Friday, December 23, 2016

Who Do I Want To Thank This Christmas Season?

Who do I want to thank for this Christmas? My blogger friend JR. Exactly a year ago, she was offered a job but it was in Quezon City and it’s too far for her. She passed the offer to me and I applied and started the next month. It was a good opportunity since it was content writing for an advertising agency


What I didn’t realize that I was going to write for a client who happens to be a presidential candidate during the last election. After the elections, my next project was for a dashboard camera brand. This opportunity doesn’t happen every day but I should be thankful that I have a job and I hope it will prosper next year because I also met new contacts.


I already thank JR for this but it is also something good to blog because this is my big highlight for 2016 and I owe it to her. Thank you, JR. I was compelled to blog about this when I saw the advertising campaign of AirAsia.  Check out this video and you might also do the same.


Thursday, December 22, 2016

Sophos Predicts Cyber Security Trends for 2017

Press release

Philippines - 2016 saw a huge number and variety of cyber attacks, ranging from a high-profile DDoS using hijacked Internet-facing security cameras to the alleged hacking of party officials during the US election. The year also saw a rising tide of data breaches, from organizations big and small, and significant losses of people’s personal information.


With the year almost over, Joergen Jakobsen, regional vice president for Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ) at Sophos, looks into his crystal ball to predict the top cyber security trends for 2017:

Destructive DDoS IOT attacks will rise. In 2016, Mirai showed the massive destructive potential of DDoS attacks as a result of insecure consumer IoT (Internet of Things) devices. Mirai's attacks exploited only a small number of devices and vulnerabilities and used basic password guessing techniques. However, cybercriminals will find it easy to extend their reach because there are several IoT devices containing outdated code based on poorly-maintained operating systems and applications with well-known vulnerabilities. Expect IoT exploits, better password guessing and more compromised IoT devices being used for DDoS or perhaps to target other devices in your network.

Shift from exploitation to targeted social attacks. Cybercriminals are getting better at exploiting the ultimate vulnerability - humans. Ever more sophisticated and convincing targeted attacks seek to coax users into compromising themselves. For example, it’s common to see an email that addresses the recipient by name and claims they have an outstanding debt the sender has been authorized to collect. Shock, awe or borrowing authority by pretending to be law enforcement are common and effective tactics. The email directs them to a malicious link that users are panicked into clicking on, opening them up to attack. Such phishing attacks can no longer be recognized by obvious mistakes.

Financial infrastructure at greater risk of attack. The use of targeted phishing and "whaling" continues to grow. These attacks use detailed information about company executives to trick employees into paying fraudsters or compromising accounts. We also expect more attacks on critical financial infrastructure, such as the attack involving SWIFT-connected institutions which cost the Bangladesh Central Bank $81 million in February. SWIFT recently admitted that there have been other such attacks and it expects to see more, stating in a leaked letter to client banks: "The threat is very persistent, adaptive and sophisticated – and it is here to stay".

Exploitation of the Internet’s inherently insecure infrastructure. All Internet users rely on ancient foundational protocols, and their ubiquity makes them nearly impossible to revamp or replace. These archaic protocols that have long been the backbone of the Internet and business networks are sometimes surprisingly flaky. For example, attacks against BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) could potentially disrupt, hijack, or disable much of the Internet. And the DDoS attack on Dyn in October (launched by a myriad of IoT devices), took down the DNS provider and, along with it, access to part of the internet. It was one of the largest assaults seen and those claiming responsibility said that it was just a dry run. Large-scale ISPs and enterprises can take some steps to respond, but these may well fail to prevent serious damage if individuals or states choose to exploit the Internet's deepest security flaws.

Increased attack complexity. Attacks increasingly bring together multiple technical and social elements, and reflect careful, lengthy probing of the victim organization's network. Attackers compromise multiple servers and workstations long before they start to steal data or act aggressively. Closely managed by experts, these attacks are strategic, not tactical, and can cause far more damage. This is a very different world to the pre-programmed and automated malware payloads we used to see – patient and evading detection. 

More attacks using built-in admin languages and tools. We see more exploits based on PowerShell, Microsoft's language for automating administrative tasks. As a scripting language, PowerShell evades countermeasures focused on executables. We also see more attacks using penetration testing and other administrative tools that may already exist on the network, need not be infiltrated, and may not be suspected. These powerful tools require equally strong controls.

Ransomware evolves. As more users recognize the risks of ransomware attack via email, criminals are exploring other vectors. Some are experimenting with malware that reinfects later, long after a ransom is paid, and some are starting to use built-in tools and no executable malware at all to avoid detection by endpoint protection code that focuses on executable files. Recent examples have offered to decrypt files after the victim shared the ransomware with two friends, and those friends paid to decrypt their files. Ransomware authors are also starting to use techniques other than encryption, for example deleting or corrupting file headers. And finally, with "old" ransomware still floating around the web, users may fall victim to attacks that can't be "cured" because payment locations no longer work.

