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A look into education’s new normal: DepEd shares insights on the first weeks of classes

Various industries in the Philippines are already on their slow but steady path to recovery and that includes the education sector. Despite the compromises and major changes made in the educational system to navigate through the now normal, the Department of Education (DepEd) has successfully opened classes for SY 2020-2021. “DepEd recognizes the challenges of the school year ahead, but if we opted for an academic freeze, we would have lost many months of the childrens’ learning,” said DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones. “The opening of the school year has generally been very successful, and we will continue to face any challenge that lies ahead with great resolve to continue education in the country.” For the first few weeks of classes, the Department has been focusing on the proper implementation of the alternative learning delivery modalities and providing the necessary psychosocial support for the academic community. Learning in the new normal Following the DepEd’s succes

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Tips for Staying Secure While Working from Home

Due to the global pandemic, nearly two-thirds of companies have moved half or more of their employees to telework. Sixty-two percent of employed Americans, for example, say they have worked from home during the crisis, with the number of remote employees doubling between March 13 and April 2 of 2020, and this is not just a temporary change. Nearly a third of all organizations with remote workers expect that half or more will continue working from home after the pandemic. Network Changes Impact Remote Work Security The security implications of such a dramatic transition in such a short period of time cannot be overstated. Under normal circumstances, moving an entire workforce from secure IT environments to home networks with very little cybersecurity would take long-term planning and preparation. But that was not an option in 2020. As a result, 32% of respondents to Fortinet’s 2020 Securing Remote Work Survey found that setting up and managing secure connectivity to be the most challe

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Good-to-Know: Perks of using a well-rounded mobile banking app

Restrictions in the new normal disrupt time-tested systems and processes. One of which is how people usually manage and grow their money through a bank visit, use of an ATM, and access to cash-heavy transactions. For Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank), the thrift banking arm of Metrobank Group, doing money-related transactions while stuck at home is an opportunity for account holders to appreciate and maximize the benefits of a comprehensive mobile banking app. “As we continuously face the implications of the pandemic, easy, convenient, and safe access to banking services has become a necessity for Filipinos,” says Noel Tuazon, PSBank SVP and Marketing Head. “The use of an all-around mobile banking app not only addresses this concern, but also helps users take control of their finances without having to worry about their safety.” Through its “Good to Know!” campaign, PSBank reminds customers of mobile banking app benefits that they can rely on during the quarantine: It provides securi

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CIMB Bank Philippines Partners with MoEngage to Drive Digital-First Customer Engagement

CIMB Bank Philippines today announced that it has partnered with San Francisco-based customer analytics and engagement platform MoEngage to drive its digital customer engagement strategy. MoEngage’s platform will be leveraged to enable seamless, multi-channel engagement for the bank’s individual and enterprise banking customers across the country. The bank’s mobile-first platform banking concept has already resulted in superior customer engagement with month-on-month open rates for its emails at 105 index to the industry average. “CIMB Bank Philippines unique digital and platform banking model is changing the banking experience of every Filipino, by providing an all-digital experience coupled with the best product features all enabled digitally via smartphone. As we simplify our products and services to provide real solutions for every Filipino, we continue to build new capabilities leveraging data and technology to get sharper in engaging our customers across multiple digital touchp

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RUN THE WORLD: ASICS WORLD EKIDEN 2020 TAKES VIRTUAL RACING TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL

New ASICS World Ekiden 2020 unites teams from all four corners of the globe in pursuit of a shared goal  A specially created virtual race platform will vividly bring to life the connection and motivation of team competition at a time when we’re apart Inspired by a century of Japanese running culture, runners of all abilities will work together to complete a combined marathon ASICS announces the inaugural ASICS World Ekiden 2020: the ultimate running challenge that will see teams of up to six people from across the globe come together to complete a combined marathon. Inspired by a century of Japanese running culture, the race will be split into six legs of varying distances, making it perfect for runners of all abilities and experience. Trusted voices within their community, ASICS has founded two regional teams to be part of ASICS World Ekiden 2020; an amateur team to discuss motivators of participation; an experience team to share training tips and key race preparations. The f

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Globe launches KonekTayo School Bus WiFi in Manila

