Will 23-year-old Filipino-Belgian Roxanne Baeyens become the country’s fifth Miss Earth titleholder on November 29 (Sunday)?

Fans worldwide can catch the journey of the country’s bet and 83 other hopefuls in their quest to become the next ambassador to environmental protection campaigns worldwide by getting tickets on KTX.PH for the pre-pageant on November 24 (Tuesday), 9 PM for P99 and the coronation night on November 29, 10 AM, for P199.

Taking on hosting duties is popular online personality James Deakin. This year’s pageant features a prestigious line-up of judges, including Latin American singer and TV host Patricia Zabala, United Nations Industrial Development Organization president Hassan Eltigani Malik, international DJ, model, and singer Natalia Barulich, world-class violinist Iskandar Widjaja, women empowerment advocate, and social entrepreneur Jewel Colmenares Lobaton, and international restaurateur, environmental advocate, and philanthropist Michael Ma.

The pageant is about to wrap its more than two months-long series of online pre-pageant events such as regular talks on environmental issues, competitions for talent, evening gown, beachwear, sportswear, national costume, and an interview opportunity with netizens.

On top of promoting environmental protection programs, Miss Earth also will also showcase various tourist destinations.

These special offerings follow the successful previous KTX.PH offerings - Jed Madela's "New Normal," JaMill's "Tayo Hanggang Dulo," K Brosas' “20k20," "Hello Stranger: Finale Fancon," "Apollo: A Daniel Padilla Digital Experience," "The House Arrest Of Us," "U-Turn" and other special exclusive events.

Watch out for more exciting experiences on KTX.PH.

TikTok, the leading destination for short-form mobile videos, is enhancing privacy and browsing options for families on the app by building on its existing Family Pairing features.

As more families continue to turn to internet platforms like TikTok to stay entertained, informed, and connected, parents now have the option to manage their teen's online experience by linking their TikTok account to their teen's, and setting discoverability and safety controls. Developed for parents, this suite of new features is intended to jumpstart digital wellbeing and online safety education for families.

The new features include:

Search: This allows parents to directly control whether a teen can search for content, users, hashtags, or sounds on the app.
Comments: Parents may decide who can leave comments on a teen's videos - Either all users, friends only, or no one.
Discoverability: This lets you regulate whether your teen's account is private or public. With a private account, your teen can choose who can see their content. When the account is set to public, anyone can search for your teen’s profile, and view their content.

Liked videos: Here, you decide who can view the videos your teen liked.

"Parenting a teen's digital life can be daunting and many parents feel as though they're playing catch-up when it comes to the latest technology and apps their teens use. Working with our community and industry partners, we are committed to helping facilitate important conversations within families about internet safety," said Arjun Narayan, Director Trust & Safety, TikTok, Asia Pacific. "Family Pairing was developed to help parents build upon their online safety education and define the experience that is best for their families."

Family Pairing, which allows a parent to link their TikTok account to their teen's, already offers features such as Screen Time Management, Restricted Mode, and Direct Message regulation to provide parents with insight and control over how their teens use TikTok.

Over the past year, TikTok has taken steps to improve and enhance its teams, policies, controls and educational resources. Along with its tools for families, the platform continues to strengthen its youth safety and well-being policies. Just recently, TikTok added more guidelines and resources to support body positivity within the community, and remove harmful content such as hateful ideologies. Sending of images or videos in comments or messages is also not allowed on TikTok, because studies have linked the spread of child sexual abuse material to messaging on apps, especially those with encryption.

TikTok has developed global partnerships to protect against child exploitation and to remove such content, terminate accounts, and report cases to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and local law enforcement agencies. Protecting minors – online and offline – is highly important and requires collaboration between platforms, governments, and child safety organizations. This is why TikTok supports the implementation of the Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, which offers a framework that can be consistently applied across sectors and services to respond to changing behaviors and protect young people.

For families who want to learn more about online safety, TikTok has created several resources, including its Youth Portal, Parents page, and educational safety videos. TikTok remains committed to the security of its community – especially the youth – and will continue to develop resources, tools, and policies as it aims for the highest level of safety.

Digital financial services leader PayMaya and The SM Store have teamed up to bring shoppers around the country a special gift this Christmas season as they raffle off 100 motorcycles when customers #ScanToPay via PayMaya QR in-store and and via Call To Deliver for their holiday shopping at The SM Store branches nationwide.

Starting last October 15 until January 15, 2021, you can get a chance to win one of the 100 motorcycles being given away in the raffle. All you have to do is shop at The SM Store, whether in person or via their Call to Deliver service, and #ScanToPay with PayMaya QR. Every single-receipt purchase worth at least P1,500 gets you one entry, and you earn more entries as you continue shopping for your gifts and essentials using PayMaya.

