NEWS
Connected Women secures pact with Infinit Care to provide mental health support for 75,000-strong community

March 28, 2022 2:49 p.m.
By Melissa Bagamasbad
In an effort to ensure women’s overall health and well-being during these challenging times, Connected Women partners with Infinit Care to provide comprehensive and customized mental health support to its community.
In celebration of International Women’s Month this March, Connected Women, a global community of women empowered by technology, has secured a partnership with Infinit Care to provide free access to a tech-based mental health platform for its community. Infinit Care is a mental health-tech company that works with businesses and organizations to provide their employees and community with comprehensive mental health support.
Through this initiative, the platform will provide access to potentially 75,000 women all over the Philippines. The Connected Women community will be given access to self-care tools and resources (content and daily check-in tracking), 24/7 chat support, and customized mental health education and training sessions delivered virtually through webinars.
Women’s mental health struggles
The pandemic has taken its toll on people’s mental health, especially on women. 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.
“Our Connected Women members reach out to us every day as they struggle to navigate the impact of the pandemic on their work and personal lives,” shared Gina Romero, Co-Founder and CEO of Connected Women.
Romero also talked about how women are more prone to mental health challenges compared to men.
“According to CARE International’s Rapid Gender Analysis on the impact of the pandemic across 38 countries, the number of women who reported mental health challenges was three times more than men, with over a quarter of women reporting increased mental health struggles including stress and anxiety.”
Women helping one another
Infinit Care hopes to provide more comprehensive support to women through this partnership. “Everyone needs different kinds of care at different times. By partnering with Connected Women, we hope to offer accessible customized care that will help each and every community member better understand and take control of their mental wellbeing,” said Infinit Care CEO, Rudi Ramin.
“Our partnership with Infinit Care means the women in our community will have access to professional mental health first aid whenever they need someone to talk to. We are immensely grateful to Infinit Care for extending this generous and much needed support,” added Romero.
Infinit Care General Manager, Anne Ordona, shared how significant the program is to her, and how important it was that women support each other. “As a woman in business juggling many other roles and responsibilities such as daughter, sister, wife, mother, teacher, breadwinner,– I am intimately familiar with the mental load women carry on a daily basis,” she explained.
“The hope is that through this partnership, ConnectedWomen and Infinit Care can bring real support to the Connected Women community and help women overcome challenges like stress, anxiety, depression. It’s not about enabling women to do it all–it’s about leaning on each other and supporting one another so we can show up the best way we can.”
Join connected women to get updates about access to the app: www.connectedwomen.co/join
For more information on Infinit Care, visit https://www.infinitcare.co
NEWS
100 days to go before world’s best play in front of world’s best fans

May 18, 2023, 2:16 p.m.
In 100 days, the best players from the Philippines and all over the world will converge i Manila for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
The Philippines – and its well-renowned most passionate fans – will play host to the USA and Serbia, as well as Lithuania and Greece, as four of the top ten-ranked teams in the world will be on our shores for the Group Phase in the world meet running from August 25 to September 10. Angola, Dominican Republic, Italy, South Sudan, China, Puerto Rico, Jordan, New Zealand, Egypt, Mexico, and Montenegro round out the visitors who will enjoy Filipino hospitality, with games set to be played at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City and the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
At the same time, Filipinos will grant enviable homecourt advantage to the Gilas Pilipinas Men’s Team, as the team commences its campaign in the tournament’s first game at th colossal Philippine Arena on August 25.
To mark the countdown and engage the local market in the Philippines, a 100 Days-to-Go TVC will be aired on key channels & social media platforms while LED billboards along key sites in the Metro will also feature materials on display. Features on key news programs and video callouts from local ambassadors of the FIBA Basketball World Cup will also be shown on tv & social media.
This the first time in 45 years that the Philippines is hosting the FIBA Basketball World Cup, albeit alongside Japan and Indonesia, and the co-hosts are promising the most memorable world meet yet.
According to Al S. Panlilio, President of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, “The event will be tremendous – the fan experience will be unprecedented, unmatched in its impact and truly memorable for all.”
Filipinos may very well watch the MVP-caliber play of Serbian Nikola Jokic and Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo, as well as a bevy of NBA stars by taking advantage of alreadyavailable tickets with the Follow My Team Passes with access to all preliminary games of your chosen team, the Ultimate Fan & Super Fan passes, which give access to games from the Quarterfinals to the Finals, and the Two-Day Passes, which give fans the chance to watch 4 games on 2 consecutive days.
Single-Day Passes will also be available starting May 25 for basketball fans to get a chance to see their favorite basketball stars up close and personal. Fans can purchase their tickets to the biggest basketball event of the year via philippines.worldcup.basketball.
NEWS
INC Chronicles reboots visuals to better engage youth, public

May 1, 2023 2:42 p.m.
INC Chronicles, a weekly television feature-documentary that delves into the rich history and community-building efforts of the Iglesia Ni Cristo’s various local congregations, has recently undergone tech-driven enhancements to make the show more visually engaging in today’s fast-changing media landscape.
With sharper cinematography, spruced up digital graphics, and creative animation, the re-envisioned program aims to better connect with today’s younger audiences and those yet unfamiliar with the Church’s storied beginnings.

