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Gaming is no longer defined by a single screen, a single game, or even a single type of player. It has become a culture where people compete, create, discover new technology, follow their favorite titles, and connect with communities that share their interests.

That evolving culture came to life at Cyberzone Game Fest 2026, which brought gamers, creators, technology enthusiasts, and gaming communities together across your most loved mall, SM Mall of Asia, SM City Fairview, SM City Bacolod, and SM Davao.

Co-presented by Acer Predator and OPPO, and powered by DataBlitz, PC Express, SMART, and PLDT Home, the festival offered different ways for visitors to experience gaming-from competitive tournaments and free play to technology showcases and a glimpse into the work of Filipino game developers.

More than a series of gaming activities, Cyberzone Game Fest reflected how the experience of gaming continues to expand-and how communities remain at the center of it.

A Place Where Gamers Come TogetherAcross the four destinations, players and fans came together to compete, try new titles, explore gaming setups, and spend time with people who share their passion.

For some, the draw was competition. Others came to discover new games or experience gaming technology firsthand. Some simply wanted to be part of the atmosphere and meet fellow enthusiasts.

That mix is increasingly representative of gaming culture itself.

The community is no longer made up of only hardcore players. It includes casual gamers, esports fans, content creators, collectors, tech enthusiasts, and people who simply enjoy being part of the culture surrounding games.

Cyberzone Game Fest gave these different groups a shared space to play and connect.

Where Competition Meets Community

Players battled in TEKKEN 8 and Street Fighter 6, while free-play sessions featuring Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising and Fatal Fury gave both seasoned players and newcomers an opportunity to pick up a controller and join in.

The energy around the matches was familiar to anyone who has experienced competitive gaming: players focused on every move, spectators reacting to clutch moments, and friends supporting one another from the sidelines.

But the competition also highlighted something bigger.

For many gamers, the experience is not simply about winning. It is about having someone to play against, people to cheer with, and a community that understands the excitement of the game.

Experiencing the Technology Behind the Game

Here, esports tournaments shared space with interactive gaming technology, giving players an opportunity to experience the hardware, peripherals, and setups that have become an important part of modern gaming.

For today’s gamers, technology is part of the experience itself.

Performance, responsiveness, visuals, audio, and connectivity can all shape how a game feels. Being able to experience those elements firsthand adds another layer to discovering what works for different types of players.

The Gear Grounds made that technology tangible, while keeping the focus on the people using it.

A Glimpse Into the People Making GamesAt the Cyberzone Dev Den, powered by PC Express, visitors could discover locally developed titles including Vi 3v3 Arena by GridLock Games and Langit Lupa: Office Wars by NinetySix Studios.

The showcase gave Filipino indie developers an opportunity to put their games directly in front of players-and, just as importantly, gave players a chance to meet some of the people behind the games.

For visitors, it was an opportunity to discover games that may not yet have the visibility of major international releases.

For developers, having players experience their work in person offers something difficult to replicate online: immediate reactions, questions, feedback, and conversations around the games they have built.

It also gave aspiring developers in the audience a closer look at what local game development can look like in practice.

The presence of indie developers may have been one part of the larger festival, but it represented an important idea: gaming communities are not only made up of people who play-they also include people who create.

And the more opportunities players have to discover local creators, the more connections can form between Filipino developers and the communities they hope to reach.

Gaming Continues to Evolve

Across four SM Supermalls destinations, Cyberzone Game Fest 2026 showed just how broad gaming culture has become.

There were players competing in tournaments, fans discovering new titles, enthusiasts exploring gaming technology, and visitors experiencing locally developed games for the first time.

Each experience offered something different, a maxed-out experience but they shared a common thread: gaming creates connections.

It brings people together around competition and fandom. It gives creators a way to reach audiences. It gives communities a place to meet offline. And it continues to create new opportunities for people to participate in different ways.

That is also why gaming events continue to evolve.

What was once primarily about playing games is now also about the technology behind them, the communities around them, and the people imagining what comes next.

More Ways to Play, Discover and Connect

The goal is not simply to create spaces where people can shop for gaming products, but to give enthusiasts more opportunities to experience, discover, and connect around the technology and interests they enjoy.

