial opportunities and lifestyle choices, where everyone, whether rich or poor, has a chance to unlock and achieve their dreams,” shared Martha Sazon, President and Chief Executive Officer of GCash.

 Unlock Your Financial Potential

 GCash continues to stand by its commitment of making finance accessible to all with its 2021 suite of affordable products and services built to kickstart success for everyone.

 Consumers can now unlock their life goals at any stage with GInvest, the new easy investment feature found in the GCash app that lets you invest for as low as P50 in professionally-managed local and global funds.

 Amidst the pandemic, those who are looking for affordable coverage can turn to GInsure, where they can get insurance for medical emergencies such as Dengue, COVID-19, and accidents for as low as P300. With this, consumers can also get financial assistance via Cash For Medical Costs and the recently launched Cash For Income Loss due to any cause - all accessible through GInsure within the GCash app.

 For easy money management, GSave is the fully digital, secure, and hassle-free savings account that was built in partnership with CIMB Bank, wherein the only requirement to start is an ID and a smartphone. It’s fully accessible once the account is created; and has no maintaining balance, no fees, and no initial deposit.

 As a better alternative to high interest loans and borrowing money for emergencies, GCredit serves as a fully-verified user’s personal credit line within the App, with the ability to provide those with high GScores up to P30,000 credit line and up to 3% prorated interest rate; the earlier the due is paid, the lower the interest rate.


“At GCash we want to be able to democratize access to financial services,” shared JF Darre, Head of Financial Services and Advanced Analytics of GCash. “We aim to break down barriers of entry for Fillipinos and make them realize that saving, investing, or even insuring one’s finances can be accessible to all.”


 Unlock a new lifestyle with GLife

With the aim to provide more than just convenience, GLife is an e-commerce feature within the GCash app that now allows users to shop and avail themselves of exclusive deals from a wide array of merchants including GOMO, Gong Cha, Kraver’s, McDonald’s, Puregold and PureGO, Lazada, Recess, Boozy, Bo’s Coffee, Mama Lou’s, GawinPH, KFC, Datablitz, Cherry Shop, Gameone, Goama Games, and more. Users and merchants alike can leverage the GCash payment system making it an easier e-commerce experience for everyone, and making GCash the new super life app.

 “Accessible right from the GCash dashboard, you can already enjoy more than 25 brands across retail, food, gaming, entertainment and transport. And we have more coming every week that will surely cover all your lifestyle needs.” said Winsley Bangit, Chief Customer Officer of GCash.


 Unlock The Entrepreneur in You with GCash QR on Demand

 As part of its mission to help mobilize the economy and support all types of entrepreneurs, GCash introduces GCash QR on Demand: a new and better way to securely send and receive money without having to worry about “wrong sends” due to incorrect numbers, or giving away personal information such as their mobile numbers. Users can easily generate their own Personal QR and use this in place of giving their GCash number, for safe and hassle-free payments whether for personal use or for small businesses.

 For fellow Filipinos abroad, GCash intends to aid and empower OFWs to take control of their finances by making the same products and services accessible to them. Every OFW with a verified account can now cash-in to his/her own GCash wallet via international remittance partners, and remit those funds instantly in the app. Through GCash’s upcoming GPadala service, OFWs can also send money to a non-GCash user for cash pick up anywhere in the country.


“We have great ambition for 2021 for MSMEs and Filipinos in every corner of the globe; we know how this whole sector will be more critical than ever for our economy, and GCash can make a real difference in this sensitive situation. People need it. The country needs it.” shared Fred Levy, Chief Commercial Officer of GCash. Unlock Social Impact

 As part of its holistic sustainability agenda for 2021-2025, GCash is one with the nation as it aligns itself with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. This includes pursuing efforts beyond business results such as helping make financial literacy and education accessible for all.

Plans to make this happen include the Kaya Mo, GCash Mo Roadshow, the design and roll-out of Future-Ready Hackathons, and the launch of G NA! IDEAS Para Sa Pinas. This 2021, GCash continues to pursue collaborations to achieve even bigger things with efforts like GCash For Good and the GForest platform.


 “At the end of the day, we will all go back to our core purpose— to help one another in times of need and indeed unlock our desired impact on the society as a whole,” said Chito Maniago, GCash’s Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs.

 GCash is all about breaking existing boundaries through efforts to democratize access to financial opportunities and lifestyle choices, while making sure that all these innovations and initiatives lead to a better and healthier community for all.


