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| (Image Source: Manila Standard/McDonald's Philippines) |
Over 9,230 participants, ranging from families to groups of friends, and solo runners took part in McDonald’s Stripes Run 2023 held last December 10, 2023, pledging their support in elevating children’s literacy – a milestone for McDonald’s garnering the highest number of participants after 12 years of holding the program. Held at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds in Pasay City, this year's Stripes Run saw McDonald’s brand reaching its goal of raising 1 million pesos (Php1M) for the Ronald McDonald House Charities’ Read to Learn program while providing an avenue to bring feel-good moments to families and friends this holiday season.
Overall, the 9,230 participants were able to garner as much as Php1M for the Ronald McDonald Read to Learn program that teaches beginning reading to Grades 1 and 2 public school students. Throughout the event, participants not only ran in the category of their choosing but were also able to take part in the advocacy-driven activity. An added layer of excitement to Stripes Run was also felt this year as a new category Fur Stripes was introduced in this year’s iteration, allowing participants to run alongside their fur babies. At the end of the run, smiles on everyone’s faces showed what a memorable time all had at the Stripes Run which was made even more special with the knowledge that every runner was able to show their support for elevating Filipino children’s literacy.
“It is truly an honor to witness the coming together of families, friends, and even pets for the 2023 McDonald’s Stripes Run. These initiatives are a testament to the brand’s dedication to providing an avenue for families to enjoy feel-good moments while making an impact. For twelve long years, Stripes Run’s support for the Ronald McDonald’s House Charities has enabled more children to continue learning, something only made possible by the hundreds upon hundreds of runners who join us for the run. We remain dedicated to providing memorable moments such as this, while also being able to provide avenues for all to support a cause,” shares McDonald's Philippines Marketing Director Fidel Balbieran.
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Xiaomi, World Vision Donate Smart Devices To Baseco High School
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| (Image Source: INQUIRER.net/Xiaomi Philippines) |
Xiaomi Philippines and World Vision Philippines recently donated smart devices to a public high school in Baseco, a coastal community in Manila, as part of their annual initiative of ensuring Grade 12 ICT (Information and Communications Technology) students have access to cutting-edge resources. The donation to Baseco High School is comprised of 24 Xiaomi Smart Air Purifiers 4, 10 Xiaomi Pad 6, and 6 Xiaomi TV A Pro Series 55-inch units, each chosen to enrich the learning experience of the beneficiaries.
The donation drive is part of Xiaomi’s Education Program which aims to enhance students’ skills and give them the resources to prepare them for the challenges of the 21st century. Through this program, Xiaomi offers workshops and campus tours to immerse students in photography and gaming. The program also equips them with the tools they need for success, such as smartphones, laptops, and other smart devices. Xiaomi believes education is key to empowering the youth and improving their quality of life. By supporting the students in Baseco each year, Xiaomi hopes to inspire them to pursue their dreams and reach their full potential.
“We at Xiaomi advocate for making a positive impact on society through technological advancements worldwide. We hope that through our tools, students will be even more inspired to learn and build hopeful dreams for themselves and their community,” said Xiaomi Philippines Head of Marketing Tomi Adrias. Xiaomi is also actively promoting excellence in education through digital masterclasses. The company recently collaborated with San Beda University where it conducted a photography workshop and campus tour for students. The participants learned advanced digital photography and gaming skills using the Redmi Note 12 Series, Xiaomi’s latest smartphone offering.
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realme Partners With Nissan PH For Better #realmeWithYou CSR Experience
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| (Image Source: Speed Magazine/realme Philippines) |
realme Philippines caps off its two-part #realmeWithYou CSR roadshow that began last December 2, 2023 with the Cancer Warriors Foundation in Cavite, this time around unveiling Yellow Surprises with Make-A-Wish Foundation Philippines by giving them a fun filled activity as well as granting their special wishes for the holiday season.
realme brought smiles to the children of Make-A-Wish Foundation by bringing them to the Art In Island for them to experience and enjoy interactive art with their guardians. The brand also asked each kid who joined the tour for their wish for either a smartphone or tablet this Christmas. Little did they know, realme will be granting their wishes via Yellow Surprises on the event. Aside from this, realme also donated brand new tablets for the volunteers of Make-A-Wish Foundation Philippines and provided other devices for more children beneficiaries to receive as gifts this Christmas as well.
In order to provide a better CSR experience to the beneficiaries, realme partnered with Nissan Philippines. The automotive brand provided cars to transport the children and members of Make-A-Wish Foundation Philippines to Art In Island as well as to the lunch venue. Another highlight of this partnership was showcasing the capabilities of the all-electric Nissan LEAF wherein the children were provided with ice cream stored in a freezer that was solely powered by the Nissan LEAF’s vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology. As the Holiday season kicks into full gear, the #realmeWithYou campaign aims to continue building more relationships and creating special memories for the community with its Yellow Surprises at the core of each activity.