From competitive gaming and esports to new technology and Filipino game development, Cyberzone Game Fest brought different parts of that ecosystem together in one celebration.

And while the festival has come to a close, the communities it brought together continue to grow.

For gamers, creators, and tech enthusiasts, there will always be another game to discover, another setup to explore, another competition to join, and-perhaps-another game waiting to be created.

Pag-IBIG Fund’s gross housing-related assets reached ?1.01 trillion as of July 31, 2026, as its housing portfolio continued to grow with more financing extended to members buying, building and improving their homes, as well as to institutions supporting housing development.

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Ramon P. Aliling, who chairs the Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees, said the growth reflects Pag-IBIG Fund’s continuing role in expanding homeownership while supporting activity across the housing sector and the broader economy.

‘Pag-IBIG Fund’s performance continues to reflect its commitment to achieving the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. under the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program to make affordable homeownership accessible to more Filipinos.

‘Reaching more than ?1 trillion in housing-related assets is an important milestone. It means more financing is reaching Filipino homebuyers, while qualified developers and institutions receive greater support to provide housing. As investments in housing grow, they also help stimulate the industry, support construction and related sectors, create jobs and contribute to broader economic growth,’ Aliling said.

Of Pag-IBIG Fund’s ?1.01 trillion in gross housing-related assets, ?971.39 billion, or about 96%, consists of housing-related loans, while ?38.47 billion consists of other housing-related assets. For members, much of this represents financing that has helped Filipino workers buy, build or improve homes.

The emphasis on housing is built into Pag-IBIG Fund’s mandate, which requires at least 70% of its investible funds to be invested in housing. This enables members’ pooled savings to finance homes and housing development while generating earnings that help protect and grow their funds.

Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Marilene C. Acosta said the trillion-peso housing portfolio reflects the very meaning of Pag-IBIG, Pagtutulungan sa Kinabukasan: Ikaw, Bangko, Industriya at Gobyerno, with members’ savings helping fellow members achieve homeownership.

‘This is Pag-IBIG at work. The savings of millions of Filipino workers are pooled together and put to productive use, much of it to help fellow members have homes of their own. As we continue supporting President Marcos’ housing agenda, what matters most is that more members are able to turn their hard-earned income into homes and assets that can provide greater security for their families,’ Acosta said.

‘For a member paying a housing loan, each amortization brings that member closer to fully owning a home. Over time, that home becomes more than a place to live. It is an asset that families can improve, preserve and pass on to the next generation. This is how homeownership can help our members build lasting value and greater financial security,’ she added.

Pag-IBIG Fund also continued to expand financing for both the end-user and institutional housing markets. From January to July 2026, housing and wholesale loan releases reached ?88.84 billion, up 12% from ?72.61 billion during the same period last year, reflecting continued demand for home financing and funding support for housing development.

To widen access further under Expanded 4PH, Pag-IBIG Fund increased the maximum Pag-IBIG Housing Loan to ?10 million per borrower, payable over terms of up to 30 years, while continuing to provide a 3% subsidized housing loan rate for qualified low-income borrowers. It also offers promotional rates of 4.5% for loans above the socialized housing price ceiling up to ?4.9 million, and 5.75% for loans above ?4.9 million up to ?10 million, until Dec. 31, 2026.

RJ Luis Jr., a former St. John’s standout who recently signed with LSU after spending time with two NBA clubs, was cleared by a court Monday evening to start practicing and potentially play for the Tigers this season.

Luis, who briefly was under contract with the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics but never played in an NBA game, hugged LSU coach Will Wade after the ruling by East Baton Rouge Parish District Court judge Ronald R. Johnson.

After a five-hour hearing, Johnson granted the player’s request for a preliminary injunction against the NCAA, which had argued Luis was unlikely to win reinstatement after leaving college to turn pro in 2025. ‘This is precedent. It’s monumental,’ said Baton Rouge-based attorney Tony Clayton, who represented Luis along with Elliot Abrams of Raleigh, North Carolina. ‘This allows him to go practice, go play and we’ll let the legal process work itself out.’

The timeline for that process was not immediately clear.