 ### GCash is the leading mobile wallet in the Philippines. Through the GCash app, customers can easily buy load; pay bills at over 400 partner billers in the app; pay at more than 7,000 online partners; send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines; pay using QR codes at over 130,000 partner merchants nationwide; save money while earning interest; and invest money at local and global funds -- all through the convenience of their smartphones.

 Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), which operates GCash, is part of the portfolio companies of 917Ventures, the largest corporate incubator in the Philippines wholly-owned by Globe Telecom, Inc.

Mar 16, 2021

Disposing e-waste? Globe helps you let go of these safely

Do you have old mobile phones, excess cables, chargers, broken television sets, DVD players, and other non-working electronic devices that you would like to dispose of without adding up to the piles of garbage in the landfills? Globe helps you let go of these safely! 

As Globe continues to provide reliable voice and data connection, it also makes sure to do its part in creating a safe environment for people to live in. It aims to lessen the harm brought by improper disposal of materials, particularly of electronic waste (e-waste). 

More than 100 bins under the Globe E-waste Zero program are now placed in different collection points nationwide such as Globe Stores and malls, which the public can easily access. These bins can accommodate mobile phones, IT accessories such as mouse, earphones, and speakers; Internet and WiFi modems and routers; cable wires, batteries, circuit boards, CDs /DVDs and other small electronic devices. Bigger items such as computer sets, IT servers and electronic network equipment (antennas, transmitters, etc.), and home appliances (washing machine, oven, refrigerator, etc.) may be requested for pick up. 

“Globe recognizes the importance of taking this extra step in ensuring e-wastes are disposed of properly and can't be harmful to the environment. We would like to enjoin our customers to help dispose of e-waste properly,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications. 

 E-waste is made up of different materials that are toxic and hazardous, making the process of recycling risky for those who are not trained properly and who do not have the necessary facilities to do it. According to the UN Environment Programme, it is estimated that more than 50 million metric tons of e-waste is produced globally per year and its continued importation and increased local generation is a cause for concern. 

Roughly 80% of these e-waste ends up in landfills, pollute the environment and make informal communities susceptible to the hazards of e-waste. According to a recent study made by UNIDO and EcoWaste Coalition, only 28 out of the 135 registered Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) facilities in the Philippines process e-waste. While the informal sector benefits from these discarded items, their methods of dismantling and recycling e-wastes are unconventional and against approved government standards. 

 In response to this, Globe’s e-waste program not only promotes proper disposal but also educates people about the potential harm of e-waste to the environment and the overall benefits of e-waste recycling. Proper e-waste recycling conserves natural resources. Instead of extracting raw materials, valuable materials from old electronics can be turned into new glass, plastic chairs, filament for 3D printing, and reuse the extracted alloys. E-waste recycling avoids unnecessary dumps in landfills. It provides proper handling and management of toxic chemical substances and helps avoid possible leakage especially towards water streams. It also prevents possible health hazards to informal communities living near dumpsites and whose main source of income is the manual processing of these disposed devices. 

 In 2020 alone, the program managed to collect and responsibly dispose of over 250,000 kg of e-waste, bringing the total collection to more than 1.4 million kg since 2014. These e-wastes are delivered to Globe’s partner Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) facilities, namely Total Environment Solutions - Asset Material Management Philippines (TES-AMM) in Pasig City, and Maritrans Recycler, Inc. in Cebu. E-wastes are segregated to recover plastic materials, electronic components, and precious metals but the final recycling process is done in TES-AMM’s facility in Singapore. 

“We are thankful to have partners and contributors, composed of more than 66 corporations, private organizations, NGOs, local government partners and schools nationwide that share Globe’s commitment of building a better and safer world for future generations. We encourage more individuals and organizations to join us in this advocacy. Let us all work together in keeping our planet safe from the harm posed by improper e-waste disposal,” Crisanto added. 

 Visit any of the participating Globe stores nationwide or request for free door-to-door pickup of bulky e-waste items. For the list of drop off areas and and bulk hauling requests, check out E-waste Zero on Globe’s sustainability website https://www.globe.com.ph/about-us/sustainability/environment.html 

Globe remains committed to the 10 UN Global Compact principles and contributes to 10 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals such as UN SDG No. 12 - Sustainable Consumption and Production, which is about achieving economic growth and sustainable development by urgently reducing ecological footprint. It is also about decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation, increasing resource efficiency and promoting sustainable lifestyles by changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources. 

To know more about Globe’s sustainability initiatives, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/about-us/sustainability.html