INC Chronicles’ new visually compelling episodes highlight the struggles, lessons, and timeless Christian values that marked the Iglesia Ni Cristo’s formative years in various communities around the Philippines and abroad.
The show seeks to create a deeper appreciation for the Church’s history and how its spiritual and humanitarian activities have been helping drive community growth and empowerment for over a century.
INC Chronicles is broadcast every Thursday at 3:30 p.m. on INCTV, with reruns every Thursday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 10:00 p.m. It is a co-production of the Christian Era Broadcasting Service International Inc. (CEBSI Inc.), the religious media arm of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, and the INC Museum.
In an interview, INC Museum Director, Cornelio N. Cortez, emphasized the value of chronicling the story of the Iglesia Ni Cristo and expressed gratitude for the Church’s continued growth. “The hand of God is present during all those decades. We are thankful,” he stated.

According to Cortez, the Iglesia Ni Cristo’s dedication to preserving its history and cultural heritage is also reflected in the INC Museum which houses over 17,000 protected catalog items inside temperature-controlled and humidity-monitored rooms.
From its humble beginnings of preaching at riversides and small town houses in the Philippines to becoming a global religious institution, the Iglesia Ni Cristo has millions of members in over 7,000 congregations spread across 164 countries and territories worldwide.

NEWS
FIBA ambassador Luis Scola, US rapper Saweetie to banner FIBA World Cup Draw 2023

April 24, 2023 3:51 p.m.
The world’s biggest basketball tournament is about to unfold in Manila at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, with basketball legend Luis Scola gracing the much-anticipated draw with performances by American rapper Saweetie, Sarah Geronimo, and Billy Crawford this Saturday, April 29 at the Smart Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City.
Scola has won multiple medals as a member of the national men’s basketball team of Argentina. He played for Argentina’s national squad from 2001 until 2019, winning two silver medals at the FIBA World Championships, one each in 2002 and during his final tournament in 2019 at the age of 39. During the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship tournament, Scola became the all-time leading scorer in FIBA AmeriCup history and won his 4th tournament MVP.
On the live performance side, Saweetie is an American rapper who made a name for herself by rhyming over iconic tracks, giving a nod to those who came before while building her own catalog of fiery hits such as “My Type,” “Tap In,” and “Best Friend,” a collaboration with Doja Cat.
Meanwhile pop superstars Sarah Geronimo and Billy Crawford are expected to represent the Filipino side at the international event happening on Saturday, 7:30 at the Big Dome.
Ranked #40 in the world, the Philippines has gained an outright berth in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Games by being one of the host nations alongside Japan and Indonesia. This is the sixth time that the Philippines is playing on the world stage, and its second time as host nation following its hosting in 1978 where it finished in the top eight.
As a FIBA global partner, Smart is going all-out for the FIBAWC 2023 Draw Event as anticipation reaches a new high with all the 32 qualified nations receiving their country assignments during the spectacle. This year’s much-anticipated FIBA draw will finally announce the matchups and finalize which countries will be playing in the Philippines, giving Pinoy basketball fans time to plan which games and basketball greats they wish to see live in action.
Catch Ben&Ben live and win prizes from Smart at ‘FIBA in Manila’ in BGC
Basketball fans can also join the all-day festival party, “FIBA in Manila,” at BGC Uptown area, corner of 9th Avenue and 36th Street in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) from 10 am onwards, also on April 29.
Ben&Ben’s performance at the “FIBA in Manila” will be streamed live via Smart’s official Facebook page at 2pm.
Never miss a moment with the Smart LiveStream App
Smart subscribers can get hyped with non-stop FIBA basketball action by catching all the exciting happenings and the games, including those played in the previous windows, via the Smart Livestream App.
Using the app, fans can catch every minute of live basketball action at the 2023 FIBAWC from Aug. 25 to Sept. 10.
The Smart LiveStream app is downloadable on the App Store and the Google Play Store, and subscribers will only need to enter a valid Smart Prepaid or Postpaid mobile number to enjoy all the sports action.