The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the crucial need for connectivity like never before. For underprivileged communities, access to internet connectivity — or the lack thereof — determines whether demands of the new environment, such as distance learning and remote working, will be met by families belonging to these communities. In line with its continuous efforts to make internet accessible to Filipinos especially during this time, Globe Telecom officially launched the School Bus WiFi program in Manila City today. The kick-off also marks a new, bigger vision of Globe and KonekTayo WiFi to provide fast, reliable and low-cost home internet connectivity in underserved markets in the locality. Using KonekTayo WiFi, Globe deployed school buses equipped with special antennas that will broadcast WiFi signal from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. from Monday to Sunday in covered areas including Pasaje del Carmen St., Remigio St., 853 Gonzalo Gil Puyat St., 924 Bilibid Viejo St., Tomas Mapua St., Alfo

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Shopee Welcomes Kris Aquino as its New Brand Ambassador for the 11.11 - 12.12 Big Christmas Sale

Shopee users can anticipate guest appearances from Kris Aquino on TV and Shopee Live, a special charity drive, and a brand-new TV commercial. Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, introduces the Queen of All Media, Kris Aquino, as its new brand ambassador for the Shopee 11.11 - 12.12 Big Christmas Sale. Together with Kris Aquino, Shopee celebrates the festive season with weeks full of exciting in-app games, a star-studded TV special, and tons of amazing deals and promos this Shopee 11.11 - 12.12 Big Christmas Sale. Martin Yu, Associate Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “Christmas is the biggest holiday in the Philippines, and we are excited to kickstart the celebrations with Kris Aquino as our new brand ambassador. Having Kris Aquino join our Shopee family demonstrates our continuous efforts to reach our long-term vision of making e-commerce for everyone. We want to connect with our Filipino users on a deeper level and help them enjoy the benefits

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You can now add money to your PayMaya account for free at Ministop stores nationwide

Safer and more convenient contactless payments made more accessible  Filipinos can now conveniently add money to their PayMaya accounts at the nearest Ministop store, making going cashless much easier in the New Normal. Through an expanded partnership between digital financial services leader PayMaya Philippines and the popular convenience store chain, customers can now avail of this Add Money service at more than half of Ministop stores and by end of the year, in all of its over 500 stores nationwide. Every Add Money transaction via Ministop will also be free of charge until December 2020.  With this partnership, Ministop’s extensive list of branches nationwide will be added to PayMaya’s 57,000 Add Money touchpoints–the widest Add Money network in the Philippines. Now, it’s easier for users to ensure that they have enough funds to utilize safe and convenient contactless payment for their transactions, wherever they are in the country.  Aside from being able to fund their PayMaya acco

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Securing Healthcare Data Amid COVID-19

Amid the current pandemic, there has been an increase in cyberattacks targeting hospitals and healthcare facilities as cybercriminals attempt to take advantage of the global health crisis to steal data or spread dangerous malware. The World Health Organization (WHO), for instance, has noted that since the onset of the current pandemic, it has seen a dramatic increase in the number of cyberattacks directed at its staff, as well as e-mail scams targeting the public at large. The attacks are five times more than the number recorded in the same period last year. In the Philippines, this reality has prompted the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to call for proactive measures to guard against cyberattacks. As healthcare organizations seek to protect their patient information from these growing threats, Fujitsu Philippines, Inc., a leading Information Technology (IT) systems integrator and solutions provider, lists some important ways to achieve better healthc

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Cybersecurity Tips for the Household CIO of 2020

Reports on data breaches and cyberattacks have increased significantly ever since more students and employees are working from home than ever before. . As classrooms have gone virtual in the Philippines, this school year means more laptops and tablets instead of backpacks and bus rides. With schools kicking off the 2020-2021 academic year this October, many parents are wondering how they can protect their children as they start the new school year online. While adapting new technology platforms and navigating school in a virtual environment can seem overwhelming, cybersecurity doesn’t have to be. Jen Miller-Osborn, Deputy Director of Threat Intelligence for Unit 42 at Palo Alto Networks, shared a few simple and helpful best practices that parents can look into. By following these, they can help protect their children from cybercrime and also preserve their online privacy. 1. Understand what your child is doing online. If you’re using a personal device, set up parental controls on

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