Globe gives data boost with Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi's HOMESURF199

The first and most important thing that every parent wants to do is to keep their family safe, healthy, and happy. But with the health crisis facing Filipinos today, and the social upheaval in its wake, that may feel like an impossible task.  The current climate of fear and uncertainty makes each day a struggle to stay in control of the welfare of the whole family. And more and more everyone seems to agree that home -- away from danger, free from harm -- is the most secure place to be.

With schools closed indefinitely and many working parents sidelined or trying to do their jobs from home, families find themselves needing ways to stay pleasantly busy at home while keeping updated on the situation outside and also staying connected to other loved ones.

During these uncertain times, Globe At Home is taking steps to help you adjust to the new realities that we now face together.  That’s why beginning March 21, HomeSURF199 will receive a big data boost, so you need not worry too much about your data allocation running-out, and have a more worry-free stay at home.

From 22GB, you will now have access to up to 30GB of data (23GB open access + 1GB of Youtube daily) valid for 7 days until April 21, 2020. With HomeSURF199, you can do office work, take classes online, manage your business, learn new skills, and have video calls with your families and friends. Furthermore, to arm yourself with the right information to keep your family safe, you can also access the official sites of the Department of Health (DOH) and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMMC) free of any data charges.

“Globe At Home understands that this is the time when everyone in the family needs to stay connected and safe at home,” said Winsley Bangit, VP and Head of Globe at Home Prepaid. “We hope that with this gesture, we can continue our role in providing more Filipino homes with affordable and quality Internet access to help them power through these challenging times.”

Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi customers may avail of HomeSURF199 and other HomeSURF and HomeWATCH promos via the Globe At Home App which can be downloaded for free via Google Play Store or the App Store.

To learn more about how this and other Globe services help you stay productive and safe at home, visit  globe.com.ph/stay-safe-at-home.html.

5 easy steps to combat fake news while on your mobile phones

Right now, people around the globe, are stuck at home in a bid to fight the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic—glued to their mobile phones, consuming the rapid spread of news and information that has multiplied even more in the already fast-paced online platform.

With the need for credible real-time updates, the call for social media responsibility has also risen exponentially with fake news keeping pace with the spread of the virus.

With that, here are 5 easy steps to be a responsible mobile phone user by keeping the “fake news virus” at bay:

1. Don’t share posts and news stories immediately

Most headlines are crafted to give an enticing summary or lead-in to a story, but they aren’t always what they are, so it’s better to go through the entire story first. Oh, and make sure to check the date as well because some people tend to share news updates from even a few years back.

2. Read through for inconsistencies

Are you fond of reading stories actively or passively? By actively reading through articles, one could already deduce the credibility of the story. Fake news tends to include outrageous claims, biases, questionable facts and figures, and grammatical errors—one that a credible writer would seldom commit.

3. Be on the lookout for the source

We sometimes open shared articles or read news posts without checking who shared or posted these. To be sure, check the source of the story or post—it is usually located at the top or bottom of posts and images. For external links, scan through the website address located on top of the headline and verify it first before clicking—shady web addresses can lead to virus-infested websites.

4. Visit the supposed source

Does a source seem credible because of its name? Not entirely. News update templates can easily be retouched using readily available photo editing apps. To be sure, visit the official news sites or social media pages of the supposed source and verify if they did release the story. It would also be wise to check if other credible news sites released a similar story.

5. Reflect on actually posting or sharing

By the time you’ve finished verifying, and given that it is indeed a credible story from a bona fide source, you’ve probably had enough time to reflect on whether it is actually worth sharing in the first place. It would also be good to review your intentions in sharing the material.

Additional step: Download credible news apps

To get authentic news updates and stories on-the-dot, you could always download apps developed by top news sites in the country. These are readily available through the seamless Vivo app store, available in all Vivo smartphones.

And there you go! There is power in staying in and keeping abreast with updates, and a seemingly little thing such as preventing the spread of fake news can go a long way.

Globe postpaid customers may suspend their monthly spending limit

Globe is giving it's Postpaid and Platinum customers an option to suspend their monthly spending limit. This is in response to the surge in demand for voice and mobile data, as work and study from home arrangements are implemented in Luzon and other parts of the country.

“We understand how our customers’ current situation requires high reliance on continuous mobile services such as voice and data especially among those who need to work or study at home because of the enhanced community quarantine.  We would like to help our postpaid customers stay connected by providing them with a way to suspend their spending limit as these times may call for it,” said Rebecca Eclipse, Globe Chief Customer Experience Officer.

 

The spending limit is a special feature that helps customers take better control of their postpaid spending. It is the maximum amount that can be used for services when one has exceeded the monthly plan, to stay within budget and avoid bill shock. Customers will be sent a text message with instructions on how to suspend their spending limit to help cope with the increase in connectivity needs during this period.