‘I don’t know, but there’s a lot of discovery that Elliot and I have to obtain,’ Clayton said. ‘We’ve got a lot of questions.’

Luis’ attorneys noted that the NCAA had granted exceptions allowing numerous players from overseas professional leagues to join college basketball programs, and argued that American players must be afforded the same opportunity.

They stressed that Luis not only had never played in an NBA game, but also had not played for the Celtics’ G League affiliate because of an injury, and had far less of a professional basketball resume than numerous college players who’d been recruited from abroad.

NCAA attorney Taylor Askew argued that Luis’ situation was not comparable to those who played for the developmental squads of pro organizations overseas because Luis chose to leave college for the NBA.

Askew noted that the only player in a similar situation to Luis was Alabama’s Charles Bediako, who won a temporary retraining order allowing him to play five games for Alabama last season before an Alabama judge ultimately sided with NCAA assertions that he was ineligible.

‘I understand Mr. Luis is disappointed that he was not drafted and did not play in the NBA as much as he would have liked,’ Askew said. ‘Actions have consequences. Decisions have outcomes and they’re not always the right ones or the ones that you want.’

As he made his ruling, Johnson said, ‘In the court’s mind, (Luis) did not actually play professional basketball,’ and that whether Luis was properly advised of his options at the time he left college ‘lingers heavily before this court.’

Today’s marketplace moves at a relentless speed. Sales leaders must navigate shifting customer expectations, aggressive competition, expanding digital channels, endless notifications, urgent team concerns, back-to-back meetings, and the constant pressure to deliver immediate results. With everything demanding attention, it is easy to remain constantly busy yet accomplish little meaningful progress.

This raises a critical question: As a sales leader, are you focused enough? Can you identify what truly deserves your attention-and remain focused long enough to produce the desired results? Here are five practical ways to help you focus and stay focused.

Define the result that matters most

Focus begins by defining the result that matters most. Before starting the day or week, ask, ‘What is the most important result that I and my team must produce?’ A clear result helps distinguish meaningful work from activities that merely create the appearance of productivity. It must also be translated into specific, measurable actions so everyone knows what needs to be done. When the destination is clear, it becomes easier to direct attention, energy, and resources toward reaching it. After all, ‘Where attention goes, results follow.’

Identify the Critical Few

Not everything deserves equal attention, even when everything appears urgent. Effective sales leaders identify the critical few-the limited number of priorities that will have the greatest impact on the desired result. This requires the discipline to decide what must be completed, delegated, postponed, or stopped altogether. Before adding another task or initiative, they consider whether it strengthens or distracts from their most important priorities. When everything is treated as important, time, energy, and resources become scattered. Focus becomes possible when leaders have the courage to give greater attention to what matters most and say no to what matters less.

Protect time for high-value work

High-value work rarely happens by accident; it must be deliberately scheduled and protected. Sales leaders need uninterrupted time for customer development, team coaching, pipeline management, strategic thinking, and consequential decision-making. This requires setting reasonable boundaries around meetings, emails, messages, and notifications that repeatedly divide attention. Unless a concern is genuinely urgent, it should not be allowed to interrupt work that directly contributes to the desired result. Protecting time is ultimately protecting the priorities that drive sales performance.

Create clear ownership and accountability

Sales leaders lose focus when they attempt to personally solve every problem and oversee every detail. This reflects Jethro’s counsel to Moses, who was exhausting himself by personally attending to the concerns of all the people. Jethro advised him to appoint capable and trustworthy leaders who could handle routine matters while bringing the most difficult cases to Moses. In the same way, delegation does not mean abandoning accountability; it means distributing responsibility while maintaining visibility over performance. When leaders establish clear ownership and appropriate checkpoints, they preserve their attention for the decisions and responsibilities that truly require them.

Review, Reset, and Reconnect

Even the most focused sales leaders can become distracted, which makes regular reflection essential. At the end of each day or week, they must pause to review what moved forward, what remained unfinished, and what diverted attention from their priorities. This review allows them to learn from their actions, adjust their approach, and reset their attention toward the results that matter most. It also helps prevent one distracted day from becoming a distracted week or an unproductive month. More importantly, sales leaders must reconnect their priorities to a greater purpose-customers served, problems solved, people developed, and a business strengthened. Focus is sustained not only by knowing what must be done, but also by remembering why it matters.

