June 29, 2022 7:31 p.m.

NEW YORK — Niantic announced a partnership with the National Basketball Association and the National Basketball Players Association to create an original augmented reality mobile game: NBA All-World. 

NBA All-World is a first-of-its-kind game that will place NBA fans into the real-world metaverse.  

NBA All-World is a free-to-play officially licensed geolocation basketball game where players can find, challenge, and compete against today’s NBA ballers in their neighborhoods, then recruit them to their team before proving themselves on the court.  

“NBA All-World represents an industry first in sports games, as an original, real-world AR game that will appeal to casual and core NBA fans alike,” said Marcus Matthews, Senior Producer at Niantic. 

“We’re creating and designing a game that empowers players to represent where they’re from and showcase the culture of their neighborhood.” 

“Through our partnership with Niantic, NBA All-World will provide fans across the globe the opportunity to fully immerse themselves into the energy and excitement of the NBA,” said Matt Holt, Head of Consumer Products at the NBA. 

“Evident in the name of the game itself, we look forward to engaging with our fans around the world through this captivating experience.” 

“NBA-All World gives us the opportunity to bring NBA players into Niantic’s real-world metaverse, opening up paths for fans to interact with them in a new way,” said Josh Goodstadt, EVP of Licensing for THINK450, the innovation engine of the NBPA.

“Niantic has proven experience building games that encourage engagement in local communities, and having our players integrated into NBA All-World adds to that immersion.” 

Additionally, NBA All-World will embrace the fashion of the NBA, with users having the ability to outfit players in the game with custom apparel.  

Players can sign-up to be notified when NBA All-World is available in their country by visiting NBAAll-World.com. 

Those who sign up will be able to experience an exclusive All-World AR web experience and be the first to be notified about securing their codename for global launch.

June 28, 2022 8:23 p.m.

Thanks to online food and groceries delivery services, getting your food is so much easier now. With platforms like foodpanda, you can order instantly and enjoy a delicious meal within minutes. And nothing beats the excitement of getting a call from a Kuya or Ate Ka-Panda rider/biker/walker to tell you that your order has arrived.

As the leading quick commerce digital platform, foodpanda lets you order from your favorite restaurants and shops offering a wide variety of choices – meals, snacks, groceries, and other daily essentials. With 8 years of delivering food and more in the Philippines, life would never be the same without our favorite pink panda brand that has captured the hearts (and tummies!) of many Filipinos. But aside from satisfying your cravings, your curiosity will also be captured by these mind-blowing facts about the country’s go-to online food and groceries delivery app.

As foodpanda turns 8 this year, we’re treating you to some interesting trivia that you probably don’t know about them yet. 

1. From orange to pink
   
                    

If anything, foodpanda is best associated with their logo – the pink panda. But you’d be surprised to know that it was originally orange before they made the switch to pink, back in 2017. The fuschia-pink look is definitely a lot of fun, and clearly shows that foodpanda is ever-growing, expanding, and not afraid to take that big leap to cater to all of your food needs.

2. Leadership at a crucial time

Transitions are hard enough to begin with, but to do it at the most crucial of times would require exceptional skills – one that Daniel Marogy, managing director of foodpanda Philippines, proved to have when he joined the team a day before the lockdown. “That was a very challenging time for me, but it was made bearable because of the competitive foodpanda team led by very compassionate leaders and dedicated team members who helped me steer the ship in the right direction,” shares Dan.

3. Revolutionizing  the food delivery space

foodpanda was the first online delivery service in the Philippines to house all of your favorite restaurants in an app and deliver food right at your doorstep with just a few taps on your mobile phone. Before foodpanda, do you remember how you would collect delivery hotline numbers, so you know who to call when ordering food? Or how frustrating it is that some of your faves are not available for delivery? Now, Ka-Panda riders not only deliver the meals you’re craving, but so much more – you can shop for groceries from pandamart, pick-up your ordered food if you’re in the area, or enjoy exclusive discounts for dine-in offers from their restaurant partners.

4. Putting the digital in digital delivery

It’s called quick commerce for a reason because in as fast as 30 minutes or even less, your order is already at your door. The reason behind this fast delivery service, aside from having a massive fleet of riders, bikers, scooter-riders and even walkers, is that foodpanda pioneered the use of internet connection to their vendors. Prior to that, other online food delivery services had to manually use fax and call center agents to relay the orders to the restaurants, so imagine how long it would take. As the first one to automate the ordering process, they definitely transformed the way online food deliveries work so your food will be delivered still hot and fresh – just the way you like it.

