PLDT Global and Smart Extend Support to Filipinos in Saudi Arabia Amid Ongoing Incident

In response to the ongoing situation in Saudi Arabia, PLDT Global and Smart Communications are reinforcing their commitment to supporting Filipinos in the affected areas by providing essential connectivity services that enable them to stay informed and connected with their loved ones and relevant government agencies.

As part of its assistance efforts, Smart will provide a free 1GB roaming data package with 5 days validity to Smart subscribers currently in Saudi Arabia. The complimentary data allocation aims to help customers access critical information, communicate with family members, and stay connected during this challenging time. Subscribers can monitor their data allocation via www.gigaroam.smart.com.ph.

Meanwhile, PLDT Global, through its digital platform Tindahan ni Bossing (TinBo), continues to extend support to overseas Filipinos with its existing free calls to key government hotlines. Filipinos in Saudi Arabia can use their TinBo Smart Virtual Number to contact the 1348 DMW-OWWA Helpline and the 1343 Actionline Against Human Trafficking at no cost.

The service allows overseas Filipinos seeking assistance, information, or guidance to directly reach government agencies tasked with providing support to migrant workers and their families. Customers who need help accessing the free calling feature may contact TinBo through Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp.

In addition, PLDT Global is opening free calls via the Smart Virtual Number to PLDT landlines, Smart, TNT, and other Philippine mobile numbers, allowing Filipinos in Saudi Arabia to stay connected with their families, loved ones, and support networks back home during this challenging period.

“Our priority is to help Filipinos overseas stay connected when they need it most. We are making it easier for our kababayans in Saudi Arabia to reach their loved ones and access critical support services as they navigate this situation,” said Albert V. Villa-Real, President and CEO of PLDT Global and Head of PLDT and Smart International Business.

The initiatives underscore the PLDT Group's commitment to leveraging technology and connectivity to support Filipinos wherever they are, particularly during emergencies and unforeseen situations.

PLDT Global and Smart continue to monitor developments and remain ready to provide further assistance to customers as needed.

Globe Extends GDay Relief Efforts to 200 Typhoon-Hit Families in Pampanga

Globe expanded its GDay relief efforts to Guagua, Pampanga, reaching 200 families affected by the recent typhoon with relief, connectivity, and livelihood assistance. The activity brought together Globe employee-volunteers and the local community as families continued to recover from severe flooding.

While floodwaters have subsided in parts of Pampanga, affected families continue to deal with damage to their homes and livelihoods. Globe employees prepared and distributed relief packs to residents in Guagua, and SIM cards were provided to help families stay connected with loved ones.

The effort also included support for residents looking for additional sources of income as they recover. Selected beneficiaries received reseller starter kits that can provide an opportunity to earn within their communities, while Globe Fiber Prepaid kits were raffled off to participating families.

“Even after the floodwaters go down, families still have a long way to go as they rebuild their homes and livelihoods. Through GDay, our employees were able to be there for communities in Guagua and provide help that they can use as they recover,” said Mel Baquiano, Globe General Manager for North Luzon.

The Guagua relief activity followed Globe’s recent GDay efforts in Tarlac and Nueva Ecija, where employees worked with Kaya Natin Youth–Tarlac City and assisted more than 100 families in Brgy. Sawat, Camiling. The two-day effort also provided school supplies to students at Sawat Elementary School and food and school supplies to children at Bahay ni San Jose Orphanage in Nueva Ecija.

“Recovery takes time, especially for families whose homes and livelihoods have been affected by flooding. We appreciate Globe and its employee-volunteers for reaching our communities and providing assistance that can help our residents as they recover from the typhoon,” said Hon. Rowena D. Dimalanta, Barangay Captain, Barangay Sto. Cristo Guagua, Pampanga.

The GDay relief efforts in Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga show what Globe of Good means in practice: Globe employee-volunteers giving their time and skills to help communities where they can make a difference. It is a commitment Globe brings to life through its people, partnerships, and continued engagement with communities across the country.

For more information about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.

