Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Lenovo Adds Extra Cheer to Holiday Shopping with Up to ₱5,000 in SM Gift Pass

MANILA, Philippines – The holiday season is all about finding gifts that people will love and use. This year, Lenovo Philippines is making those thoughtful purchases a little more rewarding with its Lenovo Holiday Promo 2026, offering an SM Gift Pass worth up to ₱5,000 with purchases of select Lenovo devices.

Running from October 15 to December 31, 2026, the promotion gives customers who purchase qualifying Lenovo laptops from authorized resellers an additional holiday treat, with an SM Gift Pass worth ₱1,000 to ₱5,000 depending on the participating model.

Whether shopping for a student, a working professional, a gaming enthusiast, or someone looking to upgrade their everyday tech, customers can explore eligible devices across Lenovo's IdeaPad, Yoga, LOQ, and Legion lineups.

Participating IdeaPad models come with SM Gift Pass ranging from ₱1,000 to ₱2,500, while select Yoga devices qualify for ₱2,000 or ₱3,000 worth of SM Gift Pass.

For gaming enthusiasts, eligible Lenovo LOQ models come with ₱2,000 in SM Gift Pass, while participating Legion laptops offer ₱3,000 or ₱5,000. The highest reward of ₱5,000 is available with the qualifying Legion Pro 5 16IRX10.

The extra treat can help make the holidays even sweeter, with the SM Gift Pass accepted at a wide range of shopping, dining, and entertainment establishments. These include The SM Store, SM Supermarket, SM Hypermart, SaveMore, SM Appliance Center, Ace Hardware, Ace Builders Center, Baby & Co., Kultura Filipino, Our Home, SM Cinema, SM Bowling, SM Ice Skating Rink, SM Storyland, Sports Central, Surplus Shop, Toy Kingdom, Watsons, IMAX Theatre, Forever 21, Exploreum, Radisson Blu, Pet Express, Snack Time, Uniqlo, Levi’s, Walter Mart Supermarket, Alfamart, Crate & Barrel, Joseph, Sfera,

The Body Shop, Skyranch, Bata, Crocs, MindPro Supermarket, Miniso, Simply Shoes, SM Science Discovery Center, and SM Foodcourt (selected outlets).

How to claim your holiday treat

To redeem their SM Gift Pass, customers must register at https://promotions.lenovo.com/ph/en and submit their full name, contact number, valid ID, proof of purchase, device machine type model (MTM), and serial number. The name on the purchase invoice must match the name on the valid ID.

Customers will receive an email within 7 to 14 business days after submitting their redemption request, indicating whether it has been accepted, rejected, or requires clarification. Once redemption is successful, the corresponding SM Gift Pass will be sent via email within another 7 to 14 business days.

Each customer may avail of the promotion up to five times, with redemption requests required within 60 days after the promotion ends. Unredeemed freebies will be forfeited after this period.

The promotion applies exclusively to qualifying device models purchased from authorized Lenovo resellers, subject to the complete promo mechanics and Terms and Conditions. Customers are encouraged to check the specific eligible MTMs and corresponding SM Gift Pass values before purchasing.

With a little extra holiday shopping value alongside their new device, Lenovo's Holiday Promo 2026 gives Filipinos another reason to make this season's tech gifts count.

DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-269945, Series of 2026.

Enchanted Kingdom Celebrates 31 Years of Magic With Fiesta ng Saribuhay Anniversary Show

Enchanted Kingdom, the first and only world-class theme park in the Philippines, proudly marked its 31st anniversary on October 17 with Fiesta ng Saribuhay, a vibrant celebration of the country’s culture, people, and biodiversity.

As a homegrown Filipino company, the theme park reaffirmed its pride in the country’s rich cultural and natural heritage through an enchanting lineup of local festivities, seasonal entertainment, in-park decor, and other immersive experiences highlighting the classic local traditions, world-class talent, shared values, strong community spirit, and the natural beauty of the Philippines.

“Celebrating 31 magical years is not just a milestone for EK. It is also a celebration for the Filipinos who have been an integral part of our story for the past three decades. As reflected by the Philippine eagle and in the lyrics of our anniversary song, Lipad, we want to showcase the best of the Filipinos, such as the values of Lakas, Talino, at Katatagan, among the many qualities that make us uniquely enchanting, through our upcoming experiences and offerings in the years to come,” said Nico R. Mamon, EK’s 31st Anniversary Chairman.

