KMC Solutions launches first fully dedicated serviced office building in the Philippines

October 6, 2021 | 3:05 pm

KMC Solutions, the country’s largest flexible workspace and staff leasing provider in the Philippines, recently unveiled its newest serviced office location at the Armstrong Corporate Center in Salcedo Village, Makati. The fully dedicated flexible workspace building signals a first in the office real estate industry, with eight whole serviced floors, a ground floor café, and 7,400 sq. m. of leasable space committed to serving the clients and tenants of KMC. In celebration of this premiere, KMC held a small and intimate launch event for its community at the Armstrong Corporate Center itself. It relaunched its hit musical event, KMC Sunset Sessions (formerly KMC After Hours) — a showcase of select up-and-coming local musicians, as well as hosted an online press conference that were both livestreamed to its social media pages last Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021.

As the community’s health and safety continue to be a top priority, KMC ensured that the event still adhered to strict COVID protocols — only accepted invited guests who have been vaccinated, along with available antigen swab testing being accessible onsite.

As KMC adapted a hybrid format for its latest launch event, the round of KMC Sunset Sessions featured an exclusive musical performance by Bea Lorenzo, a Manila-based music artist exploring new and stylistic approaches on R&B/Soul. While the physical event was held in its latest Makati location with a small, limited audience and guest list, the online press conference and the musical performances were livestreamed and were easily and safely accessible to a wider audience at home.

Armstrong’s Design for Success

Identifying this new demand for scalable short-term and optimal work environments amid the workforce’s struggles of working in distraction-filled environments at home, KMC has continued to move forward in providing more options for workers’ ever-changing needs during this time.

Built together with SDW Realty & Development as the building contractor, Tracy Ignacio, the Chief Operating Officer of KMC Solutions, says these are one of the things that are able to set their newest serviced office building apart, “We will be able to define the whole building culture (and processes) given that we’re the sole tenant. This was designed by our homegrown designers — from ground to penthouse and it is the first time we’ve partnered with SDW as our general contractor who fitted out the space.”

Traditionally, flexible workspaces enter an agreement with a building’s management to get permission to operate and occupy certain levels on their premises. This makes it ideal for office workers and business owners who are looking into alternative options for office space but still desire to be in prestigious, secure, and credible business addresses.

With KMC’s Armstrong building, however, it is a first in the office real estate scene for flexible workspace operators to put up an entire building of their own. The Armstrong Corporate Center has 14 levels in total with over 7, 400 sq. m. of leasable space and over 900 sq. m. per floor level. This makes it the largest serviced office facility at present in the Philippines, with its flexible workspaces occupying eight floors of the building. Aside from offering the usual range of serviced office solutions — which includes coworking space, private offices and customized built-to-suit — what sets KMC Armstrong apart from the past office spaces KMC has opened around the metro is the increased scalability of its workspaces.

The Future of Work

With more and more businesses looking to transition their workforce operations to a hybrid work setup, flexible workspaces such as the one in Armstrong Corporate Center provide the perfect venue for companies to safely do this transition. Although the return to the workplace has been gradual and steady, interest in both commercial and residential property has increased once again. Industrial and high traffic zones are showing early signs of the Philippines’ real estate recovery and despite most of business’ move out of the traditional office space, there has been reinvigorated interest in serviced offices as swing spaces, scaled down options, or second workplaces for companies that want to de-densify their headquarters.

The new demand for hybrid workspaces has been proven with numerous businesses and clients having already moved into the Armstrong building’s office spaces. Companies like Asia Premier One Source, Inc., Zuellig Pharma Asia Pacific, and Unifin, Inc. have recently moved their onsite operations to serviced offices of their own and are now operating in the newly launched building.

KMC Solutions has over a decade of experience in delivering forward-thinking office spaces and high-performing teams to 400+ global brands and local businesses across multiple industries in the Philippines. With 55+ flexible workspaces in over 20+ locations around Metro Manila, Cebu, Clark and Iloilo, its expansive geographical footprint enables its clients to work in the most efficient, effective, and safest way possible. As the country’s largest flexible workspace and staff leasing provider, it is uniquely positioned to provide clients with the “who” and “where” they need to establish or grow their business in the Philippines.