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Jollibee Group Partners With Muntinlupa LGU To Provide Jobs For Senior Citizens, PwDs
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| (Image Source: Jollibee Group) |
The Jollibee Group recently signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the city government of Muntinlupa led by Mayor Ruffy Biazon to provide temporary employment to qualified senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PwDs). Under the said partnership, 32 qualified senior citizens and PWDs will be given an opportunity to work in select branches of Jollibee, Greenwich, and Burger King in Muntinlupa City. “More than just signing a mere document, we have opened up opportunities for people who are in need. What we have actually done is break through some barriers for our fellow Muntinlupeños particularly to PWDs and seniors," shared Mayor Biazon.
“We are happy to partner with the Muntinlupa City government to cater to the needs of senior citizens and PWDs who aspire to work and remain active contributors to society. Through our Inclusive Employment Program, we hope to forge more partnerships with local government units and open more employment opportunities for elderly and differently-abled persons across NCR and the country," shared Jollibee Group Vice President of Global Organization, Leadership and Culture and Head for Philippines HR Ruth Angeles. The city’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO) will assist the Jollibee Group in the hiring process. Muntinlupa PESO will screen applicants before endorsing qualified candidates to the company. Once selected, successful candidates will be tasked with customer relations staff duties such as ushering customers and helping with table services.
Alongside Muntinlupa, Jollibee Group also partnered with the LGUs of Manila and Antipolo this year to implement its inclusive employment program. Interested applicants can get more information on this employment program from the Muntinlupa Persons with Disability Affairs Office and the Office of Senior Citizen’s Affairs.
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Former Payday 1 & 2 Creator Unveils New Co-Op Heist Game With A Techno-Thriller Theme
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| (Image Source: Corner Magazine PH/10 Chambers) |
10 Chambers — a Swedish game development studio composed of industry veterans known for PAYDAY: The Heist and PAYDAY 2 — recently revealed its new co-op heist game. While the studio has been teasing that they’re “back on that heist shit” for a while – few details or even a name has been shared. With a mind-twisting trailer aired at the Game Awards, the name Den of Wolves was revealed – with 10 Chambers founder and game director Ulf Andersson live on stage. “Coming from having worked on heist games in the past, much focusing on the classic bank robbery themes, the sci-fi aspect will let us elevate what a heist can be. You can only rob so many banks. Den of Wolves will have a wider range of heisting – corporate espionage, sabotage, assassinations – really, the sci-fi theme lets us try many things," says Andersson.
The game has been in pre-production for over two years, and much time has been spent building the world and the narrative surrounding it. Midway City is an unregulated innovation metropolis in the North Pacific Ocean – founded by big corporations in the wake of deep learning AI that became an unstoppable hacking tool, collapsing global economies and putting the dollar into free fall. With the world in desperate need of a revolution in the field of network security, powerful investment firms backed by Big Pharma and the oil industry developed an entirely new data transmission and storage concept: biological systems based on the human brain, so fundamentally different from traditional network architecture they were completely inaccessible to AI.
“The game isn’t open-world, but we still value worldbuilding enormously, and the narrative we’ve built around the island is vast. We want Midway City to feel like a believable city of the near future, where late-stage capitalism has gone rampant and corporations set the rules. As a player, you reside in the city’s underground domains without any real identity or papers, building your allegiances to become a criminal entrepreneur on Midway City’s black market of gig jobs," says 10 Chambers Co-Founder and the game's Narrative and Audio Director Simon Viklund. While the game will be released first on PC via Steam as Early Access, it’s already being designed and developed to also work on console with details on its release window to be disclosed in the coming months.
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Global eSports Federation, International eSports Federation Join Forces For A New Phase Of Professional Gaming Worldwide
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| (Image Source: International eSports Federation) |
The Global eSports Federation (GEF) and International eSports Federation (IESF) have announced a collaboration dedicated to driving advancement and delivering new opportunities across the global eSports ecosystem. With both organizations already committed to building the industry, cultivating competition, nurturing talent, enhancing infrastructure, and elevating the world of eSports, the coming years will see GEF and IESF embark on joint initiatives across territories. The agreement was finalized at the Riyadh 2023 Global Esports Games (#GEG23), the GEF’s flagship multi-title competition, hosted by the Saudi eSports Federation (SEF).
IESF President His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GEF President Chris Chan in an official ceremony that took place during the 4th GEF General Assembly with the attendance of Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) Vice President His Highness Prince Fahad bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz and International Olympics Committee Vice President Ng Ser Miang. HRH Prince Faisal said, “At a time when eSports possibilities and potential are limitless, the enduring advancement, sustainability, and prosperity we envisage relies on vibrant partnerships that positively influence our industry’s trajectory – now and in the future. Today is not only a welcome reminder of this reality; it is the start of an exciting new phase in the realm of eSports cooperation, one where collectivism instigates a new wave of evolution. For the International eSports Federation, playing a pivotal role alongside the Global eSports Federation is an exciting prospect and we’re looking ahead with great anticipation and ambition.”
Chan added, “Our collaboration agreement illustrates our shared intent to contribute to the #worldconnected eSports community and celebrate youth. eSports has emerged as a force for good across diverse cultures and societies in recent years. Our focus is to pave an innovative path toward more transformative experiences with new foundations for growth and development.” Moving forward, the two parties will combine their expertise and resources across a set of key areas, enhancing cross-federation ties and knowledge exchange while supporting key initiatives alongside various national eSports federations.