Emergence of personal IoT attacks. Users of home IoT devices may not notice or even care if their baby monitors are hijacked to attack someone else's website. But once attackers "own" a device on a home network, they can compromise other devices, such as laptops containing important personal data. We expect to see more of this as well as more attacks that use cameras and microphones to spy on households. Cyber criminals always find a way to profit.

Growth of malvertising and corruption of online advertising ecosystems. Malvertising, which spreads malware through online ad networks and web pages, has been around for years. But in 2016, we saw much more of it. These attacks highlight larger problems throughout the advertising ecosystem, such as click fraud, which generates paying clicks that don't correspond to real customer interest. Malvertising has actually generated click fraud, compromising users and stealing from advertisers at the same time.  

The downside of encryption. As encryption becomes ubiquitous, it has become much harder for security products to inspect traffic, making it easier for criminals to sneak through undetected. Unsurprisingly, cybercriminals are using encryption in creative new ways. Security products will need to tightly integrate network and client capabilities, to rapidly recognize security events after code is decrypted on the endpoint.

Rising focus on exploits against virtualized and cloud systems. Attacks against physical hardware (e.g. Rowhammer) raise the possibility of dangerous new exploits against virtualized cloud systems. Attackers might abuse the host or other guests running on a shared host, attack privilege models, and conceivably access others' data. And, as Docker and the entire container (or ‘serverless’) eco-system become more popular, attackers will increasingly seek to discover and exploit vulnerabilities in this relatively new trend in computing. We expect active attempts to operationalize such attacks.

Technical attacks against states and societies. Technology-based attacks have become increasingly political. Societies face growing risks from both disinformation (e.g., "fake news") and voting system compromise. For instance, researchers have demonstrated attacks that might allow a local voter to fraudulently vote repeatedly without detection. Even if states never engage in attacks against their adversaries' elections, the perception that these attacks are possible is itself a powerful weapon.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Young entrepreneurs hold green bazaar in Estancia at Capitol Commons

Press release

In this season of giving, students from Multiple Intelligence International School (MIIS) held a #4GreenPH KIDS CAN! Bazaar in Estancia at Capitol Commons to showcase their business ideas that advocate for a greener, more sustainable future.

The only “for kids, by kids” bazaar in the country is now on its 16th year, featuring products that promote Green Forests, Green Living, Green Christmas, and a Green Philippines. Children as young as 6 years old to 18 years old participated in the bazaar, which allowed them to create and share innovative solutions with an entrepreneurial mindset.
The four sections of the bazaar called Green Forests, Green Living, Green Christmas, and Green Philippines, featured around 80 products which ranged from locally-made organic produce by Filipino farmers; condiments and sauces for those with discerning palates; bath and body products to promote wellness; merchandise such as notebooks, bags, pouches, magnets, and tumblers with artwork designed by students; upcycled products from denim bags, recycled plastic, tarpaulin products, and storage boxes; and beautifully hand-crafted Murano beaded embellishments.
Brands such as Likha also promoted the weave of indigenous tribes through multi-foldable bags. Hiraya sold neck pillows that educated young children about endangered species, while Sewers of Sustainability (SOS) had anti-mosquito shirts.
“Honing the entrepreneurial mind among children and teenagers is an important link in the chain of national development. And we are glad to have Estancia and Ortigas Malls as partners in promoting this advocacy to the Filipino youth and their families,” says Joy Abaquin, Founding Directress of MIIS.
Ortigas Malls, for its part, also continues to help entrepreneurs flourish by enabling retail formats that highlight unique, specialty products.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

ADIDAS ORIGINALS CELEBRATES EQT AT ART BASEL MIAMI

Press release

- adidas Originals celebrated EQT at the Marine Stadium during Miami Art - Artist Ben Jones unveiled “Video 90, an original video art projection - adidas Originals debuted #TLKS, a global talk series, with guest speakers Ben Jones, Pusha T and Adwoa Aboah in partnership with Surface and moderated by Spencer Bailey, EIC of Surface - Official brand chatbot through Facebook Messenger with a Facebook live of #TLKS - Special music performance by Pusha T - adidas Originals reveals the  EQT Support 93/17 model -

A week agoadidas Originals celebrated EQT during Art Basel Miami at the Marine Stadium. The evening included art, a creative conversation and special music performance. The brand revealed the ‘90s design icon, EQT through a waterfront event at the Marine Stadium and conducted a public seeding of a limited edition EQT Support ADV on Nov 30th, giving away 1000 pairs to consumers through the streets of Miami.

Original Video Art Installation: Artist Ben Jones unveiled Video 90, an original video art projection installation. Growing up in the 90’s the cultural moments and hyper compressed culture of the times have directly influenced Jones’s present day work and inspired the original work unveiled during the event.

 #TLKS: adidas Originals launched the first of its global creative discussion series in Miami. #TLKS explores the topic of creativity and cultural influences. In partnership with Surface, #TLKS featured a discussion between artist Ben Jones, artist and G.O.O.D Music President Pusha T, and model, actress, activist Adwoa Aboah moderated by Spencer Bailey, EIC Surface Magazine. Two firsts for the adidas Originals, #TLKS was streamed via Facebook live and the official chatbot through Facebook messenger was launched, creating a two-way dialogue between brand and its creative community.