PH Businesses Must Build Workforce Resilience Amid Severe Weather Systems - AscentHR

Manila, Philippines — As severe weather systems and typhoons continue to disrupt regular business operations across the Philippines, AscentHR, a leading provider of HR technology, payroll, compliance, and workforce solutions, is urging enterprises in the country to strengthen their operational resilience by modernizing their workforce management infrastructure.

This follows the latest data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which reported a drop in average weekly hours worked from 40.6 hours in July to 39.2 hours in August this year. According to the PSA, bad weather was a primary factor causing millions of employed Filipinos to work fewer hours, directly impacting worker take-home pay and creating administrative complexity for employers managing variable shifts, overtime, and statutory reporting.

The latest PSA report also highlighted that while overall unemployment eased to 5.3% in August, underemployment remained high at 11.9%, representing approximately 5.9 million employed Filipinos seeking additional working hours or secondary income. Coupled with severe weather that forced disruptions, businesses face various challenges, including maintaining workforce productivity while ensuring fair, transparent, and accurate compensation during the affected operating cycles.

Labor market disruptions from extreme weather events are increasingly recognized as a macroeconomic challenge across the Asia-Pacific region. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO)

, heat stress and extreme weather disruptions account for millions of lost working hours annually in tropical climate zones, significantly impacting labor-intensive and shift-based operations such as manufacturing, retail, logistics, and multi-site operations.

AscentHR emphasizes that while physical disaster recovery plans remain a priority for corporations, operational continuity must extend directly into workforce administration, particularly in managing fluctuating work hours, shift differentials, and complex pay calculations without administrative friction or compliance errors.

"Operational resilience isn't just about disaster recovery, but it's about having payroll and workforce technology agile enough to accommodate weather disruptions and seasonal hours without administrative drag," said Subramanyam Sreenivasaiah, Founder & CEO of AscentHR. "When extreme weather disrupts standard working patterns, business agility depends on automated shift tracking, flexible variable-pay engines, and real-time compliance safeguards that ensure employees are accurately compensated without delay."

As local enterprises gear up for anticipated fourth-quarter seasonal hiring and ongoing weather contingencies, AscentHR urges businesses to examine their HR tech infrastructure for flexibility, localized compliance, and real-time data visibility.

"As weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable, businesses cannot afford legacy HR and payroll systems that bottleneck operations during emergency adjustments. Investing in secure, automated, and compliant workforce technology protects both the organization’s bottom line and the economic well-being of its workforce," Sreenivasaiah adds.

As one of the top HR and payroll solutions providers in the APAC region, AscentHR enables enterprises to navigate regional compliance, multi-country payroll, and workforce volatility through secure, scalable platforms including PowerPay and StoHRM. By integrating AI-driven automation, cloud analytics, and localized compliance features tailored for the Philippine market, AscentHR helps organizations absorb operational disruptions while maintaining data security and employee trust.

For more information, you may visit https://ascent-hr.com.

88 TNL Group Launches VITBLISS Philippines, Asia’s First Pharmacist-Packaged Vitamin Cards

Quezon City, Philippines — 88 TNL Group, Inc. has officially launched VITBLISS Philippines, bringing the Dutch-developed personalized vitamin card system exclusively to the local market. Developed in the Netherlands by VandenBrink Vitaler B.V., the innovation introduces Asia’s first pharmacist-packaged, four-week personalized vitamin cards, redefining how Filipinos manage daily health, energy, and household wellness.

As holistic wellness becomes increasingly integrated into everyday routines, Filipinos are looking for simpler ways to stay consistent with their health habits. Guided by the Dutch philosophy of “Everyday Balance,” VITBLISS replaces bulky traditional bottles with sleek, pre-portioned vitamin cards. Each card contains individual multi-dose cups that tear off easily for on-the-go use, eliminating the complexity of traditional supplement routines.

Beyond convenience, VITBLISS addresses the growing consumer demand for safety and quality assurance. Licensed pharmacists prepare and package every card under European pharmaceutical regulations, which ensures precise dosage control, safety, and nutrient combinations designed for optimal bioavailability.

The launch portfolio has eight targeted wellness formulas for men and women: Foundation, Immune Booster, Energy, Beauty, Digestion and Intestinal, Joints and Bones, Sports, and 50+. Users can also switch to a different formula the following month as their wellness needs change.