The festivities are anchored on the continuous enhancements at the Park’s award-winning flying theater, AGILA The EKsperience: SARIBUHAY. Strengthening its powerful call for Filipinos to appreciate and protect the environment, EK finally opened the attraction’s newly updated areas, including a new entry experience, the Ang Kwento ng Agila walkthrough that shares even more stories behind the attraction and the world of the Philippine eagle, and the PUGAD concept store with its improved thematic experience.

The main anniversary celebration on October 17 kicked off with a warm welcome at the Park, as a lively Filipino dance fiesta greeted guests at the front gate and Victoria Park. In the afternoon, EK Storyverse Characters joined their friends from the Saribuhay Village in spreading the festive spirit throughout the Park with the grand Fiesta ng Saribuhay Anniversary Parade.

The parade ushered in the Fiesta ng Saribuhay Concert at the Spaceport Grounds, an enchanting nighttime show that highlighted incredible Filipino music and talent across various OPM genres. Performers included promising soloists FYNE and Prince Liu, indie band Sacred Red, electrifying P-pop girl group XONARA, and the multi-awarded R&B singer-composer Dionela.

EK’s homegrown talents also performed their newly released songs for the Park’s 31st Anniversary. The all-male vocal group Kingsmen opened up the show with the festive remix of their song, Saribuhay, and the P-pop girl group SMS brought national pride and power with Lipad. These two tracks are now available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music.

Serving as the spectacular finale was the Lipad ng Agila: A Pyromusical Fiesta, where the parkgoers marveled at the iconic figure of the Philippine eagle circling up in the night sky with the vibrant fireworks display.

Fiesta ng Saribuhay: EK’s 31st Anniversary Celebration is made even more magical with our co-presenters, Coca-Cola, Universal Music Group Philippines, and One Platinum Corporation. The following brand sponsors also extended their support for this milestone celebration: McDonalds, Maya, Hotel DreamWorld, Harvey, Cherifer, Ate Rica's Bacsilog, Baga Burger, Ceelin Gummies, C-Lium Fibre, Poten-Cee Gummies, Entrasol, Farlin, SD13 Advertising Corp, JCB, Nurture, Australia's Own, Barilla, Tulip, Ellite Ads Corp., Woods' Peppermint Lozenges, McCormick, Fitbar, Halls, Zim, Caliraya Resort Club Inc., Thoy Entertainment Productions, Reyes Barbecue, Marble, Mello, Sucere, Bang’s T&J Salon Professionals, and Bear Brand Fortified Milk.

Also, a special thanks to these tenant partners: Magnolia Ice Cream Flavorhouse, Fortune Bakeshop, Lil' Orbits Mini Donuts, Zenzu, Dairy Queen, Shakes Station, Auntie Anne's, KarateKid, Shakey's, Cafe Mary Grace, Teho Apparel, Mr. Pluffy, Cast Members Multipurpose Cooperative (CCMPC), ViewTrue Express Digital Imaging, Midway Mirror Maze, Xtreme Paintball Philippines, Sigue Trading, Alcatraz, Potato Corner, and Po Jang.

For more information and updates on EK’s 31st Anniversary Celebration and its other events and offerings, visit https://www.enchantedkingdom.ph and EK’s official social media accounts @enchantedkingdom.ph on Facebook and TikTok, and @ek_philippines on Instagram.

Coca-Cola Philippines Named Brand of the Year at 
SMARTIES™ Philippines 2026

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Coca-Cola Philippines has been named Brand of the Year at the SMARTIES™ Philippines 2026 Awards and received eight awards across categories including omnichannel marketing, artificial intelligence (AI), personalization, commerce, and retail media. Organized by MMA Global, SMARTIES™ Philippines recognizes marketing campaigns that combine creativity, technology, consumer insights, and measurable business results.

The recognition reflects Coca-Cola Philippines’ continued focus on creating more relevant and personalized experiences for Filipino consumers. Two award-winning campaigns drove this achievement: Coca-Cola Festive 2025, which used data-informed audience targeting and storytelling to make holiday connections more meaningful, and Grab’s Year in Cravings, which turned consumers’ food-ordering habits into personalized digital experiences.

For Coca-Cola Philippines, the Brand of the Year recognition is not simply an industry accolade. It reflects the company’s approach to turning consumer understanding into experiences that are meaningful for people while delivering measurable business impact.