Special Music Performance: Pusha T, adidas Originals creative collaborator, performed a very special concert to guests to celebrate EQT, delivered to the unique on-water stage by speedboat, wearing his brand new King Push Grayscale EQTs.

EQT Support 93/17: Revealed during the week’s activities, the latest evolution of the EQT series, the EQT Support 93/17 is a bold new manifestation of the EQT design philosophy. The EQT Support 93/17 reconfigures the original blueprint of the EQT Support 93 with an aggressive design language, blending authentic Equipment materials with an uncompromising modern mode. A woven knit upper in a pixelated noise motif is overlaid with premium nubuck panels and webbing-tape 3-stripes, whilst embroidered details and a contrast heel unit brings the shoe’s striking aesthetic to its peak. More than just looks, a slew of technical details ensure the EQT Support 93/17 is built for performance, including an OrthoLite® sockliner, TPU support panel and full-length BOOST midsole unit. Debuting in a bold colourway that debuts EQT’s brand new turbo red colour palette, the release truly marks the birth of a brand new chapter for the iconic EQT series.

Monday, December 19, 2016

Shopee bids goodbye to a great 2016

Press release

Manila, Philippines— Now one of the leading mobile shopping applications in the country, Shopee wraps up a highly successful 2016 with over 2 million downloads and 1 million products on its platform. "We have felt the tremendous support of our community of buyers and sellers and are very happy to share this success with them, shares Macy Castillo, Head of Commercial Business for Shopee.

2016 is an interesting year for Shopeeholics

The whole Shopee community has made it a very interesting and memorable year, from their inspired reaction to Miss Philippines winning the Miss International pageant to confessing to a lot of retail therapy on their social network accounts.

Shopee’s role in the success of its sellers

Shopee continues to empower sellers through its platform’s integrated tools as well as external events like the 16 Shopee University workshops it hosted around the country. Here, sellers were given tools and tips to boost their revenue. Castillo adds, “We are proud partners in our sellers’ success so we recently held the first Shopee Sellers’ Ball. This allowed us to recognize our successful entrepreneurs and thank our sellers’ dedication and hard work that made Shopee the leading mobile marketplace in the country”. 

What to watch out for in 2017

Despite being only a year old, Shopee has been able to position itself as the leading mobile marketplace platform not only in the Philippines but also in the rest of Southeast Asia and Taiwan and will have even more in store for the new year. 2017 will see even more official merchant partners giving shoppers a wider range of products, a new and improved user interface, as well as more payment channels and expanded Cash on Delivery and delivery pick up coverage, giving Filipino shoppers an even quicker and more hassle-free shopping experience. 

Shopee is available for download for free on the App Store and Google Play across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Announcing Live Video Creation on Twitter

Press release

Anyone can now broadcast and experience what’s happening anywhere in the world

MANILA – December 15, 2016 – Twitter today announced that now anyone can broadcast live video directly from its apps. Powered by Periscope, live video on Twitter allows people to share and experience everything from significant moments to daily life together with an audience - all through a Tweet.


"We started Periscope because we wanted to give people the superpower to share live video with an audience. Bringing this capability directly into the Twitter app is an important step because it brings that superpower to the hundreds of millions of people who use Twitter,” said Kayvon Beykpour, CEO of Periscope. “Twitter's already the place where people go to see what's happening. With this update, anyone can now broadcast what's happening live."

 

Members of the audience within a live video on Twitter can interact with the broadcaster by commenting and sending hearts to show their support. Tweets that contain live video can be Retweeted, liked, and shared anywhere that people can share a Tweet.

Anyone on Twitter can now create and Tweet live video with the latest Android and iOS updates.

Filipino students nationwide join the three million virtual mile goal for Microsoft’s Global Skype-a-Thon

Press release

Educators around the Philippines collaborate to help celebrate learning without borders

(Makati City, Philippines) (December 5, 2016) – Educators around the world were invited to participate in Microsoft’s annual two-day Skype-a-Thon on November 29 to 30, where thousands of students have joined the goal to travel three million virtual miles.  The event connected classrooms in over 47 countries, including the Philippines, to showcase how technology can be used to enhance the learning experience and promote global citizenship.


Experts from Microsoft Philippines and guest speakers spoke to students from all over the country.  45 classrooms from around the Philippines joined the Global Skype-a-Thon to travel 145,000 miles combined. 

For this year’s global Skype-a-Thon, several lecturers from Microsoft and educators shared motivational stories to the students. Each one got to virtually experience each other’s cultures through Skype. As classrooms are now borderless and learning is beyond any four corners in the world, indeed, there’s no distance that learning cannot conquer.