5. Shining the spotlight on “dark” kitchens…

The term ‘dark kitchen’ might sound a bit scary, but a delivery-only restaurant is all there really is to it. It means these food brands do not have physical stores; just take-out outlets designed to deliver only. For foodies who are tired of eating from the same restaurants, you might want to try foodpanda’s concept brands for your next meal. They are present in key cities in Metro Manila and the North Luzon area. (Extra fun fact: some of these brands are created by foodpanda so you can only get it exclusively from their platform).

6. You can never go wrong with pizza and burger!

Any time is pizza and burger o’clock. It’s probably why these two fast-food staples hold a special place in foopanda’s 8-year journey in the country. The very first order to be placed in the app is none other than everyone’s OG snack, pizza, while topping the order list in the app are burgers.  As the leader in the online food delivery marketplace, foodpanda continues to offer food items that will meet the fast-paced lifestyle and current needs of their consumers.

7. Employee #1 is still with them

Kristine Luneta, who is part of the Commercial team, currently holds the title of foodpanda’s longest-tenured employee. Like the company, she is also celebrating her 8th year anniversary with them as their employee #1. When asked what made her stay for that long, Kristine shared, “I am drawn to how progressive the mindset is and how connected the people are.”

8. FP = For the People

Making a difference in the community is also part of the company’s advocacies. One of the many initiatives they do to nurture and help the communities they serve is the ‘BuyAnihan Palengke’ program, aimed at assisting enterprising Filipinos become resellers of fresh produce sourced directly from local farmers. To date, more than 10,000 kilograms of fresh produce have been sold to consumers at an affordable price through various partnerships with local government units since the program was launched last year. Watch out for their next food bazaar exhibit to get your stash of fresh fruits and vegetables.

For 8 years, foodpanda has been a prominent presence in the digital food space in the Philippines – and they vow to continue deliver food, groceries, and more for many years to come. Celebrate with foodpanda’s Pau-tastic birthday: be on the lookout for surprises and announcements for special treats made just for you!

June 28, 2022 8:12 p.m.

Members of the media were gathered last June 24, to talk about workplace mental health and how Infinit Care is pioneering a tech-based solution that allows companies to support the mental wellbeing of employees.

Workplace Mental Health

Mental health issues are on the rise, especially among the working population and it’s severely affecting overall health and productivity.

The World Health Organization found that mental illness is prevalent in the Philippines. In fact, it is the third most common disability in the country. The National Center for Mental Health also recorded a 500% increase in monthly hotline calls due to depression during the pandemic.

Companies have tried to answer this plight by providing mental health support whether in-house or through a 3rd party provider.

However, a lot of the options in the market focus on delivering solutions that cater to those who are already in crisis and leave out a significant part of the population.

Studies also show that despite increases in stress and burnout, utilization for mental health benefits remain low due to the lack of access to proper mental health solutions and the persistent stigma around talking about mental health struggles.

A Pioneer in Mental Health Tech

Infinit Care partners with businesses and organizations to provide their employees and community with comprehensive mental health support.

“Our platform of care solutions are founded on The Mental Health Continuum which takes into account a wide range of mental health states so that every employee can receive customized support, no matter what they’re going through, wherever and however they need it,” explained Infinit Care Marketing Head, Paola Silva. 

“Everyone needs different kinds of care at different times. We work with companies who care deeply about the mental wellbeing of their employees and understand that mental health is just as important as physical health. We help companies bring the best out of their people by providing personalized mental health support.” said Infinit Care’s Head of Clinical Care, Shyne Mangulabnan.

Infinit Care is the only provider in the Philippines that can provide multi-channel mental health support.

Available via web and mobile app (iOS and Android), Infinit Care can meet the varying needs of all employees.

Our suite of solutions include 24/7 chat support with real live Care Chat Coaches who commit to an average response time of 5 minutes, a team of qualified licensed counselors and coaches available for virtual counseling or coaching at your convenience, a library of mental health tools and content to meet the varying needs of your workforce, and mental health training and capacity building workshops for the leaders and entire organization.

For more information on Infinit Care, visit https://www.infinitcare.co