Creating More Meaningful Holiday Connections

Among the recognized work was Coca-Cola Festive 2025, which earned Gold for Omnichannel Marketing and Silver for Innovative Use of AI in Advertising.

Built around Coca-Cola's annual Christmas platform, the campaign brought the brand’s festive story to Filipinos through a connected ecosystem of television, outdoor, digital, and retail experiences. It combined television and outdoor advertising with digital platforms including Meta, YouTube and TikTok, while Connected TV placements helped extend the campaign into family mealtime moments at home.

The campaign also brought its festive message to life through activations such as the Emoji Cup promotion with quick-service restaurant partners and Sound of Home, an initiative that helped connect Filipinos in the country with loved ones working overseas.

The Innovative Use of AI recognition highlighted Coca-Cola Philippines’ use of data and AI-enabled audience targeting to deliver more relevant festive communications and identify growth opportunities across regional markets. By combining audience insights and local market information, the campaign connected with consumers at more relevant moments throughout the holiday season.

Making digital experiences more personal

Together with Grab, Coca-Cola Philippines also earned six awards for its partnership with Grab through the “Year in Cravings” report.

The campaign received Gold awards for Customer Growth & Conversion Strategy and Instant Impact/Promotion, Silver awards for Brand Experience and Personalization, and Bronze awards for Retail Media/O2O Excellence and Customer Growth & Conversion Strategy.

Inspired by year-end recap experiences, Year in Cravings gave users a personalized look at their food-ordering habits, including customized food personas and insights based on their favorite meals and cravings.

The experience also introduced personalized food and Coca-Cola beverage pairings within the Grab app, allowing consumers to revisit and reorder their favorite food-and-drink combinations. By combining personalization, commerce, and consumer insights, the campaign transformed everyday ordering behavior into a more engaging digital brand experience.

The collaboration brought together Coca-Cola Philippines, Grab, agency partners, and teams to turn consumer insights into experiences that connected digital engagement with commerce.

“These recognitions reinforce the importance of staying close to consumers and understanding what matters most to them,” said Frenissa Lagman, Marketing Head of Coca-Cola Philippines. “Whether through personalized digital experiences, data-informed marketing or festive campaigns that celebrate meaningful connections, our goal remains the same: to create experiences that feel relevant, memorable and rewarding for Filipinos. These awards encourage us to continue finding new ways to connect with people through creativity, technology, and a deep understanding of what matters most in their everyday lives.”

Together, the awards demonstrate Coca-Cola Philippines' success in developing campaigns that resonate with consumers across different channels and turn creative ideas into engaging brand experiences.

Learn more about Coca-Cola Philippines and its latest initiatives at www.coca-cola.com/ph.

Vivo Philippines Launches AlwaysPowered TikTok Challenge, Giving Participants a Chance to Win Vivo V80 Lite

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Vivo Philippines is bringing the everyday workday experience to TikTok with its AlwaysPowered effect, an interactive challenge that gives participants the chance to win a brand-new Vivo V80 Lite smartphone.

Designed around the familiar demands of a busy schedule, the challenge invites TikTok users to test their workday instincts through six YES-or-NO questions. Participants answer by tilting their heads left or right to select their responses. As the virtual clock moves from 9 AM to 6 PM, the on-screen battery level drops from 100% to 60%, reflecting the energy needed to get through a full day of meetings, deadlines, errands, and coffee breaks.

How to Join the AlwaysPowered Challenge

Joining the challenge is simple. Participants can follow these steps:

  1. Open the effect: Visit the AlwaysPowered effect on TikTok.

  2. Answer the questions: Respond to all six questions by tilting your head left or right to select YES or NO.

  3. Post your entry: Upload your video on TikTok, mention @vivo_philippines, and include the hashtags #vivoV80Lite and #vivoV80Lite10000mAh.

One lucky participant will receive a brand-new Vivo V80 Lite. Participants should review the official contest mechanics to ensure their entries meet all eligibility and submission requirements.

Built for Everyday Demands

The campaign also highlights the Vivo V80 Lite's massive 10,000mAh BlueVolt Battery, designed to support users throughout their daily routines. Whether managing work responsibilities, running errands, staying connected with friends, or enjoying entertainment, the smartphone emphasizes battery capacity for people with demanding schedules.

Through the AlwaysPowered effect, Vivo Philippines combines interactive social media engagement with a product-focused campaign, encouraging users to participate in a fun challenge while discovering a smartphone built around their everyday needs.