Aside from this, Globe has provided a 30-day bill payment extension to all mobile postpaid customers. To help manage and monitor their usage, customers will still continue to receive billing notifications. 

To reduce physical contact and help protect customers, Globe has also temporarily stopped sending printed billing statements and will instead send the latest bill via SMS or text message. 

Customers may download and use the GlobeOne app and Globe At Home app to make it easy to track down data usage and subscribe to offers. Connectivity is essential at this time and Globe is continuing efforts in coming up with measures to empower its customers in the security and safety of their homes. 

For more information on a spending limit and how to suspend it, please visit https://www.globe.com.ph/help/postpaid/spending-limit.html 

Telemedicine seen to assist in limiting spread of COVID-19 and decongesting hospitals

As the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines continues to escalate, the general public may take advantage of telemedicine services to avail of medical advice especially when staying at home or under quarantine.

Maridol D. Ylanan, CEO of Global Telehealth, Inc. which runs KonsultaMD, said telemedicine is a viable alternative to visits to hospital emergency rooms which should be reserved for more critical situations.

Moreover, through telemedicine, customers can have 24/7 access to doctors while ensuring that they are not at risk of getting or spreading any disease since there is no physical interaction with medical practitioners and other patients.

“Telemedicine providers are here to give health advice.  KonsultaMD, for instance, has a team of doctors who are fully-equipped with the knowledge on how to deal with various medical concerns including COVID-19.  Through telephone triaging, the doctor can advise the customer whether they need to go to the hospital for further evaluation or testing,” Ylanan said.

In other countries like the US, telemedicine is already viewed as a key tool to help fight COVID-19 since the absence of physical interaction can slow the spread of the disease. The US National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also alerted US hospitals to be prepared to use this.

While telemedicine is not yet well known among Filipinos, KonsultaMD already introduced this innovative healthcare service five years ago.  By dialing 79880 toll-free from their Globe or TM mobile phones or 02-7798-8000 from any landline, anyone may talk to a doctor to ask for medical information for primary conditions, maternity, pediatrics, mental health, COVID-19, health coaching, nutrition counseling, reading of laboratory and diagnostic results, and permissible medication, among others. KonsultaMD doctors can also determine the urgency of the situation, whether it is an emergency or not, through telephone triaging.

KonsultaMD offers unlimited immediate access to doctors 24/7 through flexible and affordable plans such as an individual subscription fee of P15 a week or P60 a month for Globe Prepaid and TM customers, deductible from their prepaid load.

For Globe Postpaid customers, they have the option to subscribe to a P99 per week plan which may be extended to one additional family member or P150 per month with four extensions, chargeable to their monthly bill.

Non-Globe and TM customers may also avail of KonsultaMD services through a one-year subscription of P150 per month for group or P60 a month for an individual, payable via credit card or mobile money and subject to regular cell phone charges if the call is via mobile.

Subscriptions may be done by visiting  https://www.konsulta.md/subscribe and calling 79880 toll-free via mobile (for Globe/TM customers) or (02) 7798-8000.

KonsultaMD is under 917Ventures, the largest corporate incubator in the Philippines and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe Telecom.

#FightCOVID19: GCash users may now support frontline health workers and hospitals via fintech platform

GCash, the leading mobile wallet in the Philippines, encourages Filipinos to support the #FightCOVID19 campaign, a digital donation drive that aims to assist the frontline health workers and hospitals combat the dreaded novel coronavirus (COVID-19). 

The donation drive, done via the GCash app, will provide GCash users with an avenue to support the ongoing collective initiative to mitigate the spread of the global pandemic in the country. By donating money via GCash, Filipinos no longer have to physically go to the offices of social groups or hospitals to support the fight against the deadly virus. 

Proceeds of #FightCOVID19 will be equally divided among the seven non-government organization partners of GCash, namely: the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), World Vision, UP Medical Foundation, PGH Foundation, Inc., ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, and Ayala Foundation. 

These organizations have been helping efforts to curb the transmission of the virus since day one. Aside from providing high-risk individuals with aid, they are also supporting health workers that are at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 by providing them with necessary personal protective equipment such as face masks to prevent risks of contracting the virus.

“Our platform is more than just a mobile wallet. It is a conduit of good that we can use in times of great need. We are encouraging GCash users to support the donation drive to help our frontline health workers #FightCOVID19,” GCash President Anthony Thomas said. 

To send support, GCash users simply have to click on the “Pay Bills” icon in their GCash apps, choose the “Others” tab, and click “FightCOVID19.” GCash users should enter their name and the amount that they are donating to confirm their donation. 

#FightCOVID19 is part of GCash for Good, a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program that taps into the inner generosity of people to support good causes that benefit society. 

Aside from donating, GCash also encourages Filipinos to leverage financial technology (fintech) to reduce their risk of contracting COVID-19 from potentially contaminated paper money. GCash users may use their mobile wallets to purchase goods and services both online and offline, pay bills, and settle government dues, among others.