Remember, focus is not the absence of distractions, but the discipline of repeatedly returning to what matters most by defining the desired result, identifying the critical few, protecting time for high-value work, and creating clear ownership. It also requires sales leaders to regularly review progress, reset priorities, and reconnect their actions with the greater purpose behind their work. Ultimately, focused leadership directs the team’s attention, energy, and resources toward meaningful and sustainable sales performance.

Alexey ‘Coach Lex’ Rola Cajilig is the President and CEO of ARCWAY Consultancy Inc., a recognized Sales Leadership Coach, Strategic Sales Operations Consultant, Christian Motivational Speaker, and Human Ecologist. As the author of The Effective Seller and Solving the Sales Puzzle, Coach Lex empowers leaders and sales professionals to turn knowledge into action, and action into measurable results. He is also the creator of ARCH Styles, a cutting-edge behavioral discovery framework that helps individuals and teams unlock their true potential and perform at their peak.

A red flag, a wrecked home hero, and a decisive late move from Lando Norris closed out Zandvoort’s run on the calendar. Formula 1 now turns to Monza, where Ferrari’s engine gamble and Mercedes’ grip on the title face their first real test.

Zandvoort’s last race on the calendar had rain, a red flag, a home hero in the wall, and a finish that came down to the final laps. Lando Norris ran down Andrea Kimi Antonelli to win by 11.5 seconds under partly cloudy skies, his 13th career Grand Prix victory, his second in as many races after Hungary, and McLaren’s third straight Dutch Grand Prix before the event leaves the schedule.

Norris took the trophy from King Willem-Alexander himself, a fitting closing image for a track that has rarely done anything quietly. Max Verstappen’s afternoon was over almost before it began. His RB22 hit the wall at Arie Luyendijkbocht, the high-speed banked final corner, before Lap 2 was even complete, caught out by a patch of track still drying from a shower minutes before the start.

Saturday already told you how this weekend would go. George Russell took Sprint pole at 1:11.567 and converted it into the Sprint win over Charles Leclerc and Norris, crossing the line just as rain began falling on the circuit. Norris answered in qualifying proper, snatching pole from Russell by 0.102 seconds and from championship leader Antonelli by 0.133, both drivers scrambling to finish their laps before a late shower reached their visors. Piastri lined up fourth, Hamilton fifth, Leclerc sixth, Verstappen seventh. Sunday’s weather wiped the grid clean within two laps.

Norris held the lead into Turn 1. Antonelli took second from Russell. Leclerc moved past both Hamilton and Piastri. Then the race changed entirely: Verstappen clipped the white line on a still-damp patch, lost the rear, and hit the barrier hard enough to tear a wheel off the car. ‘It caught me out, simple as that,’ he said afterward. ‘I tried to correct it but couldn’t. And then you hit the wall – but it could have been a lot worse; there were a lot of cars behind me as well.’ He confirmed the impact stayed under the 15G threshold that would have sent him to the medical center, called it ‘a decent hit’ by his own standards, and climbed out unaided. His home Grand Prix, the last one Zandvoort will host under the current agreement, was finished. Oliver Bearman retired in the same stoppage after a total electrical failure, and Gabriel Bortoleto spun through the resulting smoke without further damage. Race control reset the field to its Lap 1 order for a second standing start. Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto were penalized for passing under yellow flags during the incident, a drive-through and a ten-second penalty respectively.

The restart split the field by strategy before it split by pace. Pirelli had nominated the same middle trio it ran at Zandvoort a year earlier: C2 hard, C3 medium, C4 soft, and the red flag gave every team a free tyre change to rebuild the race around it. Norris came out on softs, Antonelli on mediums, Piastri committed to hards. Antonelli used the tyre advantage to force Norris wide at the second start, take the lead, and hold it while Norris sat behind with no way past. ‘For the first half of the race, especially on the soft tyre, I honestly didn’t think a win was possible,’ Norris admitted after. ‘I struggled a lot with the pace and balance.’ The pit stops then reshuffled the field on their own terms: Russell stopped first and dropped to ninth in traffic, Piastri’s stop cost 5.4 seconds and handed his position to Russell, and Hamilton inherited a lead he hadn’t planned to defend, built simply by running his stint longer than anyone expected.

Norris’s second stop decided the race. McLaren abandoned a Lap 40 undercut the instant Antonelli pitted first, left Norris out seven laps longer, and brought him back on hard tyres, offering a tyre offset large enough to erase a six-second deficit. ‘Once we put the hard tyres on, the car came alive,’ Norris said. ‘I could push, and we were able to put Mercedes under pressure.’ He closed on Antonelli, watched Hamilton defend against the Mercedes, and picked his moment. ‘I did a couple of clicks of brake balance. I knew I was going to commit to the braking, and that move won me the race,’ he said of the pass on Hamilton for the lead, with Antonelli following him through a lap later to demote the Ferrari to third. A Virtual Safety Car for Esteban Ocon’s stricken Haas then forced Mercedes into a rushed double-stack, and Antonelli emerged from it behind his own teammate despite fresher tyres. Over team radio, Russell pushed back before yielding: ‘Is he fighting for the win? Or is he planning to catch Norris?’ He was told to let Antonelli through once it was clear the Italian had the pace to use the place, and from there Russell’s job was containment on aging rubber. Antonelli, for his part, wasn’t fully sold on the call. ‘Yeah, great job,’ he told his engineer, ‘but on strategy, that was too risky. I think it was a bit too risky for both of us.’

Russell was rescued with two laps remaining. Carlos Sainz braked late over the bump into Turn 1 on worn hards, collected teammate Alexander Albon, and triggered a Virtual Safety Car that froze the gap between Russell and a closing Hamilton at seven tenths. Sainz took a ten-second penalty for the contact. Hamilton had one shot at Russell on the final lap and couldn’t make it stick. Norris crossed first, Antonelli second, Russell third, Hamilton fourth, Leclerc fifth with the fastest lap at 1:14.230. Piastri finished sixth. Liam Lawson carried the entirety of Red Bull’s afternoon to seventh in Verstappen’s absence. Nico Hulkenberg took eighth for Audi after evading Bortoleto’s spin on reflex, stretching the team’s run to four consecutive points finishes. Fernando Alonso ran the most disciplined strategy of the day, fresh softs during the red flag and a single stop to hards, for ninth on the weekend. Aston Martin debuted Honda’s new-specification power unit without incident. Gasly took the final point in tenth for Alpine, ahead of Tsunoda, Lindblad, Bortoleto, Colapinto, Perez, Sainz, and Albon, who completed 66 of 72 laps but retained his classified 17th. Bottas, Ocon, Stroll, Bearman, and Verstappen made up the retirements. Every one of the ten point-scorers arrived by a distinct route, in a race Pirelli had modeled for a single stop before the rain and the red flag forced most of the field to two or three.

Zandvoort will not get another finish like this. Event director Robert van Overdijk confirmed the race is privately funded and that rotating it with other European venues never worked economically, the reason the organizers ended the agreement after this year. Verstappen rejects the finality of it and says he intends to keep lapping the circuit long after Formula 1 stops coming. On the day itself, he sounded less interested in sentiment than in speed. ‘I think overall we had a disappointing weekend, pace-wise,’ he said. ‘We just couldn’t really fight with the guys ahead. Now I hope we’ll be more competitive at Monza.’

Antonelli left Zandvoort with the wider view a championship leader needs. ‘I’m disappointed to have led so many laps today and not won,’ he said, ‘but P2 was ultimately the maximum we could have done, given that we didn’t have the pace. It’s a great result for the team, with George doing a brilliant job to keep the Ferraris behind.’ Norris, meanwhile, was already looking past the celebration. ‘This fight is still on,’ he told his team over the radio. ‘Just keep bringing upgrades, just keep bringing performance, please.’ Asked about defending his title, he shrugged off the theatrics of it: ‘It sounds boring, but one race at a time. There’s still plenty of things we can do better if we’re going to fight for a championship.’

The whole championship table moved in one afternoon. Antonelli leads on 242, 59 points clear of Russell and Hamilton, who are level on 183 with Russell ahead on countback, two wins to one. Norris rises to fourth on 159, now 83 behind the leader and just ahead of Leclerc on 155; Verstappen holds sixth on 112 despite Sunday’s result, Piastri seventh on 104. Mercedes leads the constructors’ standings on 425, 87 clear of Ferrari’s 338, with McLaren third on 263 and Red Bull fourth on 186.

Twelve rounds complete, the championship moves to Monza for September 4-6, where Pirelli will bring its softest available trio, C3 hard, C4 medium, C5 soft, a deliberate reversal from the middle-range compounds used at Zandvoort. Ferrari’s home race carries stakes beyond sentiment this year. The team is targeting Monza for the second phase of its ADUO engine allowance, a redesigned turbocharger meant to recover the straight-line speed lost when the FIA’s five-second pre-start procedure erased the advantage of its deliberately undersized original unit. Internal simulations project roughly 15 additional horsepower and two tenths a lap, on top of the gain already banked in Austria. Mercedes has already confirmed its own concession at the same race: team principal Toto Wolff announced Antonelli will take a grid penalty of at least ten places at Monza for exceeding his season allocation of power-unit parts, a decision Mercedes chose to absorb at one of the easier circuits on the calendar for overtaking. ‘We need big points,’ Wolff said. ‘Kimi is going to probably lose some in Monza starting in the back, so hopefully we can pocket some here.’ Antonelli has already exhausted his penalty-free allowance; if Mercedes changes multiple components rather than one, he could start from the very back regardless of where he qualifies. Red Bull arrives with more to answer for than any team on the grid. Team principal Laurent Mekies called Zandvoort a step back from the team’s pre-summer-break form, leaving Lawson, a tenth off Verstappen’s qualifying pace in an unfamiliar car, as the one result worth carrying into a circuit that will demand something entirely different from him.

The healthcare sector is becoming more technology-enabled. From artificial intelligence and automation to digitally supported clinical and administrative processes, technology is changing how healthcare organizations operate and how care is supported across borders.

However, technology does not replace the need for people with healthcare expertise. If anything, it makes their expertise even more valuable. This is why the Philippines continues to play an important part in global healthcare operations, with the country serving as one of the world’s leading sources of healthcare professionals, particularly nurses.

For Omega Healthcare, an AI-driven healthcare solutions company that combines advanced automation with deep healthcare expertise, the strength of the Filipino healthcare workforce is one of the reasons we continue to invest in the country. As healthcare organizations adopt new technologies, we see opportunities for Filipino clinicians to apply their expertise beyond traditional settings while supporting healthcare organizations beyond the country. More Than a Talent Pool

What makes Filipino healthcare professionals valuable is not simply the size of the workforce, but the strong clinical foundation they bring to their work. They can understand complex clinical situations, apply sound judgment, and think critically while being able to communicate effectively and adapt to a wide range of processes and environments.

These capabilities allow them to navigate the demands of healthcare operations while maintaining the quality and care expected in the industry. All of these are essential as technology takes on a greater role in healthcare, where tools and systems may support the work, but clinical expertise and human judgment remain at its core.

Investing in Filipino Talent

Seeing the value and potential of Filipino professionals is why we continue to invest in their development. Our approach goes beyond preparing employees for their current roles. We provide role-specific and client training, along with opportunities to build leadership capabilities so they can continue advancing their careers within the organization. Our High Potential program, for example, identifies employees who demonstrate the potential to grow into roles across operations, quality, and training.

The USRN Academy is another example of this investment. It gives qualified PHRNs the opportunity to pursue USRN licensure, followed by clinical capability and client-specific training, allowing them to build on their existing experience and prepare for new opportunities. For us, investing in talent is not simply about building the skills we need today. It is about giving Filipino clinicians opportunities to grow with us and build meaningful careers in healthcare, even beyond the bedside.

Continuous Growth in PH

Our investment in Filipino talent is matched by our continued growth in the country. In 2025, we expanded our Philippine workforce across Manila and Cebu from 2,200 to 3,000 employees, representing a 36% increase. We also opened a new facility in Ortigas to support our growing operations.

We plan to build on this momentum in 2026. We are targeting a workforce of 4,000 to 5,000 employees and broaden our healthcare services and operations. These developments reflect the increasing scale of our work in the country and our confidence in Filipino talent and their capabilities.

As healthcare continues to change, the role of healthcare professionals will change with it. For Filipino clinicians, this can mean more opportunities to apply their clinical expertise in new settings, gain experience with different healthcare systems and standards, and build careers beyond traditional clinical roles. For us, we want to make the most of the talent already here and help Filipino professionals find new ways to contribute to healthcare.

Basketball fans in the Philippines will have the chance to meet two of the sport’s biggest names, as vivo Philippines brings NBA and WNBA legends Jason Kidd and Lauren Jackson to Manila for an exclusive fan meet-and-greet on August 28, 2026.

Set to take place from 5 PM to 6 PM at the vivo Concept Store in SM Megamall Building B, the event will feature on-stage conversations, fan interactions, and an opportunity for selected fans to meet Kidd and Jackson in person.

Only 15 fans will be selected to attend the meet-and-greet, with each selected fan receiving an official photo opportunity and a signed poster. How to join

To get a chance to be part of the event, fans simply need to:

Follow vivo Philippines on Facebook.

Comment ‘vivo Meet and Greet with Jason and Lauren’ on the designated Facebook post

Use the hashtags #vivoxNBA and #vivoX300Ultra

The event will be hosted by KC Montero, who will lead conversations with the two basketball icons and give fans an opportunity to hear about their experiences in the game.

Jackson is a three-time WNBA MVP, two-time WNBA champion, five-time Olympic medalist, FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup champion, and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer. She also made her return to the Paris 2024 Olympics after an eight-year break from basketball.

Kidd, meanwhile, is an NBA champion, 10-time NBA All-Star, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer. A celebrated point guard known for his court vision and playmaking, he later continued his career as an NBA coach.

Bringing the experience closer with the vivo X300 Ultra

The event will also spotlight the vivo X300 Ultra, vivo’s flagship smartphone equipped with Triple ZEISS Master Lenses, including an 85mm ZEISS Gimbal-Grade APO Telephoto Camera.

Designed to bring distant subjects closer, the X300 Ultra’s imaging capabilities make it well-suited for capturing moments from sporting events and other experiences where getting closer to the action isn’t always possible.

For fans who can’t make it to the vivo Concept Store on August 28, the experience will continue online through the vivo Philippines Facebook page on August 29, from 5 PM to 6 PM with the action captured using the vivo X300 Ultra.

Click ‘Going’ on the Facebook Event and turn on notifications to get alerted once the livestream goes LIVE.

Viewers can also join a separate online giveaway by commenting ‘vivo Meet and Greet with Jason and Lauren’ and using #vivoxNBA and #vivoX300Ultra for a chance to win NBA merchandise for free.

The Philippine Embassy in Beijing has advised Filipinos to comply with China’s new immigration regulation, State Council Decree No. 841, which will take effect on September 15, 2026.

In its August 24 advisory, the Embassy stressed that the decree does not abolish existing visa categories or restrict legitimate travel.

Instead, it reinforces requirements that visa purposes must match actual activities, that all documents are authentic, and that invitation letter issuers and visa agencies are legally accountable.

A valid visa will not necessarily guarantee admission, as border authorities retain the power to assess whether a traveler meets China’s entry requirements.

Violations could lead to rejection of applications, denial of entry or exit, fines, or bans lasting several years.

China’s State Council Decree No. 841, formally titled the Regulations of the State Council on Exit and Entry Administration, was approved on June 29 and promulgated on July 22, 2026.

It applies to mainland China’s immigration system only. Hong Kong and Macau maintain their own immigration laws, visa categories, and border-control procedures.

This means the decree governs the mainland side of the journey: entry or exit through a mainland airport or land checkpoint is subject to the new rules, while admission into Hong Kong or Macau is decided under those territories’ separate immigration systems.

The regulation introduces clearer grounds for denying foreign nationals’ entry.

Visa or immigration authorities may bar a person for one to five years if false materials are submitted or false statements are made during a visa application abroad or at a Chinese border checkpoint.