"VITBLISS is a vitamin intake system that offers maximum convenience, helps you stay consistent, and is tailor-fitted to your personal wellness goals. All it takes is 10 seconds a day to achieve your everyday balance," said Mick Uy, President of VITBLISS Philippines.

Designed to fit the daily routines of active urban professionals, young mothers, and aging family members, VITBLISS addresses a range of household wellness needs. It offers particular value to young mothers, who often serve as primary health decision-makers in Filipino homes, by covering maternal wellness, personal vitality, and family healthcare in pre-portioned daily packs. It also supports older adults focused on mobility and bone health, and helps family caregivers manage multiple health regimens.

Steve Baltao, Chief Operating Officer of 88 TNL Group, said the launch advances the company's mission to deliver accessible, data-driven, and streamlined preventive health solutions to Filipinos nationwide.

“Our goal is to ensure that quality preventive care and daily wellness solutions are easily accessible to every Filipino family. True preventive health relies on consistent, everyday habits at home. By bringing VITBLISS exclusively to the Philippines as part of our growing ecosystem, we are empowering households with European-grade, pharmacist-packaged supplements that make daily vitality simple, safe, and reliable,” said Baltao.

VITBLISS Philippines is exclusively distributed by 88 TNL Group, Inc. through vitbliss.ph, where consumers can explore the available formulas and take a two-minute wellness quiz to identify the cards that best match their needs.

Lenovo AI Express Accelerates Enterprise AI Deployment with NVIDIA

Lenovo has announced Lenovo AI Express, a new solution designed to help businesses accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) deployment, simplify infrastructure procurement, and achieve faster returns on their AI investments. Developed in collaboration with NVIDIA, the offering provides validated configurations, accelerated computing capabilities, and professional services to help organizations move from AI experimentation to production.

According to Lenovo’s 2026 CIO Playbook, organizations transitioning toward large-scale AI implementation expect an average return of $2.79 for every $1 invested, while 93% of enterprise respondents anticipate positive returns. However, deployment delays, integration challenges, and infrastructure readiness continue to prevent businesses from realizing AI’s full potential.

Lenovo AI Express addresses these challenges through ready-to-deploy infrastructure and flexible configurations that allow businesses to start with their current requirements and expand as workloads, users, AI models, and inference demands increase. Eligible configurations can achieve order-to-ship timelines starting at 15 business days.

Three Configurations for Different AI Needs

Lenovo AI Express offers three validated configurations designed for different levels of AI demand.

The Small configuration, available from 15 business days, supports focused AI inference for dozens of users and models ranging from 7 billion to 70 billion parameters. It uses the Lenovo ThinkSystem SR650a V4, powered by two NVIDIA RTX 6000 PRO Blackwell Server Edition GPUs.

The Medium configuration, available in 20 business days, supports higher-throughput inference and agentic AI applications for hundreds of users. Built on the Lenovo ThinkSystem SR675 V3, it features eight NVIDIA RTX 6000 PRO Blackwell Server Edition GPUs and supports models ranging from 70 billion to 400 billion parameters.

The Large configuration, available in 25 business days, targets enterprise-scale deployments serving thousands of users. It uses the Lenovo ThinkSystem SR680a V4 with NVIDIA HGX B300 technology, supporting demanding generative AI workloads and models with up to one trillion parameters.

Customers can also choose validated AMD and Intel CPU technologies and extend their deployments with enterprise AI software, including Red Hat AI Factory with NVIDIA and NVIDIA AI Enterprise. Veeam Kasten is available to strengthen data protection and resilience.

Simplifying AI Operations and Scaling

Beyond infrastructure, Lenovo AI Express includes services covering use-case identification, return-on-investment validation, proof-of-concept development, and GPU performance optimization. Premier Support Plus for Servers adds proactive and predictive support to help maintain operational continuity.

Through its collaboration with NVIDIA and the Lenovo 360 partner framework, Lenovo aims to make enterprise AI infrastructure more accessible and deployment more predictable.

As businesses increasingly adopt generative AI and autonomous AI agents, Lenovo AI Express offers a structured pathway toward production-ready AI, helping organizations scale capabilities while managing deployment complexity, operational costs, and infrastructure investment.