Friday, February 4, 2022

DOT lists requirements and protocols for arriving foreign leisure guests February 03, 2022 at 10:25PM

Out of Town Blog
DOT lists requirements and protocols for arriving foreign leisure guests

Philippine Travel Requirements for Foreign Tourists

The Philippines Is Reopening to International Travelers on Feb. 10 and here are the requirements and protocols

Team Out of Town Blog Hub (Outoftownblog.com) – Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat today, 4 February 2022 (Friday), issued a reminder to foreign tourists coming to the Philippines in the next few days to prepare all requirements to ensure a seamless travel experience.

Puyat made the statement, following the issuance of Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 160-B, which details the new entry, testing, and quarantine protocols for foreign nationals coming from 157 visa-free countries arriving from abroad, effective February 10, 2022.

“The new guidelines issued by the IATF are an indication that, while the country has opened its borders to fully vaccinated business and leisure visitors, it is doing so with utmost care and with full regard for the health and safety of both visitors and the general public.”, Puyat said.

Based on the IATF –EID Resolution 160-B, all arriving visitors must be able to present the following:

Acceptable proof of vaccination
Negative RT-PCR Test Taken within forty –eight hours (48 hours) before the date and time of departure from the country of origin / first port of embarkation in a continuous trip to the Philippines, excluding lay-overs for their return journey
Valid tickets for their return journey to the port of origin or next port of destination not later than thirty (30) days from the date of arrival in the Philippines
Passports valid for a period of at least six (6) months at the time of their arrival to the Philippines
Travel insurance for COVID-19 treatment costs from reputed insurers, with a minimum coverage of USD 35,000 for the duration of their stay in the Philippines

The Tourism chief reiterated that only fully vaccinated foreign visitors will be allowed entry to the country. Children below 12 years old will be exempted if they are traveling with fully vaccinated foreign parents.

In the case of unvaccinated foreign children below 12 years old that are traveling with their Filipino parent/s, they shall be allowed entry and shall be required to follow the entry, testing, and quarantine protocols that apply to their Filipino parent/s. Meanwhile, those between 12-17 years old must follow the protocols based on their vaccination status and shall be accompanied by their parents during their facility-based quarantine.

Based on the resolution, an individual is deemed fully vaccinated if he or she received the second dose in a two-dose series or a single dose vaccine more than 14 days before the date and time of departure from the point of origin.

While foreign visitors will not be required to undergo facility-based quarantine, Puyat reminded arriving travelers that they should continue self-monitoring and report to the local government unit of their destination should they exhibit any of the symptoms of the virus.

“The opening of our borders to eligible foreign visitors and the rebound of the tourism industry can only mean the restoration of the livelihood of millions of Filipinos working in tourism-related establishments and businesses who have been displaced by the pandemic. It will contribute greatly to the eventual revival of the Philippine economy”, Puyat added.

For the full guidelines, please see IATF-EID Resolution 160 B (click here).

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Read: Tips For Travelling Safely In Foreign Countries

Original article: DOT lists requirements and protocols for arriving foreign leisure guests

DOT lists requirements and protocols for arriving foreign leisure guests
Melo Villareal
Out of Town Blog

First realme TechLife partner brand DIZO to launch in PH on February 11 February 03, 2022 at 04:54PM

Out of Town Blog
First realme TechLife partner brand DIZO to launch in PH on February 11

realme expands its TechLife ecosystem with its first partner brand DIZO, offering quality tech products to enhance everyone’s modern lifestyles.

Team Out of Town Blog Hub (Outoftownblog.com) – realme, the PH’s no. 1 smartphone brand for three consecutive quarters in 2021 (based on Canalys and IDC sell-in data Q1-Q3 2021), continues to expand its TechLife ecosystem by bringing its first partner brand DIZO to the Philippines this month.

With its mission of encouraging its consumers to “Be Different”, DIZO aims to offer various tech products that complement every consumer’s individuality and becomes an extension of their unique personalities. This philosophy, a strong consumer demand, and a shared strategic vision are reasons why realme decided to include the up-and-coming brand within its TechLife ecosystem globally.