But that's not all--when you #ScanToPay at The SM Store with PayMaya QR, you can also enjoy up to 100% cashback, worth up to P500 per transaction--no minimum spend required!

"As we go into the holiday season, more Filipinos will no doubt be going to their favorite SM malls to kickstart their gift shopping for friends and relatives. Through our partnership with The SM Store, we aim to make that experience not just safe and convenient at this time, but ultimately rewarding as well, especially when they use PayMaya for all their purchases," said Raymund Villanueva, PayMaya Business Head for QR Ecosystems.

With these awesome rewards, shopping for your essentials or gifts to loved ones is not just safer and more convenient – it’s also more rewarding because you get the best value for your money with your trusted PayMaya in hand.

Getting PayMaya and paying for your purchases using the app is very easy. Just download the PayMaya app using this link https://official.paymaya.com/CAK1/425eb133 and register for an account to find out what it’s like to go cashless with the fastest, safest, and most rewarding way to pay for anything online and in stores! Remember, for everything you need to pay, don’t pay cash, PayMaya!

To find out about all the perks and rewards you can get through your PayMaya account, visit www.paymaya.com/deals or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, and government. Aside from providing payments acceptance for the largest e-Commerce and "everyday" merchants in the Philippines, PayMaya enables national and social services agencies, as well as local government units, with digital payments and disbursement services.

Through its app and wallet, PayMaya provides millions of Filipinos with the fastest way to own a financial account, with the widest 57,000 Add Money touchpoints nationwide. Its Smart Padala by PayMaya remittance agent network of over 30,000 partner touchpoints nationwide serves as last mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved with access to services. To know more about PayMaya's products and services, visit www.PayMaya.com or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The journey of being a parent isn't easy at the best of times, but is now even more challenging amid today’s uncertainties. As schooling remains confined within virtual platforms, children are unable to meet their friends, play with them outside, and do the activities and interactions that young ones usually enjoy.

This limits the opportunities of little ones to socialize, a crucial part of growing up. Meeting and interacting with other people enable children to learn about empathy, compassion, and kindness, which are qualities that people learn over time and by practice. But with the lack of social interaction among children, how can parents foster a well-rounded development for their kids?

Here are three ways shared by Enfagrow A+ Four.

Receive to give kindness During the pandemic, children might feel waves of confusion and sadness brought about by the sudden change in their routines. They wonder why they are not physically going to school anymore, and why they are not able to play with other kids like they normally do. This might make them crave social interaction and mourn the lack of it, and cause them to act out and throw tantrums.

To help children ease their worries, parents can showcase kindness by acknowledging their kid's feelings and making them understand that all these will come to pass. They can also remind them of fond memories they share with their relatives and friends to make them feel that they are a part of a bigger community which they can draw strength from during periods of uncertainty.

Recognize your child's own acts of kindness It is natural for parents to celebrate their kids’ academic success. However, an overemphasis on intellect and talent may leave an impression on children that these are the qualities they should strive the hardest for.

By giving them compliments when they offer help to a household member, or when they take the initiative to fix their toys right after playing, it gives them a sense of realization that, beyond commendable school performance, treating people with kindness and respect matters greatly.

Equip them with the proper nutrition Nutrition can also greatly impact a child’s learning ability. This is why, from the very start, parents constantly look for ways to support their IQ (Intelligence Quotient), as well as their EQ (Emotional Quotient).

By feeding their brains and bodies with proper nutrition, parents do not only increase a child’s learning abilities. They also equip them with the right instruments that allow them to manage their emotions, develop their coping skills, as well as enhance their self-esteem and decision-making abilities. A nutritious diet is also key to strengthening children’s immune system.

Helping parents raise healthy and smart kids with a pursuit for kindness, Enfagrow A+ Four provides essential nutrients – including beta-glucan, DHA, and prebiotics. It supports kids’ strong immunity and help protect them against respiratory infections.

Enfagrow A+ Four also contains the highest levels of DHA and the only milk brand with MFGM or Milk Fat Globule Membrane that help boost a child’s brain development.

Raise healthy, smart kids with a heart to achieve the biggest of dreams and the heart to create a better world with Enfagrow A+ Four.

The MVP Group has expanded its relief operations in Northern Luzon as floods brought about by Typhoon Ulysses submerged the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela.

MVP Group’s umbrella corporate social responsibility initiative Tulong Kapatid (TK) has so far distributed at least 18,500 relief packs to affected residents from various provinces hit by the series of storms in as many weeks— from this year’s most powerful storm in the world Rolly (international name: Goni) to Ulysses (international name: Vamco), which flooded communities in Isabela and Cagayan.