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S.Korea to vaccinate pregnant women as it races to 80% target for adults

October 6, 2021 | 3:00 pm

SEOUL, Oct 6 (Reuters) – South Korea will begin taking reservations for coronavirus vaccines from pregnant women this week as the country accelerates its inoculation drive to reach its goal for immunizing 80% of all adults by the end of the month.

Health authorities see pregnant mothers as key to the campaign and sought to drum up participation through public notices and news conferences saying they have a greater possibility of serious illness and death if infected with COVID-19.

Pregnant women are eligible to sign up for a shot starting Friday, for inoculation set to begin on Oct. 18 using Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

“The vaccines are safe for pregnant women and can meaningfully decrease their risks of contracting COVID-19 and becoming critically ill,” KDCA director Jeong Eun-kyeong told a public briefing on Monday.

Of the 731 pregnant women infected with the virus in South Korea as of August, about 2% of them developed serious illnesses, more than six times that of women aged 20-45, according to the KDCA.

But officials have advised people with shorter than 12 weeks pregnancy to consult medical staff before getting a shot.

Some 54.5 of the country’s 52 million population and around 63% of adults were fully vaccinated as of Tuesday, and authorities aim to complete vaccination for 80% of all adults by the end of October.

The government plans to begin vaccinating children aged 12-17 next month, and providing booster shots for people aged 75 or older and other priority groups next week, including those who live or work at nursing homes and care facilities.

Authorities are also mapping out a plan on how to live more normally with COVID-19, to be implemented in phases starting later this month to gradually ease distancing rules and restrictions, though masks will still be mandatory at least in the initial stages.

The KDCA reported 2,028 cases for Tuesday, as the numbers resurged after the Korean thanksgiving Chuseok holidays.

But the ongoing wave has seen far fewer serious infections than earlier outbreaks, with many older and more vulnerable people having received vaccines.

Critical cases hovered around 350, and total infections rose to 323,379, with 2,536 deaths. – Reuters

Netflix to edit Squid Game phone number after woman inundated with calls

October 6, 2021 | 2:58 pm

SEOUL — A South Korean woman who was deluged with thousands of prank calls and text messages after her phone number was highlighted as a key plot point in Netflix’s hit show Squid Game may soon get some relief.

Netflix and local production company Siren Pictures said on Wednesday they would edit scenes to remove the phone number, which appears on a mysterious invitation card given to potential players of a series of deadly childre’s games.

The nine-part thriller depicting cash-strapped contestants playing to the death in a bid to win 45.6 billion won ($38.31 million) became an international hit when it premiered on the streaming service last month.

Local broadcaster SBS aired an interview last month with the owner of the phone number, who they identified as Kim Gil-young, a woman who runs a business in the southeastern county of Seongju. The woman showed some of the messages she had received, including requests for invitations to join the Squid Game and go “from rags to riches.”

Reuters’ calls to the phone number were not answered on Wednesday.

“Together with the production company, we are working to resolve this matter, including editing scenes with phone numbers where necessary,” Netflix said on Wednesday, asking fans to refrain from prank calls or messages.

The woman told SBS last month that it was impossible for her to change her number due to client contacts and she had declined an offer of 1 million won ($840) in compensation. SBS has reported that she has since been offered compensation of up to 5 million won.

Netflix and Siren Pictures declined to comment on any compensation offers on Wednesday.

Presidential candidate Huh Kyung-young made headlines last week when he offered 100 million won ($84,023) on Facebook to buy the leaked number on the show.

Telephone numbers are considered limited national resources and sales or purchase of such is illegal under the country’s telecommunications business law.

The culture ministry’s Korean Film Council offers moviemakers screen numbers that are not used in real life, but TV shows streamed on over-the-top (OTT) services like Netflix do not have access to that service.

Netflix and Siren had said earlier they deliberately only showed the final eight digits of the mobile phone number, and were unaware that, when dialed, the prefix would automatically be added to complete the number. — Reuters

New Japan PM Kishida off to rocky start in polling

October 6, 2021 | 2:00 pm

TOKYO – Japan‘s new Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, is struggling to find his footing with voters just two days after he was voted into office and launched his new government, multiple polls by local media showed on Tuesday.

On the lower end, the daily Asahi put Mr. Kishida‘s approval rating at 45% while Mainichi put it at 49%. The more conservative-leaning Yomiuri said 56% supported his government, while the Nikkei had 59%.

In all the polls, support for Mr. Kishida‘s new government was lower than that of his predecessor Yoshihide Suga’s administration when it came into power last year, with the Asahi reporting a 20 percentage-point difference.

“I’m aware of the polling results, but also believe that there is quite a gap depending on the company that conducted the survey,” said Mr. Kishida to reporters on Wednesday morning.

“Regardless, I will reflect on my actions based on these results – including the low approval ratings – and continue to work hard toward the upcoming election,” he added.

Although Mr. Kishida‘s ratings are low for a fresh administration, they are still higher than the most immediate ratings for Suga, who became deeply unpopular during his tenure as he struggled to contain a fifth wave of coronavirus infections, exacerbated by the Delta variant.

Mr. Kishida said he would dissolve the lower house of parliament on Oct. 14, and a general election is scheduled for Oct. 31, with the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery set to become key issues.

For single-seat districts, the Mainichi poll said that 41% of respondents would vote for the ruling coalition, while 34% would vote for the opposition and 24% were undecided. The Yomiuri put support for Mr. Kishida‘s Liberal Democratic Party at 43%, up 7 percentage points from the previous poll.

The premier unveiled his new cabinet on Monday. Although more than half of the ministerial roles were filled with fresh faces, the line-up also featured allies of former premiers Shinzo Abe and Taro Aso heavily, signalling their ongoing influence. – Reuters

Digital is the new POP: Who and what to expect in this year’s DigiCon POP 2021

October 6, 2021 | 1:00 pm

Digicon POP 2021 Speakers — DigiCon POP 2021 speakers

Digital is the new “POP,” as digital services take preference in commerce, finances, and most other aspects of daily life.

The Internet & Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP) is set to discuss the new digital normal in this year’s DigiCon POP, which will be held virtually from Oct. 11-15, 2021.

“Digital is the new masa,” shares Leigh Reyes, Board President of IMMAP and Creative Chair of MullenLowe TREYNA Group of Companies. “From village Viber groups, to live selling, from learning how to navigate by QR code, to Zoom e-numans and Zoomba, digital made a full shift to the mainstream.”

This year’s featured speakers are comprised of industry giants such as Adam Grant, best-selling author of Think Again; Rory Sutherland, Vice-Chairman of Ogilvy UK and one of the industry’s leading experts on consumer behaviors; Scott Galloway, who’s deemed “One of the World’s 50 Best Business Professors” and host of the award-winning podcast, Pivot; Laurent Ezekiel, Chief Marketing Officer and Growth Officer for WPP, the largest advertising holdings company worldwide; and Gill Zhou, Chief Marketing Officer for one of the largest technology companies globally, IBM.

Furthermore, attendees will also get the chance to hear from DigiCon’s “baddest” speaker yet, Bretman Rock. The breakout content creator and digital influencer made headlines as a trailblazer for both the LGBTQIA+ and Asian-American communities through his very own MTV reality show and social content.

Five days of DigiCon dives into a deep framework which consists of four programming tracks — Disruption, Expansion, Emerging, and Possibilities — which brings together over fifty keynote speakers from all over the world.

The Disruption track will cover innovative trends and digital excellence and will feature speakers such as Michael Patent, founder of sports and entertainment agency, Culture Group; and Todd Schweizer, co-founder and CEO of independent financial platform, Brankas.

The Expansion vertical will cover the key sectors which are uncovering new opportunities through data and will include Key speakers like Nicholas Kontopolous, APAC Regional Head of Growth Marketing for Adobe DX; and Bea Atienza, IBE Leader for Colgate-Palmolive.

The Emerging leg will discuss rising digital trends and tools including new media and e-commerce platforms. This category brings together speakers like Ash Mandhyan, CEO of Quanta Digital, and Carlos Alimurung, CEO of ONE Esports.

The final track, Possibilities, will be about understanding new potential markets that also span multi-generations through innovative strategies. This leg will feature speakers including Budjette Tan, writer and co-creator of hit comic series, Trese; and Grace David, CEO of Edukasyon.PH.

DigiCon POP also marks the anticipated return of two events that aspiring practitioners and professionals have been looking forward to, especially following a year of hiatus due to the pandemic.