“With our goal of helping our consumers live more conveniently and efficiently every day, realme continues to seek out other brands that share the same mission of providing the best tech products that empower our consumers and cater to their diverse needs”, shares Austine Huang, realme Philippines’ VP for Marketing. “We fully believe in DIZO’s capability to uplift the lives of every Filipino and we are excited for the Squad to experience the various quality products DIZO has in store”, adds Huang.

Being its partner brand, DIZO ventures into the country with realme’s unflinching support in three key aspects: industrial design, supply chain, and an all-around AIoT experience that works perfectly with the realme Link app. With this, consumers can be assured of the same quality and manufacturing standards that realme has been known for while maintaining DIZO’s individuality and distinct product solutions to address the consumers’ needs.

Launching in the Philippines on February 11, DIZO will enter three major product categories with 13 compelling tech products. Under the Smart Entertainment category, the brand will offer five stylish and impressive audio products, namely: DIZO GoPods (SRP P2,599), DIZO GoPods D (SRP P999), DIZO GoPods Neo (SRP P1,999), DIZO Buds Z (SRP P1,499), and DIZO Wireless (SRP P999).

Stylish and synchronized: All DIZO audio products are customizable and controllable with the realme Link app.

Under the Smart Care category, DIZO will introduce the DIZO Watch 2 (SRP P1,999), which is designed to be a 24/7 health companion with its heart rate and blood oxygen monitors, 15 sports modes and a large 1.69” touchscreen display.

The DIZO Watch 2 is designed to be a 24/7 health companion with its heart rate and blood oxygen monitors, 15 sports modes and a large 1.69” touchscreen display.

The brand is also set to offer Smart Accessories, including a 2-in-1 Cable (SRP P199), Type-C Cable (SRP P179), Micro-USB Cable (SRP P159), 5W Charger (SRP P179), and 12W Charger (P399) to provide optimal support for various devices.

In addition, DIZO will also be launching classic feature phones, the DIZO Star 500 (SRP P1,299) and the DIZO Star 300 (SRP P799). These phones offer a new standard of reliability as they boast essential capabilities for communication, storage, and battery.

With the arrival of DIZO to the local market, consumers can look forward to more tech options that guarantee superb quality and value-for-money for today’s digital-driven lifestyles.

Be sure to catch the official launch of DIZO during the realme Brand Summit livestream on February 11, 6PM on the realme Philippines Facebook page. DIZO products will be available starting February 12, 12MN, via the DIZO Philippines Official Store on Lazada.

To know more about the complete line-up of products, discounts, and other updates, be sure to follow DIZO Philippines on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dizophilippines.

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Read: Gadget Review: Realme Band 2, The Latest Favorite Smart Wearable Device

Original article: First realme TechLife partner brand DIZO to launch in PH on February 11

First realme TechLife partner brand DIZO to launch in PH on February 11
Team Out of Town
Out of Town Blog

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Smart’s GigaLife App is among Top 10 most downloaded apps in PH – App Annie February 02, 2022 at 10:48PM

Out of Town Blog
Smart’s GigaLife App is among Top 10 most downloaded apps in PH – App Annie

Team Out of Town Blog Hub (Outoftownblog.com) – The GigaLife App of mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is the most downloaded network management app in the Philippines in 2021, according to App Annie, a leading global provider of mobile data and analytics.

In App Annie’s latest State of Mobile 2022 report, GigaLife emerged as the only network management app in the list of most downloaded apps by iOS and Android users in the country.

Overall, GigaLife ranked 10th in a list led by social networking app Facebook. Also among the most downloaded apps in the country are those which App Annie categorized to be under ‘communication,’ ‘digital wallets and payment,’ ‘video editing’, ‘short videos,’ ‘e-commerce,’ ‘media sharing networks’, and ‘meeting.’