In a tweet, MVP Group chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan assured his fellow Filipinos of continued support and assistance. “We carry on with our relief operations in Cagayan, providing communication aid where needed. Tuluy-tuloy po tayo sa paghahatid ng tulong at pag-asa sa mga kababayan. We’re here for you through thick and thin.”

Tulong Kapatid’s CSR units join forces

One of TK’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) units PLDT Smart Foundation (PSF) donated at least 8,500 relief packs containing food and water to help affected families with their basic needs. The distribution is still underway, especially in the hardest hit communities in Cagayan and Isabela. PSF also turned over 1,100 relief packs to Tuguegarao Mayor Jeffrey Soriano and Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba.

Another TK CSR unit Alagang Kapatid Foundation, Inc., through TV5 Network, responded to the plea of thousands of affected residents in Cagayan and Isabela, by sending over 2,000 relief packs to hard-hit areas including Ilagan, Cauayan, Santiago, and Tuguegarao.

To ensure that critical communication services are available, Smart has also set up free calls, free charging, and free Wi-Fi stations in different parts of Isabela, Cagayan, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, and Bulacan.

Relief operations in Bicol, Marikina, and Rizal carry on; MVP highlights “malasakit”

Still reeling from the aftermath of Typhoon Rolly and Ulysses, the MVP Group is also making sure that relief efforts in Bicol, Marikina, and Rizal continues, Smart has also put up free calls, free charging, and free Wi-Fi stations in various parts of Marikina City, Montalban, Albay, Camarines Norte, and Camarines Sur.

Meanwhile, the Manila Electric Company and PLDT-Smart technical teams have resumed repairs in the remaining areas in Bicol still without power and telecommunication services following the series of typhoons in the past two weeks.

Pangilinan also expressed his gratitude to those leading the relief and repair operations. “We salute you, our brave men and women across the MVP Group, for tirelessly helping our fellow kababayans. In a pandemic, that is heroism. Salamat po sa inyong malasakit.”

World TV Day is happening on November 21, and this year, Devant is taking the lead in its observance in the Philippines. This worldwide celebration of the TV as an ambassador of entertainment, and a symbol of communication and globalization, was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996, and has been observed annually since then.

By bringing meaningful content and information into millions of homes, the TV has become a powerful channel for learning, and a means for many to connect to the world. It continues to grow in social relevance, with the great impact that it has on the decision-making process of people across countries and continents.

This World TV Day, Devant wishes to honor all that the television has given us over the last century, by giving back. With the help of netizens, the brand hopes to bring the joy of TV to two partner charities - CRIBS Foundation, which provides care and shelter for neglected and abandoned infants and children, and Golden Reception for the Elderly and Other Special Cases (GRACES), which provides a friendly and home-like atmosphere to vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalized senior citizens and other special cases.

Everyone is invited to participate by simply liking and sharing the World TV Day post on Devant’s Official Facebook Page. Help Devant reach 5,000 post likes by December 21, 2020, to take part in sharing the gift of learning and entertainment with these charitable institutions.

Make this year’s World TV Day celebration more meaningful when you LIKE to GIVE BACK with Devant.

Follow Devant on Facebook (www.facebook.com/devant.tv), Instagram (www.instagram.com/devanttv), and Youtube Devant Official Channel to get the latest updates on their products.

To provide vital communication services in the aftermath of Typhoon Ulysses, PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications is giving free data and text/call credits to over 12 million affected Smart and TNT customers in Metro Manila and Luzon.

It had earlier provided similar efforts to customers in Southern Luzon, impacted by Super Typhoon Rolly. Sun Prepaid subscribers, which were recently rebranded to Smart Prepaid, also received the free credits.

"We will implement all viable means to support our countrymen and keep customers connected during these times," says PLDT-Smart FVP & Group Head, Corporate Communications Cathy Yap-Yang. "Our goal is to keep everyone connected, as we restore telco services disrupted by the passage of typhoons."

As of November 13, 2020, Smart says its mobile services in affected areas have been restored except in Marikina, Tarlac, and Bulacan where repairs are still ongoing.

To help affected residents connect with their loved ones, Smart has also set up communication services as a form of aid: Libreng Tawag, Libreng Charging and Libreng Wifi stations in Marikina, Valenzuela, Rizal, Aurora, Sorsogon, and Camarines Sur while Libreng Tawag and Charging sites are also up in Pampanga, Bataan, Tarlac, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Tuguegarao City. Roving Wifi stations are also positioned in Albay and Sorsogon to provide free calling, charging and wifi services, as well as Libreng Load to affected customers. These services will also be available in other typhoon-hit areas after #UlyssesPH passes.

Smart had also extended communication support to the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) and the local government unit of Marikina.

PLDT and Smart have set up a crisis command center to better communicate with customers. The platform will enable PLDT-Smart to quickly relay critical information about its services in the wake of Typhoon Ulysses.

Meanwhile, Smart has resumed the last mile of restoration activities in Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, and Albay as Typhoon Ulysses weakens and moves further away from the country.

TikTok, the leading destination for short-form mobile videos, and Korea Tourism Organization today launched the #IYKoongChallenge in the Philippines. From now until November 22, fans can groove to the rhythm of Korea and express their creativity by doing the following:

1. Follow Korea Tourism Organization’s official TikTok account (@imagineyourkorea)
2. Shoot an ‘Ambiguous’ dance in your own style to LEENALCHI’s amusing song and include the official challenge sticker (refer here for the Ambiguous dance guide)
3. Upload your masterpiece onto TikTok with the hashtags #IYKoongChallenge, #FeelTheRhythmofKorea and #ImagineYourKorea

On December 5, 2020, selected entries from each country will go head-to-head in an explosive virtual dance-off broadcasted via TikTok Live. Participants will fight for a chance to clinch the top three spots and win a trip to Seoul after the pandemic. Over 1,200 viewers from around the world are expected to tune in, with live performances by female KPop group ITZY, alternative pop band LEENALCHI, and Ambiguous Dance Company.

As part of the first-ever partnership, TikTok and Korea Tourism Organization have also collaborated with Korean WEBTOON artist, Park Tae-jun, on a set of exclusive, in-app animated stickers. These stickers symbolize Korea’s five tourism hub cities (Busan, Jeonju, Gangneung, Andong and Mokpo) and allow users to immerse themselves in these cities virtually through their TikTok videos.

“The pandemic has significantly impacted the tourism industry worldwide, including Korea,” explained Ahn Young-bae, president of Korea Tourism Organization. “Through the #IYKoongChallenge on TikTok, we hope to unite people across the globe, and we look forward to welcoming them back to Korea when it’s safe to do so.”

“TikTok has a vibrant and diverse community that truly embraces different cultures,” said Seungyeon Kim, Global Business Solutions GM, TikTok Korea. “We are honored to partner with Korea Tourism Organization to showcase the beauty of Korea on a global stage and give users a chance to experience it themselves.”

For more details about the challenge, visit www.iykoongchallenge.com and Korea Tourism Organization’s official TikTok account (tiktok.com/@imagineyourkorea).

TikTok is available in over 150 countries and regions in 75 languages. Download the TikTok app via iOS or Google Play to get a chance to be part of this exciting global dance challenge.

The pandemic has inevitably pushed micro, small, and medium enterprises to face unforeseen challenges that tested their resilience amid the changing business climate. But while some entrepreneurs have been forced to close shop, there are those who are constantly adapting, learning new ways to do business in the new normal, and recognizing the opportunities in the digital landscape.

In an effort to empower these home-based businesses, the country’s fastest fixed network – PLDT Home – introduces the PLDT Home Biz program which answers the call to drive entrepreneurs into digital transformation. PLDT Home Biz launches the video “Kaya Mo” which narrates the struggles, hope and new beginnings of entrepreneurs as they rediscover the possibilities of doing businesses safely and conveniently from home.

“We recognize the challenges that a lot of home-based entrepreneurs have experienced in the face of a pandemic and they need a trusted partner that will take them to the next level. This is what PLDT Home Biz is all about – to set up home-based businesses for growth and success in the new normal through connectivity and e-commerce digital solutions,” says Patrick Tang, Vice President and Head of PLDT Home Biz.

The PLDT Home Biz plans start with the KaAsenso Regular Plan 1888 with speeds of up to 20Mbps or the KaAsenso Regular Plan 2199 with speeds of up to 40Mbps. All plans come with free installation and activation.

Aside from providing high-speed connections, the PLDT Home Biz program also provides free access to a wide range of e-commerce tools that they can use to kickstart their online businesses and digital transactions.

Going beyond connectivity access, each PLDT Home Biz plan comes with KaAsenso Partner e-commerce solutions. PLDT Home has teamed up with e-commerce providers, to name a few, that can lend a hand to home-based businesses for end-to-end digital business solutions such as online store builder and hosting by UnionBank GlobalLinker, secure and hassle-free online payments by PayMaya, and delivery options by Grab Madiskarteng Boss Club.

PLDT Home Biz is also supported by the Department of Trade and Industry with the partnership giving MSMEs direct access to the latest news and updates on business events.

Watch the PLDT Home Biz video in this link. Learn more about PLDT Home Biz and how you can grow your business online by visiting www.pldthome.com/biz.