Ready to join? Visit the AlwaysPowered effect on TikTok, create your entry, and follow Vivo Philippines on social media for updates. You can also visit the official Vivo Philippines website for more information.

Those interested in experiencing the device can purchase the Vivo V80 Lite at participating Vivo physical stores, through the Vivo e-store, or via the Vivo Store app.

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

PLDT, Smart Call for Collective Action to Protect Children Online

PLDT and Smart are calling for urgent, collective action across government, industry, schools, families, and communities to address growing threats to children in the digital world, stressing that no single sector can protect young Filipinos online on its own.

For PLDT Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer Menardo “Butch” G. Jimenez, the issue has become one of the company's top priorities as mounting risks to children have increasingly extended into both online and offline spaces.

“Our children are under attack. And the moment your child is under attack, that becomes priority one,” Jimenez said, noting that addressing these threats cannot be left to telco companies or government alone, but instead would require various sectors to work together, bring to the table their respective expertise, and transform these into practical solutions.

“This problem is not solved by telcos playing God or even government playing God. This problem is solved by every single sector in this room talking with each other to understand the problem, and together come up with solutions,” he said.

PLDT and Smart put this call for collaboration into action through the “Safe Online Space Forum: Building Safer Online Spaces for Filipino Children and Families,” which convened voices from government, telco, technology, education, families, media, and civil society to examine safeguards and policies, harmful online content and threats, and ways to empower children to navigate the digital world safely.

Jimenez emphasized that PLDT’s role is not to prescribe the answers, but to bring together stakeholders with the knowledge and experience needed to develop them.

“We’re here not to lead; rather, we are here to listen. We are not the experts,” he said, noting that while telcos like PLDT have technological expertise, protecting children also requires experts from fields like education, psychology, policy, parenting, and other disciplines to weigh in.

Jimenez also challenged stakeholders to go beyond broad statements and instead identify concrete actions that can make an immediate difference for children. “We have to come up with actual initiatives and solutions that we can do and use tomorrow already, because the crisis is already escalating,” he said.

Multi-sectoral panels

Joining the first panel, which examined existing regulations and policies and the roles different institutions play in protecting children, were representatives from the Department of Education (DepEd), Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), Philippine National Police (PNP), Office of Senator Risa Hontiveros, and Converge ICT Solutions Inc.

“We will not win in the reactive part of cybercrime. We will always win on the proactive side. In fact, with our engagement with the platforms, we now have a channel where we can communicate and coordinate before requesting action on harmful content,” said Dir. Rojun V. Hosillos of the Cybercrime Investigation Office at CICC.

A second panel brought together perspectives from social media platforms like TikTok, esports athletes, media, and families on addressing harmful content and threats in the digital world.

"I think it's important that we don't automatically blame gaming or e-sports as harmful," said National Esports Athlete and National Chairperson of the Esports Party List Alexandre “AK” Laverez, who at age 12 had the opportunity to represent the country on the global stage. "The e-sports industry offers careers, friendships, and opportunities."

The final panel, which focused on how families, schools, and communities can help raise empowered and digitally resilient children, included child development experts, non-government organizations, educators, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development's Social Technology Bureau.

“Invest in parent education, care for teachers, and boost content creators. Invest in the people influencing children, in addition to investing in technology,” said Dr. Tina Zamora, family life and child development specialist and developmental psychologist.

Bryanna MariƱas, founder and executive director of Violence Ends With Us, urged stakeholders to include the youth in the conversation: “Work with children, young people, and survivors to actually understand how they're experiencing the world and how they're using the technology. Work with survivors and victims of violence to understand what they've experienced, what was not done, and what you can do better to prevent that harm happening to other people.”

The discussions were moderated by PLDT and Smart Public Engagement Group Head Roby Alampay, Deputy Head Gian Lao, and PLDT Chief Legal Counsel Atty. Joan de Venecia-Fabul.

Parents are key

Jimenez himself emphasized the responsibility of parents in helping children develop the values and judgment they need to navigate increasingly complex online environments. “We can talk about how technology, the government, or the laws will solve this, but the reality is a big part of the solution lies with the parents as well,” he said, reminding stakeholders that their respective capabilities also bring a responsibility to act: “To whom much is given, much is required. We are not mere bystanders in this. We are actually people who can help.”

The Safe Online Space Forum forms part of the PLDT Group’s broader efforts to advance multi-stakeholder collaboration in creating safer digital environments for children. The initiative also contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions and SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals.