Iloilo Updates

SM Foundation Inc.(SMFI) launched the 95th batch of Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan farmers training program last July 28, 2015 at Ephratah Farms in Brgy. Sariri, Badiangan, Iloilo with the aim of helping Iloilo farmers improve and increase their productivity and income through the application of modern  technology.
Over 150 farmers from this province of Iloilo have enlisted to participate in the season-long (3 months)  training on  high value commercial vegetables production using the modern technology  under the  Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Program, a collaboration with  HARBEST Agribusiness Corporation, the Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Welfare and Development the local government units.


The training includes lectures and hands-on training using the Farmers Field School concept, which is a group-based learning process  that  incorporates concepts  and methods  from agro-ecology, experiential education and community development.  This includes the use of the plastic green house an…

DAVAO CITY—Electronics Engineering student, Ket Villasencio, 21, believes that real-world problems can be solved through the innovative use of technology.
With his smarts and background in engineering, Ket wants to help his father—who is a banana grower in his hometown Compostela Valley—deal with common agricultural problems.
Because of his passion for learning, he attended the Davao leg of the Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP) roadshow at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) last July 10.


The SWEEP roadshow was organized by wireless leader Smart Communications to promote the culture of innovation among IT and engineering students all over the country.  SWEEP is the country’s biggest industry-academe linkage program that seeks to enhance engineering and IT education.
“Smart has embraced technology for development.  We have harnessed web and mobile technologies for social good in education, disaster preparedness, environment sustainability, livelihood, and a…

Great Taste White is making everyday wins even greater with the Choose Great Win Great raffle, its biggest promo to date. More than P27 million worth of prizes is at stake. 


The promo will have four regional draws in five areas: Greater Manila Area, North Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. For every regional draw, there will be one winner of P200,000 and one winner of P100,000 in each area. Two winners will also get their very own white MacBook Air, four winners will take home a white iPhone 6, and six winners will receive a white iPad Mini. 
The Great Taste White: Choose Great, Win Great Promo will culminate in the Grand Draw where one lucky winner will take home P3 million pesos in cash and eight others will get to own a white Toyota Vios 1.3 E M/T.
To make his winning moment an even greater experience, the grand prize winner will get an exclusive sneak peek into the Pinoy Big Brother experience. Apart from the P3 million cash prize, he will also receive VIP tickets to the PB…

Husin Ludsuman Abduhalim, Principal I of Maluso Central Elementary School, couldn’t wait to show the mobile digital laboratory to his kindergarten pupils when he gets back to Basilan.
Teacher Sin, as he is called by students and co-teachers, thinks that this latest initiative from Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) will help make learning more engaging for the young learners in his school.


“Our kinder kids, who are mostly five-year-olds, are excited about using the gadgets. I’m pretty sure they will be motivated to learn with the help of technology,” he assured.
Teacher Sin said even the students’ parents were amazed when they learned that their children will get to use tablets in kindergarten school.  More often than not, only students in higher grade levels or in high school get to use gadgets.
Just like Teacher Sin’s students, kindergarten learners from 14 other public schools across the country will soon experience digital learning through the Smart TechnoCart, an innovative mobile di…

He wore a loose grey shirt and a tranquil face while sitting on a wooden stage set for the formal turn-over of houses that was about to happen in Brgy. Pawa, Panay, Capiz.
When I asked him where his house is, he pointed me to the rightmost shelter, beside the stage. It had a label placed adjacent to the door knob which showed his name boldly printed “Ramir Barrera.”

Thirty-nine-year-old Ramir happily showed to me his new home where he, his wife Emilyn and their two children will be staying for good.
“We are really grateful for the house given to us,” he said.
Just a few meters from Ramir was a young mother cuddling her baby.She told me that her name is May Deleona and said, “We are very thankful because now we already have a house. Our house before was totally washed out by typhoon Yolanda.”

May, 23 years old, has a child, six-month-old Nathan Lance, with her common-law husband Frances Archivo. The young couple has not been married yet but hopes that one day, they will.
About seven meter…

We dreamt of having free access to information online and now it has become a reality, thanks to Internet.org by Facebook through Talk ‘N Text (TNT), the value brand of the wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart).
“Because of Internet.org which I can access through my phone, I no longer need to go to the computer shop and spend money in order to be connected to the Internet. I use the app to interact with my friends through Facebook, research for school assignments and read the news. My classmates also use Internet.org,” Caren Mae Tabugon, 16, said during the Iloilo leg of the Panalo ang May Alam Party, organized by Talk ‘N Text .

Tabugon is one of the residents of Brgy. Sooc in Arevalo District, Iloilo City who attended an interactive gathering where they were treated to enjoyable activities and experiential learning games on using Internet.org, which provides communities in Asia, Africa and Latin America with free access to basic internet services so they can impro…

Smart launches this year’s DPSA video competition
Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) announced the opening of registration for the 8th Doon Po Sa Amin (DPSA) video-making contest, the country’s first and longest-running crowd-sourcing competition designed to uncover the best and the most unique Filipino hometown stories. 


The initiative is part of the digital inclusion advocacy of Smart, making information accessible to more and more Filipinos through mobile and Internet technologies.
“Through DPSA, we encourage Pinoys to join the digital discussion by taking part in documenting Philippine culture and history for the entire world to appreciate,” said Public Affairs Group Head Ramon Isberto.
“With this project, we want to elevate Filipino pride and urge everyone to become local ambassadors of their hometowns,” Isberto added.


The competition is open to all high school and college students (student division) as well as other Pinoys (open division) nationwide who can create music videos, short …

The rainy season is here, but don’t despair. Apart from your umbrella, your smartphone can also be a handy tool to rain-proof yourself this wet season.
Your partner in preparedness, Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), brings mobile applications such as Batingaw, Project NOAH Mobile for Android, RainCheckPH, and Accuweather for your convenience no matter the weather.
“Being prepared is key. With apps such as Batingaw, RaincheckPH, Project NOAH Mobile, and Accuweather, the mobile phone or device has become a handy resource tool for anything about the weather so you can plan and prepare your day accordingly,” said Ramon R. Isberto, head of Public Affairs at Smart.


Batingaw A Tagalog word for “siren,” Batingaw is a pro-active, comprehensive, and rational disaster risk management mobile application adopted by the Office of the Civil Defense-National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (OCD-NDRRMC) as a communication tool to help reduce and mitigate the disastrous effects of natural…

The ultimate backpacking adventure, Cebu Pacific’s Juan for Fun Backpacker Challenge is back on its fourth year, promising even more surprises and thrilling challenges. From June 23 to July 1, 2015, five teams of fun-loving students will explore several destinations in the Cebu Pacific network, for eight straight days—all for free. 
The teams will begin their exciting escapade in Bangkok, Thailand. After taking on the vibrant Thai capital, they are free to conquer any Philippine destination of their choice! This is the first time the Juan for Fun teams have the freedom to explore any destination in the Philippines.
They should then make their way to the Juan for Fun 2015’s final destination, Davao on July 1, for the challenge’s culmination.

Each group is tasked to have as many fun experiences and discoveries, within their given travel allowance of USD250 and PhP35,000. By the end of the competition, the team with the most number of fun activities out of their given budget, and highest ra…