DPOP Youth — presented by Unilab — will be back for a one-day workshop and competition on Oct. 12, 2021 where university students can learn, socialize, and showcase their talents in the digital industry while also hearing from key industry leaders on strategy development, creative strategy, and media orchestration.

Aside from DPOP Youth, DigiCon POP 2021 also marks the anticipated return of the prestigious Boomerang Awards, which will culminate the week-long event on Oct. 15. With the theme Unmute, this year’s comeback promises to be louder, bolder, and more inclusive with the addition of Tech Innovation categories.

Special categories have also been added to the award body’s extensive roster including The Purple Boomerang Award, which focuses on gender equality and empowerment for women; and The Blue Impact Boomerang, which recognizes campaigns that were developed as “people first” and measures mobile ingenuity, and innovation in driving business objectives through Facebook.

For more information about DigiCon POP 2021, please visit the official website at www.digicon.com.ph where you can check out a breakdown of the various tracks, more details about this year’s speakers, and how to avail ticket prices.

IMMAP DigiCon POP 2021 would like to thank Platinum sponsors ChatGenie and ShareIt; Gold sponsors Manulife Philippines, McDonald’s, Spotify, and PMFTC, Inc.; Bronze sponsors Facebook, Media Donuts, Metrobank, and Paymaya.

Also acknowledging Platinum media partners ABS-CBN, MBC, Rakuten Viber; Gold media partners CNN Philippines, Manila Bulletin, One Mega Group Inc., Podcast Network Asia, and Rappler Philippines; Silver media partners BusinessWorld, Fully Booked, Inquirer.Net, and The Philippine Star; and Event Partners Certified Digital Marketer, Eventscape Manila, MullenLowe TREYNA, and Future Proof PH.

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Taiwan defence minister says tensions with China are the worst in four decades

October 6, 2021 | 1:00 pm

TAIPEI, Oct 6 (Reuters) – Military tensions with China are at their worst in more than 40 years, Taiwan‘s defence minister said on Wednesday, days after record numbers of Chinese aircraft flew into the island’s air defence zone.

Tensions have hit a new high between Taipei and Beijing, which claims the democratic island as its own territory, and Chinese military aircraft have repeatedly flown through Taiwan‘s air defence identification zone.

Over a four day period beginning last Friday, Taiwan reported close to 150 Chinese air force aircraft https://tmsnrt.rs/3ld6TyI entered its air defence zone, part of a pattern of what Taipei calls Beijing’s continued harassment of the island.

Asked by a lawmaker on the current military tensions with China at the parliament, Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said the situation was “the most serious” in more than 40 years since he joined the military, adding there was a risk of a “misfire” across the sensitive Taiwan Strait.

“For me as a military man, the urgency is right in front of me,” he told a parliamentary committee reviewing a special military spending of T$240 billion ($8.6 billion) for home-made weapons including missiles and warships.

China says Taiwan should be taken by force if necessary. Taiwan says it is an independent country and will defend its freedoms and democracy, blaming China for the tensions.

Chiu said China already has the ability to invade Taiwan and it will be capable of mounting a “full scale” invasion by 2025.

“By 2025, China will bring the cost and attrition to its lowest. It has the capacity now, but it will not start a war easily, having to take many other things into consideration.”

The United States, Taiwan‘s main military supplier, has confirmed its “rock-solid” commitment to Taiwan and also criticised China. Beijing blames Washington’s policies of supporting Taiwan with arms sales and sending warships through the Taiwan Strait for raising tensions.

Taiwan‘s special military spending over the next five years will go mostly toward naval weapons including anti-ship weapons such as land-based missile systems.

Taiwan reported one Chinese air force aircraft entered its air defence zone on Tuesday. – Reuters

Felicidad Sy Hall: A multispecialty building soon to rise in UP-PGH

October 6, 2021 | 12:55 pm

FTSFI 4 — Groundbreaking ceremony of the Felicidad Sy Hall in UP PGH

The University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the multispecialty building, Felicidad Sy Hall.

Funded by the Felicidad T. Sy Foundation (FTSFI), this is the second medical building that the Sy family supported for UP Manila – PGH. Back in 2019, the family, through their Henry Sy Foundation collaborated with the University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Foundation Inc. (UPMAFI) to support the construction of an 11-story Medical Sciences Building.

According to UP-PGH Director Dr. Gap Legaspi, the 15-story building will house the neuroscience department as well as other specialties such as orthopedic, dermatology, oncology, laboratory, psychiatry, ICU, and ophthalmology, among others—to bring quality medical services to the Filipino people.

Artist rendition of the Felicidad Sy Hall in UP-PGH

He also said that this building is designed to be the first pandemic-ready building and will have the most advanced laboratory in the country.

“Putting up this building is not only an infrastructure achievement – it’s a big achievement for anyone who dreams big for UP. Our alumni and current UP students always have a big dream for the university and the hospital. Through this kind of collaboration, we can realize that there’s always a way to do it and achieve our dreams,” Dr. Legaspi stated.

Artist rendition, 12th floor charity nursing units, six-bed ward

Through a video message, Ms. Teresita T. Sy conveyed Nanang’s excitement and commitment for the said project: “My mom is excited that her personal foundation was invited into this worthy project. She’s always happy when her foundation is supporting developments that are focused on health and wellness issues.”

UP President Danilo Concepcion also expressed his gratitude to the FTSFI and the Sy family for supporting this infrastructure project for the betterment of Filipino people in need of medical interventions.

“Lubos po ang ating pasasalamat sa FTSFI at sa Sy Family sa kanilang kabutihang loob sa pagsuporta sa pagpapatayo ng gusaling ito. Gusaling kailangang kailangan natin upang maparami pa natin ang mga doktor na ating sasanayin dito sa PGH at upang dumami pa ang mga pasyenteng magagamot at mapagsisilbihan natin. Makasisiguro kayo na ito po ay aming pagyayamanain para sa taumbayan,” Concepcion said.

Furthermore, UP Chancellor Carmencita Padilla underscored the importance of collaboration for making this effort come into fruition: “At the end of the day, we cannot come up with these big things around us without collaboration. This is a big day not only for UP Manila and PGH community, but also for the Filipino patients. It is indeed a fruit of collaborative planning and the philanthropic spirit of the Sy family.”

“This Felicidad Sy Hall will be a place of healing, innovation, compassion, wisdom, and courage! Thank you to our donors and partners who have continuously trusted us to be the hope and beacon of our people,” Padilla concluded.

The Felicidad T. Sy Foundation Inc. (FTSFI) is a personal foundation of the SM matriarch, “Nanang” Felicidad T. Sy. Aside from infrastructure projects, FTSFI also supports the restoration and building of Catholic churches, provides SM employees with spiritual development programs, and carries out special projects enabling church leaders and ministers to spread social good through spiritual wellness and promotion of culture.

Felicidad T. Sy Foundation is an affiliate of SM Foundation.

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Facebook ‘operating in the shadows’ says whistleblower as U.S. lawmakers demand probes

October 6, 2021 | 12:53 pm

WASHINGTON – U.S. lawmakers pounded Facebook on Tuesday, accusing CEO Mark Zuckerberg of pushing for higher profits while being cavalier about user safety, and they demanded regulators investigate whistleblower accusations that the social media company harms children’s mental health and stokes divisions.

Zuckerberg, hours later in a public Facebook post, defended the company, saying the accusations were at odds with Facebook‘s goals.

“The argument that we deliberately push content that makes people angry for profit is deeply illogical,” he wrote. “We make money from ads, and advertisers consistently tell us they don’t want their ads next to harmful or angry content. And I don’t know any tech company that sets out to build products that make people angry or depressed.”

During a Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing, whistleblower Frances Haugen called for transparency about how Facebook entices users to keep scrolling, creating ample opportunity for advertisers to reach them.

“As long as Facebook is operating in the shadows, hiding its research from public scrutiny, it is unaccountable,” said Haugen, a former product manager on Facebook‘s civic misinformation team. She left the nearly $1 trillion company with tens of thousands of confidential documents.

“The company’s leadership knows how to make Facebook and Instagram safer, but won’t make the necessary changes because they have put their astronomical profits before people. Congressional action is needed,” Haugen said.

In an era when bipartisanship is rare in Washington, lawmakers from both parties excoriated the company, illustrating the rising anger in Congress with Facebook, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp.

Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican, said he was concerned how Facebook and subsidiaries like Instagram affected the mental health of children. “We’re going to look back 20 years from now and all of us are going to be like, ‘What the hell were we thinking?'”

Haugen revealed she was the person who provided documents used in a Wall Street Journal investigation and a Senate hearing on Instagram’s harm to teenage girls. She compared the social media services to addictive substances like tobacco and opioids.

Panel chair Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, said Facebook knew that its products were addictive. “Tech now faces that big tobacco jaw-dropping moment of truth,” he said.

He called for Zuckerberg to testify before the committee, and for the Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Trade Commission to investigate Facebook.

“Our children are the ones who are victims. Teens today looking in the mirror feel doubt and insecurity. Mark Zuckerberg ought to be looking at himself in the mirror,” Blumenthal said.

Blumenthal said after the hearing that he would want to ask Zuckerberg why he rejected recommendations to make products safer for users.

Zuckerberg, in his post, said Facebook would not stop researching its societal impact. But he wrote that Congress needed to update rules to make clear the legal age for teens to use internet services, how to verify their ages and where to “balance teens’ privacy while giving parents visibility into their activity.”

SHARES UP

Facebook‘s shares rose 2% on Tuesday to close at $332.96, roughly 13% below the record closing high on Sept. 7.

Coming a day after Facebook suffered an hours-long outage, Haugen pointed to the outage in her testimony: “For more than five hours Facebook wasn’t used to deepen divides, destabilize democracies and make young girls and women feel bad about their bodies.”

As lawmakers criticized Facebook, the company’s spokespeople fired back on Twitter and in statements, arguing that Haugen did not work directly on some of the topics being raised.

“We don’t agree with her characterization of the many issues she testified about,” Facebook spokeswoman Lena Pietsch said.

Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican, accused Facebook of turning a blind eye to children below age 13 on its services. “It is clear that Facebook prioritizes profit over the well-being of children and all users,” she said.

Last week, Antigone Davis, Facebook‘s global head of safety, defended the company in front of Congress and said that it was seeking to release additional internal studies in an effort to be more transparent about its findings.

Senator Maria Cantwell, chair of the Commerce Committee, said she would write Facebook to insist that it not delete documents related to Myanmar’s persecuted Muslim minority Rohingya. An aide said she would ask for broader retention of documents.

A U.S. federal judge last month had ordered Facebook to release records of accounts connected to anti-Rohingya violence in Myanmar that the social media company had shut down.

Haugen said she would encourage “oversight and public scrutiny” into Facebook‘s content recommendation algorithms and their consequences. She suggested creating a dedicated body within the federal government to oversee social media companies.

Blumenthal said he might want to hold an additional hearing to discuss national security issues related to Facebook.

Haugen said Facebook had also done too little to prevent violence.

Facebook was used by people planning mass killings in Myanmar and the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump who were determined to toss out the 2020 election results.

Senator Edward Markey, speaking to the absent Zuckerberg, said during the hearing: “Your time of invading our privacy and preying on children is over. Congress will be taking action.”

Throughout the hearing lawmakers referred to Zuckerberg as going sailing instead of facing his responsibilities. The CEO this weekend posted a video taken with the company’s new smart glasses of his wife in a boat. – Reuters

Reimagining city design is crucial to tackling climate change, experts say

October 6, 2021 | 11:13 am

forProperty_2020-03-17_Makati_PHILIPPINES — Makati central business district -- Reuters

Addressing climate change will require reimagining urban planning and design, speakers at the Reuters Impact conference said, discussing ways that buildings and cities could evolve.

“It’s about reminding ourselves that we all have a shared responsibility to ensure that we use less resources,” said architect and chair of the Quality of Life Foundation, Sadie Morgan. “We just have to be open to new ways of living.”

When designing new structures, for instance, architects should think about how the buildings can be deconstructed and recycled at the end of their life cycle, or transformed for other purposes, said Morgan. City planners can create more places for people to gather and socialize without needing cars.

But drastic shifts in how cities operate – such as transforming the use of cars – cannot come from architects alone and would need the work of politicians, she said.

About 56% of people worldwide live in cities, yet urban areas are responsible for an estimated three-quarters of global CO2 emissions. Buildings and transport are among the largest sources of urban emissions – including emissions from cars, building construction, heating and cooling systems and lights.

The importance of cities in efforts to slow climate change continues to grow, with just over two-thirds of people expected to live in urban areas by 2050, according to U.N. estimates.

Density was necessary for the future sustainability of cities, said architect and urban planner Stefano Boeri, but density without variety was a “nightmare”. As cities expand, planners needed to find ways to encourage richness of function as well as culture, he said.

Boeri also emphasized incorporating nature into city design. “Living nature is not something that is outside our body, outside our house, outside our cities,” he said. “We have to redefine our relation, a new balance between the human sphere and the living nature sphere.” — Reuters

Experience seamless 5G experience with the vivo Y72, now available at Globe stores

October 6, 2021 | 10:12 am

vivo Y72 5G 1 — Get the vivo Y72 5G with no cash out with Globe’s GPLAN 1499

Leading global tech brand vivo continues to reach out to more consumers as it partners with mobile services provider Globe, to give people a convenient option to own a vivo Y72 5G smartphone.

Through this partnership, existing Globe clients and future applicants can get their hands on the vivo Y72 5G when they sign up for the postpaid GPLAN 1499. This 24-month contract gives subscribers a wonderful postpaid experience with 10GB of mobile data, unli text and call to all networks, and unli call to DUO (Globe landline) and landline numbers.

Users can also maximize their use of the vivo Y72 5G with the exciting freebies that come with the GPLAN 1499. They can visit their favorite sites with a free 3GB of GoWiFi. They can also watch their favorite Asian shows on iQIYI and WeTV via the GlobeOne app, as they enjoy 3 months of standard VIP access to both streaming sites. Subscribers can also get 6 months’ access to HBO GO for only P599 via the GlobeOne app.

Aside from the entertainment freebies, owners of the vivo Y72 5G through the GPLAN 1499 can get a free KonsultaMD membership and have 24/7 access to licensed medical professionals for the entirety of their contract period. They can also reap the benefits of the GInsure voucher, which provides months’ worth of income loss coverage from Singlife.

All these can be experienced by choosing the vivo Y72 5G with the GPLAN 1499. The Y72 5G smartphone from vivo features a slim sophistication with a 2.75mm narrow frame, that gives the look and feel of a true flagship masterpiece. It also comes in soft, delicate hues with Dream Glow in kaleidoscope gradient and Graphite Black in night sky splendor.

vivo Y72 5G in Dream Glow. Experience style and power in one sophisticated smartphone.

Users can also watch their best-loved shows with the ‘Big-screen Experience’ as the vivo Y72 5G delivers clear, vivid pictures in Full HD resolution. They can also take top-quality photos with its Multi-Scenario Camera System — which combines a 64MP main rear camera, 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, super macro lens, a 16MP super night selfie camera, and an EIS ultra-stable video feature.

The vivo Y72 5G also comes with a 5000mAh Battery with an 18W Fast Charge feature. Consumers can also enjoy the vivo Y72’s powerful performance with its 5G capability and 8GB internal memory + 128GB ROM, guaranteeing a smoother, faster internet experience and multiple app downloads.

Get the vivo Y72 5G for only 1499 per month through Globe’s postpaid GPLAN. For more information, visit vivo Philippines on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and their global website at https://www.vivoglobal.ph/phone/vivo-Y72/.

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‘Taiwan Excellence’ showcases smart upgrade with Taiwanese AI technology

October 6, 2021 | 10:00 am

“Taiwan Excellence,” the international promotional campaign run by the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), hosted a webinar last Oct. 1 showcasing together how Taiwan’s AI technology can improve the world we live in.

AI solutions have gradually been applied in various fields such as smart medical care, smart traffic tolling, and smart manufacturing. Taiwan’s AI industry is seizing upon market trends and the opportunities they provide to develop more integrated, expandable, and customized products, which will implement smarter life through comprehensive smart information management. During the webinar, top Taiwanese brands — Acer Medical, AI3, AVer, FETCi, imedtac and WiAdvance demonstrated their latest products and shared the trend of AI solutions.

Acer Medical applies AI technology to its VeriSee DR solution, which could analyze retinal fundus images for signs of diabetic retinopathy (DR), to assist doctors in diagnosing patients in early stages. The performance of VeriSee DR is similar to that of ophthalmologists with a referral accuracy rate of 93%. After implementing VeriSee DR, Taichung Veterans General Hospital found that the speed and the accuracy of diagnosis was greatly improved, and the referral specificity of DR increased from 50% to 84%.

The research team of AI3 developed new-generation service robots with deep learning and AI technology, and was recognized for winning the “Civil Affairs ChatBot Competition,” held by the Taipei City Government in 2017. The team has conducted research in the CRM field for many years and applied the core technology of AI to the QbiAI Omni-channel smart customer service platform consisting of three products: the QbiBot, QbiCRM and QbiAI. This platform provides consumers with precise interactive services and has been widely adopted in the e-commerce, financial and logistics industries.

AVer DL30 distance learning tracking cameras with the built-in human detection AI technology can automatically focus, move and track teachers without the need to wear a sensor. Three tracking modes can be set according to the situations, including Presenter Mode, Zone Mode and Hybrid Mode. With DL30, teachers can concentrate on their teaching, and the students will not miss the course content.

The RFID All Electronic Toll Collection System of FETCi in Taiwan was the world’s first successfully shift from toll collection with manual fix-point toll gates to a Multi-Lane Free-Flow electronic toll collection system. By applying AI technology, even when vehicles might change lanes at high speeds, tolling accuracy rate still exceeds 99.99%, which showcases Taiwan excellent technology.

Imedtac utilizes Time-of-Flight (ToF) technology in their Care Recipient Monitor solution to oversee care recipients while protecting their privacy. ToF technology calculates the distance between the sensor and the object using infrared rays. Applying their proprietary AI algorithm to the ToF sensor data, imedtac’s solution can determine the care recipient’s positions around the bed and issue warnings to caregivers for any emergencies. The Care Recipient Monitor solution not only ensures care recipients’ safety, but also improves caregivers’ work efficiency.

Focus on clouds, data, and AI, WiAdvance is an expert hybrid cloud providing customers with services of cloud migration consulting, implementation and next-generation managed services. It has a wealth of extensive experience in manufacturing field, making the company strong in systems integration (SI), Industry 4.0, and cloud services. Combining the advantages of the Wistron Group and Chunghwa Telecom, WiAdvance has successfully demonstrated how 5G enterprise private networks boost smart manufacturing.

Taiwan Excellence will keep encouraging Taiwanese companies to apply AI technology with innovative energy to continue and ensure progress.

For more information, please refer to https://sites.google.com/view/smart-upgrade-with-ai-webinar.

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How to make your brand ‘smashable’

October 6, 2021 | 8:42 am

Lindstrom---Smashable — COURTESY OF MARTIN LINDSTROM

“Smashable” brands like Walt Disney, Lego, and Louis Vuitton are consistent, with specific details that are true to the whole, said Martin Lindstrom, founder of branding firm Lindstrom Company.

The term “smashable” comes from Coca-Cola’s iconic bottle.

“Many years ago, Coca-Cola issued a briefing for the redevelopment of its bottle, so that if it smashes to pieces, you can pick out one piece and still recognize the brand,” said Mr. Lindstrom at a recent webinar. “It’s important to develop ‘smashables.’”

A product or service that is “smashable,” he added, can cut through an individual’s subconscious thought patterns when making a purchasing decision.

Some of the ways to smash a brand are through color, service, shape, language, traditions, and rituals.

Brands can also differentiate in this pandemic world by going back to the core of who they are to connect with customers.

In a Sept. 28 webinar organized by computer software company Adobe, Nike (another “smashable” brand) was cited for being able to find a point of difference and amplifying it. The athletic apparel manufacturer, Mr. Lindstrom said, is able to drive across the message “If you have a body, you are an athlete.”

A restaurant in Sydney, Australia, called Catalina, meanwhile, was also cited as being successful at creating luxury dining experiences within the comforts of home. Each of the seafood boxes and celebration packs it delivers comes with a handwritten note from the restaurant owners, the McMahon family.

“The boxes… are not cheap but they’re always sold out,” said Maryel B. Price, Adobe’s manager for digital customer experience and commercial marketing in the Asia Pacific. Even pre-pandemic, she said, “the experience they created was excellent.”

Mr. Lindstrom advised getting inspired by observing how people behave.

“Over the past 15 years, I spent time in 3,000 consumer homes across 80 countries,” he said. “That’s my source of inspiration. If you’re an entrepreneur, that’s super important.” — Patricia B. Mirasol