One-stop super app for Smart subscribers

Downloadable on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Huawei Mobile Services, GigaLife was launched in September 2020 as a one-stop super app that aims to put all the digital needs of Smart customers within easy reach.

Through innovative features on its easy-to-use interface, GigaLife has become an essential channel for Smart to serve subscribers during the pandemic – a time when everyone needs a more convenient and safer way to manage their accounts and access mobile services.

With just a few taps on their smartphone, GigaLife enables all subscribers of Smart Prepaid, Smart Postpaid, Smart Bro, PLDT Prepaid Home WiFi, and TNT to check their balance and account details, register to promos, top-up their account, pay their bills, enjoy freebies, and more.

As of October 2021 – or just a little over a year from its launch – GigaLife has reached over 10 million users.

Commitment to improve customer experience

“GigaLife is born out of our commitment to improving customer experience at a crucial time when our subscribers need both a simpler and safer way to manage their digital lifestyle. We developed the app after listening to thousands of customer feedback about what they want and need, and we’re glad that millions are now benefitting from it,” said Jane J. Basas, SVP, and Head of Consumer Wireless Business.

“The best thing is, GigaLife continues to evolve as we continue to respond to the needs of our customers. As such, they can expect more innovative features and amazing experiences to bring them closer to their passions with just a few taps on their phone,” Basas added.

Truly rewarding digital life with GigaPoints

Through the app, Smart has also been making the digital life of subscribers truly rewarding with GigaPoints, an innovative rewards program that enables users to earn points, which can be exchanged for exclusive data freebies, rewards, and discounts.

GigaLife users are also the first to get updates on Smart promos and services through the ‘Don’t Miss Out’ button on the app, which many eagerly anticipate every day.

Moreover, On GigaDays every 19th to the 22nd of the month, GigaLife users get to redeem enjoy free call minutes and bonus data when they log into the app at a special time. Using GigaPoints, Smart subscribers also get to redeem big-ticket items – such as Apple Airpods or Galaxy Buds+ – on these special days.

Just recently, Smart also enabled GigaLife App users to redeem a complimentary Apple Music subscription for six months. Using the app, Smart also launched a bigger and better GigaMania, which gives subscribers a chance to win millions worth of prizes in the form of daily freebies like data vouchers; weekly gadgets including iPhones, MacBook Air, Samsung devices, and gaming consoles; and a Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid as the grand prize.

Philippines’ fastest 5G mobile network

GigaLife is powered by Smart, the country’s fastest 5G mobile network, according to the latest report by Ookla, the global leader in mobile and broadband intelligence.

Using 325,396 user-initiated 5G tests, Ookla declared Smart as the winner of its Speedtest Awards for Q3-Q4 2021 with a Speed Score of 201.95, while its closest competitor posted a Speed Score of 116.08.

To bag the award, Smart posted a median download speed of 218.82 Mbps and a median upload speed of 22.46 Mbps, while its closest competitor posted a median download speed of 116.92 Mbps and a median upload speed of 10.81 Mbps.

Make the Smart Move now

To enjoy amazing GigaLife experiences, subscribers can download GigaLife on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Huawei Mobile Services now. Through the app, non-Smart customers can also make the Smart move without having to change their mobile number through Mobile Number Portability. Non-Smart customers can also know more about this service at x.smart/switch.

To learn more about GigaLife, visit https://smart.com.ph/Pages/gigalife-app.

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Read: Smart Lets You Enjoy Exclusive GigaPoints Discounts On GigaDays

Original article: Smart’s GigaLife App is among Top 10 most downloaded apps in PH – App Annie

Smart’s GigaLife App is among Top 10 most downloaded apps in PH – App Annie
Melo Villareal
Out of Town Blog

Monday, January 31, 2022

PLDT is Philippines’ fastest internet provider in 2021 – Ookla® January 31, 2022 at 03:06AM

Out of Town Blog
PLDT is Philippines’ fastest internet provider in 2021 – Ookla®

PLDT Manila City Fastest Internet Broadband

Team Out of Town Blog Hub (Outoftownblog.com) – PLDT Home remains undisputed as the fastest broadband network in the Philippines, dominating telco rivals with a Speed Score of 77.24 at the Ookla® Speedtest Awards for Q3-Q4 2021.

The latest result showed a big jump from PLDT’s Speed Score of 27.28 in the second half of the previous year. Speed Score is a measure that takes into account both upload and download speeds.

The latest data from the global benchmarking company also showed PLDT besting all other internet service providers (ISPs) in the country with top upload and download speeds of 217.07 Mbps and 203.97 Mbps, respectively.

In determining the network speed of ISPs, Ookla® compared data gathered from millions of consumer-initiated tests taken on Speedtest® platforms. The data include tests done by Filipino internet users on various networks using digital devices connected via Wi-Fi and fixed networks.

“Fast internet is no longer a luxury because it’s what Filipinos depend on to earn, work, and study from home. We’ve been relentless in continuously building and upgrading our network so that our customers enjoy better and future-ready homes,” says Butch G. Jimenez, Jr., Senior Vice President and Head of PLDT Home Business.

Fastest Broadband in PH’s Key Cities

Based on the latest Ookla® data, PLDT registered the highest upload and download speeds in key major cities in the Philippines – Manila, Cebu, and Davao Cities.

In Manila, PLDT bested major ISPs – including Converge, Globe, and Sky – with upload and download speeds of 54.52 Mbps and 58.57 Mbps, respectively. In Cebu, PLDT recorded 76.14 Mbps and 74.22 Mbps upload and download speeds. In Davao, PLDT is the fastest fixed network over ISPs Globe and Sky, with upload and download speeds of 70.06 Mbps and 71.50 Mbps, respectively.

When analyzing the fastest ISPs, Ookla assesses the fastest network speeds attained across a given network, accounting for tests that are taken on various Speedtest applications that connect to a fixed network, including tests taken on mobile phones over a Wi-Fi connection. Each top carrier accounts for at least 3% of the sample size in the geographic area.

Setting the Bar for PH Internet Speeds

PLDT has consistently dominated the Ookla® Speedtest Awards in the past four years as a result of the telco giant’s aggressive network expansion initiatives. In the second half of 2021, PLDT Home launched its biggest speed upgrade for customers with thrice as much speed versus the previous broadband plans.

In November 2021, PLDT Home launched the country’s first-ever 10,000 Mbps fiber-optic service in the Philippines, putting the country alongside first-world nations that have access to such ultra-fast home internet speeds as South Korea, Japan, Sweden, Norway, Italy, New Zealand, and the USA.

“The demand for the fastest broadband in the Philippines remains strong and we’re investing as well in our capabilities to install, upgrade, and repair throughout the year,” concludes Butch G. Jimenez, Jr., Senior Vice President and Head of PLDT Home Business.

PLDT Home continues to set the bar for the future of home internet connectivity in the Philippines as it provides access to future-ready innovations including top-of-the-line Smart Home solutions such as Wifi Mesh devices, Entertainment, and Security services bundled with its flexible broadband plans.

All these innovations are powered by the PLDT’s widest network in the country with its fiber infrastructure expanded to 743,700 kilometers, extending its reach to 13.9 million homes passed, and with over 5.77 million fiber-powered ports.

To date, PLDT Home has connected over 3.6 Million subscribers, proving to be the most trusted telco of Filipino families for fast internet speeds for work at home, online school, and family entertainment at home amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

For more information on PLDT Home, visit www.pldthome.com.

Disclaimer:
Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data Q3–Q4 2021. Ookla trademarks are used under license and reprinted with permission.

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Read: Smart 5G Is Nearly Twice The Speed Of Competitor, According To Ookla® Report

Original article: PLDT is Philippines’ fastest internet provider in 2021 – Ookla®

PLDT is Philippines’ fastest internet provider in 2021 – Ookla®
Melo Villareal
Out of Town Blog