On photo collage are as follows:
·         Clarissa Segismundo, Microsoft Philippines Education Programs Lead with Grade 10 Students of Kapitolyo High School,
·         Cian O`Neill, Microsoft Philippines Chief Operating and Marketing Officer skypes with National University (NU) students on the other end
·         Ferdie Saputil, Microsoft Philippines Public Sector Director skypes with Pangasinan National High School students
·         Jomari Mercado, Microsoft Philippines National Technology Officer skypes with De La Salle University, Dasmariñas
·         Virna Venturanza, Microsoft Philippines Communications Lead skypes with students of Atty. Orlando S. Rimando National High School, Compostela Valley, Mindanao
·         Joel Garcia, Microsoft Philippines DX Director speaks to senior high school students of Ateneo de Manila


Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Score holiday deals with Shopee!

Press release

As vehicles begin to fill the roads this holiday season, preparing for all the Christmas gatherings is slowly turning out to be a chore among Filipinos. From having to attend to numerous parties with loved ones to accomplishing all work before the holiday break, among others, people are challenged to finish all their holiday shopping before traffic and lines in shops get worse.


While proper scheduling for the different activities lined up for the upcoming holiday could solve one’s traffic woes, Shopee, one of the largest and fastest-growing mobile marketplace apps in the Southeast Asian region, stands as one of the best solutions to help Filipinos with their holiday shopping dilemma. 

“Shopee launched its holiday promos with the 11.11 sale, and now we’re happy to announce that we’re continuing with more Christmas deals that will offer Filipinos great discounts beginning December 1,” says Macy Castillo, Head of Commercial Business at Shopee Philippines.

The holiday deals of Shopee continues with the 1200 Items at PhP 120 & below on December 1 until December 4, where over a thousand select items coming from all categories of Shopee will be priced at P120 and below. Another exciting sale to watch out for beginning December 1 until December 12 is the Fa-la-la-Flash Salewhere consumers will be able to enjoy discounts starting at 50% for 12 select items from different categories such as Health & Beauty, Fashion, Consumer Electronics, among others. 

Late shoppers will enjoy the Beat The Sunrise Sale as it takes place in the early mornings of December 16 to December 25, offering consumers discounts beginning 50% across all product categories. All month round, Filipinos will be able to enjoy sales from different branded items which couldn’t be find in malls with Better than the Mall. Participating brands include CLN, Unisilver Time, Big & Small Co., Messy Bessy, Essliv PH, Ciracle, Makeup Revolution, Organic Surge, I Heart Makeup, and Maxell. Parents, aunts and uncles looking for the perfect gifts for their children, nephews and nieces will be able to seize the discounts by Richprime brands such as Disney, Chicco, winx, and more.

“We highly encourage Filipinos to spend more time with their loved ones, and one of the best ways to do that is to shop conveniently through Shopee. With the ease to use the app, and with the great deals we have in store for our consumers, Filipinos will have less things to worry about as they just enjoy the holiday.”
Shopee will be offering free shipping nationwide along with its holiday deals, with Cash-On-Delivery as a payment option as well. Filipinos may download Shopee on the App Store and Google Play for free.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Ortigas & Co. holds Christmas Trunk Bazaar and Mercato Food Market in Circulo Verde

Press release

Ortigas Malls brings together unique wares, food, and music in Christmas shopping event

Manila, Philippines – The season’s festive mood floated in the air as Ortigas Malls staged the Christmas Trunk Bazaar and Mercato Food Market recently in Circulo Verde.

Merchants selling one-of-a-kind wares straight from their car trunks lined up the Industria parking lot, as shoppers flocked to check out the clothes, accessories, furniture, pre-loved items, and food up for sale.
 
Christmas Trunk Bazaar
The bazaar gave shoppers an exciting way to tick off their Christmas shopping lists, while concessionaires from food market maven Mercato provided for delicious eats including favorites like Cebu lechon, Pinoy street food, Korean grilled goodies, shawarma, fresh juice, and even craft beer.
 
Mercato Food Market
The event’s fun vibe was amplified further by electro-synth-pop tunes from Brisom, the hip and relaxed sound of duo Ben and Ben, hits rendered by The Voice Philippines Season 2 winner Jason Dy, and tracks from top band Itchyworms.
 
Itchy Worms
“This event is a reflection of the exciting character of Circulo Verde and we are glad to have everyone enjoy the Circulo Verde Christmas Trunk Bazaar and Mercato Food Market. Our shoppers can expect Ortigas Malls to come up with more bazaar formats like this one, which feature brands and products not commonly found in malls, and where food and entertainment make the experience more alive,” remarks Ortigas Malls Vice President and General Manager Renee C. Bacani.

Circulo Verde is the 11-hectare masterplanned development by Ortigas & Co. located along Calle Industria in Barangay Bagumbayan, Quezon City. It currently has a townhomes community and five residential towers. It is also home to Industria, the development’s commercial complex. 

Saturday, December 10, 2016

ADIDAS WRITES ‘IMMA BE A STAR’ INTO HISTORY WITH HARDEN VOL. 1

Press release

As a freshman in high school, James Harden wrote his dreams onto paper with a simple note promising his mom, ‘Imma Be A Star.’ The Houston Rockets point guard has reimagined the definition of his position and continues to leave his mark on NBA record books as he lives out the goal he created nearly 13 years ago.


To inspire future stars of the game and commemorate the note his mom has kept to this day, adidas introduces a new chapter to the story of Harden Vol. 1.

“As every young kid, you have dreams…you have aspirations. You ask for things when you’re a kid and one day, I asked my mom for some money and I wrote her a note,” Harden explained. “It said, 'Could u wake me up at 7:00 and could u leave me a couple of dollars. P.S. Keep this paper. Imma be a star.’

“You have those visions when you’re younger and you just don't know how to get to them,” Harden continued. “I was one of those kids who figured it out and didn’t let anything stop me.” 

Designed in black Primeknit with flecks of gold, Imma Be A Star exudes Harden’s early confidence and is proof of the path he’s creating in the game. Gold accents featured on the Harden Mark, lace tips and three stripes contrast a black suede toe shroud and full-length BOOST TPU wrap, while the original note is showcased as a repeating graphic print on the sockliner.

Stay tuned this week as adidas and James invite fans to share stories with their own notes on @ProjectHarden.

Imma Be A Star drops November 23 at Titan for P8,995.   


Follow the conversation @adidashoops on Twitter and Instagram with #HardenVol1.   

Friday, December 9, 2016

#ThankYou Christmas Campaign of AirAsia

This holiday season, AirAsia gives a meaning to be thankful. Gratitude is one of human traits that we took for granted.  Even though it is week past Thanksgiving, we still need to be grateful to the all things even the simple things.

For this initiative, AirAsia launches the #ThankYou Christmas Campaign. AirAsia aims to give affordable rate for the trips this holiday season. This will reunite love ones abroad especially our OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers).


This is part of the 15 years of service in the airways. For more campaigns of AirAsia, follow this blog and like L.E.N.S. blogs on Facebook.



Thursday, December 8, 2016

Microsoft Cloud Summit helps ISV partners bring innovative and disruptive solutions to the Philippine market

Press release

(Makati City, Philippines) (November 23, 2016) РAs businesses in the Philippines are embracing the cloud to make them highly competitive, Microsoft and its independent software vendor (ISV) partners have staged cloud application solutions for various industries during the Cloud Solutions Summit at the Blue Leaf Filipinas, Para̱aque City.
 
Herns Hermida, Microsoft Philippines Cloud & Enterprise Business Lead moderates the panel discussion at the Cloud Solutions Summit with (left to right): Brian Perry Ortañez, Systems Engineer, Fortinet; Dr. Ryan Bañez, Chief Medical Informatics Officer of Health Informatics; Dindo Fernando, Senior Channel Manager, Microsoft Philippines; Lars Jeppesen, CEO and co-founder Tech One Global and David Mould, Chief Digital Advisor, Microsoft Consulting Services
The Cloud Solutions Summit has helped executives and business owners discover how embracing the hybrid cloud model can help IT manage increasing security and complexity in line with changing business needs.  This event followed Microsoft’s recent general availability of Windows Server 2016 and System Center 2016 in the Philippines, which are directed at helping enterprises accelerate moves to the highly secure hybrid cloud. 


At the event, Microsoft and its ISV partners showcased cloud application solutions for manufacturing, retail, banking, healthcare and small & medium enterprise (SME) sectors for businesses to jumpstart their digital transformation journey.   Participating ISVs presented their cloud app pitches similar to the “Shark Tank” reality TV show, with My-Checkpoints emerging as winner. My-Checkpoints (https://www.my-checkpoints.com/help/aboutus.html) is a performance and rewards platform developed for BPO companies designed to provide fun incentives and rewards to their employees. 

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Joergen Jakobsen Joins Sophos to Lead Business Growth in Asia-Pacific and Japan Region

Press release

Sophos, (LSE: SOPH) a global leader in network and endpoint security, today announced the appointment of Joergen Jakobsen (“JJ”) as regional vice president for Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ). Jakobsen brings more than 25 years of experience as a senior executive for global technology brands and has a successful track record for driving business growth through the channel. Jakobsen will be based in the Sophos office in Singapore and as the most senior sales and channel executive for the region will report directly to senior vice president of global sales, Michael Valentine.
 
Joergen Jakobsen 
Jakobsen joins Sophos from EMC where he was vice president and general manager of EMC Channel Sales (Asia-Pacific and Japan). While at EMC, Jakobsen launched the EMC Business Partner Program across the region to focus on products, services and end-to-end customer solutions. Prior to joining EMC in 2011, Jakobsen was vice president and general manager of the Solution Partner Organization for Asia- Pacific and Japan at Hewlett-Packard. Jakobsen spent more than 20 years in sales and business development roles at Hewlett-Packard, including 14 years in leadership positions in APJ. 

“Sophos is a channel-first, channel-only leader in next-generation security with a massive market opportunity in Asia-Pacific and Japan,” commented Michael Valentine, senior vice president of global sales at Sophos. “I am very pleased to welcome JJ to the Sophos senior sales and channel management team. JJ has an impressive track record for developing and driving programs to support partners as they address the highly competitive and dynamic market in APJ. Sophos has continued to grow faster than the market in both endpoint and network security, and we continue to innovate and deliver next-generation protection to customers worldwide. JJ is a great addition to our team.”

“I am excited to join the team. Sophos has a world-class portfolio of IT security products, and I am impressed by the company’s unique commitment to its partners,” commented Jakobsen. “Sophos is a success story that is well-positioned to take advantage of a huge opportunity. Organizations across APJ are looking for easy-to-use solutions that can protect them against the growing volume of sophisticated and persistent threats. I look forward to supporting our partners as they help businesses address the challenges of comprehensive IT protection today.”

Jakobsen holds a Master of Science degree in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Aarhus, Denmark.

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

The Year On Twitter: #ThisHappened in The Philippines in 2016

Press release

Philippines, 6th December 2016: Mabuhay! 2016 was a special year for Filipinos to join the global conversations on Twitter as well as for The Philippines to start global conversations on the world’s largest live communications platform. This year, Twitter reflected and influenced Filipino society that was united together in celebrations, sports, natural disasters, politics, and significant cultural moments.

The country’s trending moments became global conversations on Twitter, be it the National Elections (Top Moment of the Year), fan support for global phenomenon AlDub and TV show OTWOL (On the Wings of Love), Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao came out victorious on both his retirement and comeback fights, and the devastation brought by Super Typhoon Lawin. Meanwhile, the Twitter community in The Philippines raised their voices when Filipino talents earned the spotlight at the Kid’s Choice Awards, K-pop boyband Bantan Boys held a concert in Manila, school cheers during the UAAP national competition, national pride for the homecoming of Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, and the controversial burial of former president Marcos.

The first live TV debates in 24 years among the Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates drew millions of Filipinos to Twitter with #PilipinasDebates2016 earning the Top Hashtag of the Year in The Philippines. The global audience on Twitter was treated to repartees that were filled with both wit, humour, deep knowledge of the subject matter, or lack thereof.

With all these key moments, who would have thought that the Golden Tweet of The Philippines for 2016 would turn out to be about…a puppy! Coming from @NotebookMsgs, a Philippines-based motivational account, this photo Tweet was more than a reflection of Filipinos’ love for dogs. This sad, tired young canine may sum up the mood of millennials after the emotional roller coaster that was the National Elections, when Duterte won the official vote count on May 27th to become the next President.

Here’s a closer look at the #YearOnTwitter in 2016 for The Philippines:Twitter is also offering a year-end special emoji so people can share the biggest moments and memories of 2016. If you Tweet with #ThisHappened hashtag from now until January 5, 2017, the special Twitter emoji will come with your Tweet.




MOST INFLUENTIAL MOMENTS ON TWITTER IN 2016

Twitter is where Filipinos go to see what’s happening everywhere in the world right now. From breaking news and entertainment to sports and politics - from big events to everyday interests with all the live commentary that makes Twitter special. These are the most influential moments on Twitter - where Filipinos went first to ask questions, get answers or share ideas about the biggest conversations happening in The Philippines and the world throughout 2016.

1. Philippines Elections and President Duterte
The first-ever #TwitterElection in The Philippines was the most talked about with over 35 million elections-related Tweets, and the conversations on Twitter kept flowing with reactions to President Duterte's actions and words through the year. Twitter worked closely with the COMELEC (@COMELEC) on #PiliPinas2016 to inspire Filipinos to engage and discuss their opinions via Tweets on important topics to shape their voting decision. On election day alone, more than four million election-related Tweets were recorded. In addition to 330,000 Tweets on Inauguration Day, Twitter introduced an exclusive emoji for the new president - #PresidentDuterte, the first time that Twitter created a special emoji for an elected leader of a nation anywhere in the world. And Filipinos sent over 280,000 Tweets using#SONA2016 responding to Duterte's first State of the Nation Address. No doubt that Twitter is the place to see and react to Duterte's every move while he is the President of The Philippines.
See the Election Day conversation here: https://reverb.guru/view/192327411560297321

2. Kids’ Choice Awards
The 2016 Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards nominated four Filipino celebrities for the Favourite Pinoy Personality Award - Maine Mendoza (@mainedcm), Kathryn Bernardo (@bernardokath), Enrique Gil (@itsenriquegi), James Reid (@JayeHanash) - as well as Filipino basketball player Jeron Teng for the Favourite Asian Sports Star Award. On Twitter, fans battled it out to campaign for their favourite award nominee by sending millions of Tweets such as#VoteMaineFPP and #VoteKathrynFPP. In the end, Maine was crowned as the Favorite Pinoy Personality and Jeron won the regional sports star award, making it a double-win for The Philippines at KCA this year.
See how Alden Richards campaigned for Maine:

3. AlDub
The AlDub love team (Maine Mendoza @mainedcm and Alden Richards (@aldenrichards02) from the ‘Kalyeserye’ segment of the popular noon-time TV show Eat Bulaga (@EatBulaga) and their fans continue to be a force on Twitter. AlDub amassed over 200 related hashtags lighting up key milestones throughout the year. The love team’s road to Twitter stardom continued as AlDub's Valentine’s day campaign #AlDubIsLove amassed over 4.1 million Tweets. In July, AlDub celebrated their #AlDub1stAnniversary with 6.6 million Tweets along with a customized Twitter emoji, the first created for a TV show in Southeast Asia. In appreciation of their fans' support, the couple had their first movie#AlDubImagineYouAndMe, which accumulated 7.8 million Tweets in its first week. When the couple finally tied the knot last October 22, fans sent over 8 million Tweets using the #AlDubWedding hashtag.
See the #AldubWedding conversation here: https://reverb.twitter.com/view/801947258217611292

4. On The Wings Of Love
OTWOL (On the Wings of Love) is one of the top-rated teleseryes on Philippine television for 2016 and their popularity reflected in the deluge of conversations on Twitter. This hot love team pairs two of the most popular teens of this generation: Nadine Lustre (@hellobangsie) and James Reid (@JayeHanash) popularly known as #JaDine. OTWOL is the love story of the characters Clark and Leah who conquered immigration challenges in the US to be together. Filipinos got so hooked on the plot that they marked significant moments with hashtags such as #OTWOLArrival,#OTWOLMostKiligNight#OTWOLTheAminanNight and #OTWOLTheLastFlight.
See the #OTWOLTheLastFlight conversation here: https://reverb.guru/view/678361198954350247

5. BTS K-Pop Group
Filipinos showed their love for the Korean boyband Bangtan Boys (better known as BTS) when Twitter held a global contest for #loveBTS. The Philippines came in 6th place worldwide, among the top 10 countries that Tweeted#loveBTS hashtag the most in May. Following that, Filipino fans screamed and danced to their heart's' content when the group had their #EpilogueinManila concert on July 30. Overwhelmed by the support, the band posted a short video on their official Twitter account (@BTS_twt), thanking every fan who watched their concert.
See the video of BTS thanking their Manila fans: https://twitter.com/BTS_twt/status/759370936025948160

6. University of Athletic Association of The Philippines
#UAAP (University Athletic Association of The Philippines) is the most-awaited annual intercollegiate sports competition in The Philippines and millennials sent millions of Tweets to support their favourite athletes and teams. Top athletes from universities all over the country competed in a number of sports such as basketball, volleyball, and the heart-stopping cheerdancing not only to for the title but also for their Alma Mater's pride. As a special treat, fans of#UAAPCheerdance2016 cheered on Twitter for their best pep squad using the McDonald's UAAP cheerdance stickers, the first Promoted Stickers in Southeast Asia.
See the video that launched the stickers: https://twitter.com/McDo_PH/status/798046588509835264

7. Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach
The homecoming of 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach (@MissUniverse) to The Philippines in January saw a proud nation of Pinoys welcome her home on Twitter, where they expressed pride and adoration using#MissUMostBeautifulDay#PiaTheRoadToTheCrown and #WelcomeHomePia hashtags. Generating over 430,000 Tweets for Homecoming Queen, Pia's fans also got a special session with her via the #AskMissUniverse Twitter Q&A party. In April, Queen Pia had the honor of passing on the crown to the new #BbPilipinas2016 Universe Maxine Medina (@maxinemedina), an event that amassed 340,000 Tweets as she took her final walk on stage and gave a very emotional, heartfelt farewell speech.
See the Homecoming Queen conversation here: https://reverb.guru/view/237844895383701379

8. Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao (@mannypacquiao) had several momentous occasions this year that cemented his legacy as the "People's Champ". First his fans flocked to Twitter to support Pacquiao after winning his retirement fight with Timothy Bradley with over 380,000 Tweets for his #PacBradley fight on April 9th. Then PacMan's popularity grew even more after becoming the first Filipino professional boxer to be elected in the Philippine senate. Finally, unable to silence the call of the warrior in him, Pacquiao returned to the ring for his #PacVargas fight and beat Las Vegas-native Jessie Vargas, scoring an additional 280,000 Tweets on November 6th.
See the #PacBradley conversation here: https://reverb.guru/view/065295336147422823

9. Marcos Burial
Emotions ran high when plans of transferring the body of ousted President Ferdinand Marcos to the Libingan ng Bayani (Heroes' Cemetery) were revealed and granted by the Supreme Court. The #MarcosBurial conversation reverberated throughout Twitter when the public was surprised by the sudden execution of the burial. Even Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo (@lenirobredo) expressed her defiance over the Supreme Court decision by releasing a statement on Twitter. Meanwhile, millennials actively participated in nationwide protests throughout the country and shared their stand on this national issue with over 500,000 Tweets for the #MarcosNotAHero conversation on Twitter.
See the #MarcosBurial conversation here: https://reverb.guru/view/468396379952449125

10. Typhoon Lawin
Typhoon Lawin (International name: Haima) was the most powerful typhoon to hit The Philippines this year, resulting in billions' worth of damage to infrastructure, agriculture and households. Through the typhoon, Filipinos went on Twitter to wish each other safety as well as to spread updates about the typhoon, relief and rescue operations, the suspension of classes and work. Over 440,000 Tweets were sent and popular hashtags included #LawinPH, #Haima,#PrayForPH#rescuePH#reliefPH, and #walangpasok.
See the #LawinPH conversation here: https://reverb.guru/view/492136331353412441


TOP HASHTAG TRENDS ON TWITTER IN 2016

Hashtags are the anchors of any solid conversation; they enable users to discover what others are talking about for an issue they care about. A wide range of topics - from politics, entertainment, sports - dominated the popular Twitter hashtag trends in The Philippines this year showing the diversity of conversations that Filipinos are having every day on the world’s largest live communications platform.

1.       #PilipinasDebates2016
For the first time since 1992, Presidential candidates were pitted against each other in a series of debates to prove their readiness to be the leader of the country. Filipinos tuned in to the three Presidential debates that were broadcast on TV, while Pinoys flocked to Twitter using the #PilipinasDebates2016 hashtag with nearly 5 million Tweets in total sent for all the debates.

2.       #KCA
In the recent #KCA, Maine Mendoza (@mainedcm) won as the Favorite Pinoy Personality (FPP) beating fellow young Filipino teen celebrities Kathryn Bernardo (@bernardokath), Enrique Gi (@itsenriquegil), and James Reid (@JayeHanash), while basketball player Jeron Teng (@jerontong) bagged the Favorite Asian Sports Star.

3.       #Election2016
Filipinos voices were heard on Twitter as they shared election sentiments on the platform using the #Election2016hashtag. People from all walks of life participated in the election conversation on Twitter and supported the different candidates and political parties.

4.       #OTWOLTheLastFlight
Over 8.2 million Tweets were generated during the OTWOL's (On the Wings of Love) final week on air (Feb 22-26), with the #OTWOLTheLastFlight hashtag peaking at 13,000 Tweets per minute on its last episode last February 26.

5.       #AlDubWedding
AlDub finally tied the knot la@itsenriquegils@itsenriquegilt October 22 on live television in the kalyeserye segment of the noontime show Eat Bulaga with the #AlDubWedding hashtag used 8 million times to celebrate this special occasion.

6.       #WalangPasok
Because The Philippines is pummelled by typhoons every year, Filipinos have come to anticipate the days where they can stay home. The #WalangPasok hashtag was used in Tweets as a source of information for students, parents, educators and workers to be updated about school and work suspension.

7.       #NBAFinals
Basketball, being the national sport in The Philippines, Filipino hoop fans kept up to date on the NBA Finals games and shared their excitement by using the #NBAFinals hashtag on Twitter. As the Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) defeated the Golden State Warriors (@warriors) in 7 games, Pinoys joined the global conversation on Twitter which had a total of 24.2 million Tweets during the live games.

8.       #PushAwardsKathNiels
The popular love team of Kathryn Bernardo (@bernardokath) and Daniel Padilla (@imdanielpadilla) were top contenders in the Push Awards. On Twitter, fans used the #PushAwardsKathNiels hashtag to help Kathryn win the Push Tweet Female Celebrity and Daniel win the Push Tweet Male Celebrity.

9.       #PrayforDavao
In September, there were two explosions in the City of Davao, hometown of President Duterte. Filipinos united on Twitter for prayers, a call to stop the senseless violence and words of encouragement for victims and all Davao citizens using the #PrayforDavao hashtag.

This was the official hashtag to commemorate the graduation of league MVP Ateneo University lady spiker Alyssa Valdez (@AlyssaValdez2) from the university. Fans of the volleyball player went on Twitter to send their best wishes to her using the #R3peatTheGloryAteneo hashtag.


MOST FOLLOWED ACCOUNTS ON TWITTER IN 2016

Filipino Twitter users are simply star struck. It is no wonder that the list of the Top 10 Most Followed Twitter accounts are dominated by entertainment celebrities, with the exception of a teen account for inspirational quotes (@ohteenquotes). Anne Curtis-Smith (@annecurtissmith) came up top with 8.44 million followers, with Angel Locsin (@143redangel) close behind in the second spot. Jose Marie Viceral (@vicegandako) came in third place and made the largest leap with an increase of 1.6 million followers since the start of the year.



Ranking
Name
Twitter Account
Followers
as of Dec 5, 2016
1
Anne Curtis-Smith
8.44m
2
Angel Locsin
8.38m
3
Jose Marie Viceral
8.17m
4
Kathryn Bernardo
6.57m
5
Daniel Padilla
5.57m
6
Maine Mendoza
4.22m
7
Relationship
4.04m
8
Lea Salonga
3.90m
9
Georgina Wilson
3.89m
10
Alden Richards
3.87m

Twitter is also offering a year-end special emoji so people can share the biggest moments and memories of 2016. If you Tweet with #ThisHappened hashtag from now until January 5, 2017, the special Twitter emoji will come with your Tweet.