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Cebuana Lhuillier CMO Michael Sena Named Asia-Pacific’s Most Innovative Marketing Leader at NEXT Awards 2025

Cebuana Lhuillier marked a defining milestone at the NEXT Awards 2025 as its First Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Emirosco Michael Sena, was honored with the Asia-Pacific Gold for Most Innovative Marketing Leader of the Year. His regional win capped a remarkable night that also saw Cebuana Lhuillier sweep national categories and earn the prestigious Grand Prix for Brand of the Year at the Philippine edition of the competition, following an earlier national Silver recognition for him as Most Innovative Marketing Leader of the Year. The NEXT Awards recognize marketing innovation and effectiveness across the Philippines, with national winners advancing to the Asia-Pacific level. Sena’s victory places him among the most forward-thinking marketing leaders in Asia-Pacific and reflects Cebuana Lhuillier’s expanding influence beyond the Philippines. His leadership has been central in driving the company’s people-led, purpose-driven marketing philosophy, resulti

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Powerhouse Tools Wins Bronze at NEXT Awards Philippines 2025, Caps Strong Year of Marketing Recognition

Powerhouse Tools, a brand of Hap Suy Hardware Co., Inc., won Bronze in the Most Innovative Digital Marketing Campaign category at the NEXT Awards Philippines 2025, held by MARKETECH APAC. The recognition was awarded to the brand's "Kwentong Powerhouse" campaign, which spotlights authentic stories from the Ka-Powerhouse community—real users whose work reflects Powerhouse Tools' reach across the Philippine market. Launched to shift the brand's focus from performance specifications to the people behind the tools, "Kwentong Powerhouse" spotlighted authentic user stories that demonstrate how Powerhouse Tools supports work across diverse trades and livelihoods in the Philippines. The campaign featured Ms. Guia Bustos, owner of TATY Manila, who teaches children hands-on building skills and sparks creativity through proper guidance and tools; Mr. Denis Fernandez, a scrap metal artist who transforms discarded steel into functional art, proving that beauty can emerge from waste; and Mr. Marjo L

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15 Million Attempted Attacks Masquerading as VPNs: The Hidden Risk Behind Gen Z’s Privacy Pursuit

Gen Z uses privacy tools more actively than any other generation, but this trend may also make them targets for cybercriminals. Between October 2024 and September 2025, Kaspersky detected more than 15 million attempted attacks disguised as VPN applications. Instead of protecting users, these fake or cracked VPNs often deliver malware and potentially unwanted software — from downloaders and adware to trojans capable of stealing data and granting attackers remote access. According to research findings, Gen Z uses VPNs, encryption tools, anonymous browsers and other privacy-enhancing technologies twice as often as older age groups. Growing up in the era of data leaks, algorithmic tracking and hyper-connected social platforms has made them far more aware of how fragile online privacy can be. VPNs and anonymous browsers have become essential for shielding personal data, protecting online identities and securing public Wi-Fi use. But this shift comes with an unexpected danger: in their pur

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realme With You: Celebrating real Moments with the Kythe Foundation

Staying true to its commitment to giving back this holiday season, realme Philippines brought joy and meaningful support to the community through a special Christmas CSR activity under its realme With You campaign. In partnership with the Kythe Foundation, realme hosted a heartwarming celebration for children and foundation staff last December 16, 2025, at Jollibee P. Tuazon, featuring a Jollitown-themed Jollibee Kids Party. The event was designed to create a joyful and memorable experience for the children, filled with fun games and light moments. Adding to the excitement, the Jollibee Mascot led the entertainment, bringing smiles to everyone in attendance and embodying the spirit of togetherness that defines the Christmas season. A celebration of love, sharing, and hope The program concluded with realme extending its support beyond celebration by donating 15 tablets to the beneficiary children of the Kythe Foundation. These devices aim to help support the children’s learning, crea

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Canon Marketing Philippines Spreads Joy and Hope Through Kyosei-Driven CSR Day with Kanlungan sa Er-Ma

Canon Marketing Philippines, in partnership with Kanlungan sa Er-Ma Ministry, Inc. (KSEM), a non-profit dedicated to protecting and empowering vulnerable children—held a meaningful Kyosei CSR Day in Malate, Manila. KSEM’s mission to serve, protect and develop children aligns closely with Canon’s Kyosei philosophy, which champions working together for the common good and building brighter communities. The initiative brought together 70 children from KSEM and 30 Canon employee volunteers for a day of nourishment, creativity, and shared joy. A highlight was the “Draw Your Big Smile” activity, where children expressed their happiest moments through art, guided and encouraged by Canon volunteers. The artworks were displayed on the Wall of Big Smiles, while a photo booth captured each child proudly posing with their drawings. Every participant took home a printed photo keepsake, a lasting reminder of their Big Smile moment. “At Canon, we believe progress means uplifting lives and creating

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There’s A New Virtual Visa Card from PalawanPay, And Here’s What You Need to Know

Staying true to the Palawan Group of Companies’ mission of advancing financial inclusion, PalawanPay — the company’s fast-growing e-wallet — unveils the PalawanPay Virtual Visa Card, a major leap in making simple, secure, and widely accepted digital payments accessible to every Filipino, including those without bank accounts or credit cards. PalawanPay CEO Third Librea shared: “For many Filipinos, owning a Visa card has always felt out of reach — something reserved for those with bank accounts or credit lines. With the PalawanPay Virtual Visa Card, we’re changing that. We built this to be simple, practical, and truly pang-masa. Now every Filipino, every suki, can access global commerce with confidence — securely and affordably.” Cashless, Cardless, Limitless — Designed for the Digital Filipino With just a few taps inside the PalawanPay app, verified users can instantly activate their Virtual Visa Card and start transacting online. From e-commerce shopping and recurring bills to tra

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foodpanda Deploys Free Vending Machines, Charging Stations, and Quick Rest Stops for Holiday Commuters in the Metro

Commuting in the city is already tough. Add the holiday rush, and it’s practically impossible to get around. But imagine getting an unexpected helping hand right when you need it most. This holiday season, foodpanda Philippines is playing Santa Claus for weary commuters with pink “We Gotchu Stops” across the city. If you’ve been out and about lately, you might have spotted some bright, super-helpful installations popping up in key commuter hubs around Metro Manila. foodpanda has installed special vending machines that are giving away commuter must-haves for free. Stocked with essentials like drinking water, facial tissue, sanitizer, hand fans, and other quick-help essentials, this is a truly practical giveaway and an instant mood booster, amidst long queues and crowded terminals. The foodpanda vending machine recently popped up in One Ayala Terminal, a nonstop commuter hub in the city’s financial district. More stops are coming soon, including a setup at the World Trade Center for t

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RCBC Partners with Digital Edge’s NARRA 1 to Power a New Era of Resilient, Efficient, and Sustainable Banking

Digital Edge (Singapore) Holdings Pte. Ltd. and Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), one of the Philippines' top banks, have formalized a strategic partnership that reinforces the country’s digital finance backbone. RCBC is migrating its production site to Digital Edge’s NARRA1— the Philippines’ largest operating true carrier-neutral data center—marking a significant step in the bank’s long-term digital transformation plans. This collaboration aims to support RCBC’s commitment to delivering highly available, secure, and efficient digital banking experiences to millions of Filipinos nationwide. The ceremonial signing took place at the RCBC Plaza in Makati. It was attended by key executives from both organizations, including RCBC President and Chief Executive Officer Reggie Carioso and Chief Information Officer John Alabastro, as well as Digital Edge Philippines President and CEO Vic Barrios and Threadborne Group Chairman Charlie Rufino. Strengthening RCBC’s Foundation for Next

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Fortinet’s 2026 Cyberthreat Predictions: Inside the Industrialization of Cybercrime and What to Expect in 2026

Fortinet released its 2026 Cyberthreat Predictions Report, highlighting a year defined by acceleration. Each year, FortiGuard Labs analyses how technology, economics, and human behaviour shape global cyber risk. The Fortinet Cyberthreat Predictions Report for 2026 outlines a turning point in that evolution. Cybercrime will continue to evolve into an organized industry, built on automation, specialization, and artificial intelligence (AI). But in 2026, success in both offense and defence will be determined less by innovation than by throughput: how quickly intelligence can be turned into action. The summary of key findings is outlined below. From Innovation to Throughput Because AI, automation, and a mature cybercrime supply chain will make intrusion faster and easier than ever, attackers will spend less time inventing new tools and more time refining and automating techniques that already work. AI systems will manage reconnaissance, accelerate intrusion, parse stolen data, and gener

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Alibaba Cloud Recognized Again as an Emerging Leader in All Four Gartner Emerging Market Quadrants for Generative AI

Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, today announced it has again been recognized as an Emerging Leader across all four quadrants evaluated in the latest four Gartner “Innovation Guide for Generative AI” reports, published in November 2025. According to Gartner, the Emerging Market Quadrant provides "a visualization of generative AI vendors" in a "dynamic and fast-moving market,” and “Emerging Leaders typically possess visibility within the market as well as both strong features and future potential”. "We believe our recognition as an Emerging Leader across the GenAI stack is a powerful validation of our integrated 'AI + Cloud' strategy," said Jingren Zhou, Chief Technology Officer of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. "From the optimized infrastructure that powers AI, to our leading Qwen models, the tools to engineer specialized applications, and the productivity apps that deliver value to end-users, we are committed to providing a holistic ecos

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