The same maximum applies to foreigners punished for obstructing border administration or penalized for fraudulently obtaining documents or crossing illegally.

One of the most consequential provisions is its link to Beijing’s sanctions and economic-security measures.

Under Decree No. 841, foreigners placed on China’s Countermeasure List, Unreliable Entity List or Malicious Entity List-or otherwise subjected to legally authorized countermeasures-may be denied visas or refused entry when the underlying decision calls for such restrictions.

The official explanation says the rule is intended to strengthen China’s legal response to foreign sanctions, interference and what Beijing describes as ‘long-arm jurisdiction.’

The measure does not automatically bar every employee of a listed company.

Instead, it creates a formal link between sanctions designations and immigration controls, potentially exposing designated individuals and relevant personnel to visa denial, entry bans or other immigration consequences.

Officials and legal experts also emphasize that the decree is an enforcement measure, not a wholesale rewrite of China’s visa categories.

It does not abolish visa-free arrangements, create a universal visa requirement, or automatically bar employees of companies targeted by Chinese measures.

Instead, it gives authorities more explicit grounds to scrutinize and reject applications or deny entry where a traveler’s documents, stated purpose, or immigration history raise concerns.

There are about 12,000 Filipinos living in mainland cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Xiamen, while 140,000 Filipinos reside in Hong Kong and 30,000 in Macau, mostly employed in domestic work, hospitality and construction.

Tourism flows are also significant, with more than 1.19 million Filipino tourists visiting Hong Kong and 1.16 million traveling to Macau in 2024.

The Embassy assured that legitimate travel remains permitted but urged Filipinos to keep their visa category, invitation letters and actual activities consistent, and to consult the Embassy or China’s National Immigration Administration hotline (12367) for guidance.

Neither rain nor disrupted schedules could stop jobseekers from pursuing their next opportunity.

After being rescheduled to August 17-18 due to inclement weather in Metro Manila, the PMAP Mega Job Fair 2026, held in collaboration with SM Job Fair, pushed through at the SM City North EDSA Skydome-connecting jobseekers with employers, career coaches, upskilling opportunities, and employment support services under one roof. The two-day event brought together around 30 employers and hundreds of jobseekers, with several applicants hired on the spot (HOTS).

Held in celebration of the People Management Association of the Philippines’ (PMAP) 70th Anniversary, the career fair carried the theme ‘HumanITy Forward 2026: Empowering Talent in a Digital World,’ putting the spotlight not only on getting Filipinos hired, but also on helping them become better prepared for the changing world of work.

More than getting hired

For Ghie Lara, Chairperson of PMAP’s Employability Committee, the event represented a broader approach to helping Filipinos build sustainable careers. ‘What we have here is not just a job fair but an employability ecosystem which includes our employer partners. This year, we also have the upskilling zone and the career-coaching zone where volunteers can give guidance to our jobseekers. We are here not only to employ but also to upskill.’

That approach complements the continuing evolution of SM Job Fair-bringing employment opportunities closer to communities while creating pathways for jobseekers to develop the skills and confidence they need to compete in today’s workplace.

Showing up for opportunity

For the jobseekers who came despite the weather, the experience was far more personal. Richmond Carl Bello arrived determined to find work and left hired on the spot as Administrative Staff at Readyman.

‘Pumunta po ako ngayon kasi kailangan po talaga ng work. Umulan man o bumagyo, kailangan ng trabaho.’

For Sweet Ehricka Toledo, who was hired on the spot as a Cashier at SM Hypermarket, having the job fair inside the mall made pursuing an opportunity easier despite the conditions outside.

‘Hindi ako mapipigilan ng ulan sa paghahanap ng trabaho. Buti po dito sa SM ang job fair, secured po mula sa panahon at maayos ang lugar.’

Their stories underscore why bringing job fairs into accessible community spaces matters: when opportunities are closer and easier to reach, more Filipinos have the chance to pursue them.

Connecting employers with community talent

The benefits extend to employers looking for skilled people. Jhane Unciano, Administrative Manager of Dewan Architects and Engineers, said the event helped the company build its talent pool as it expands its presence in the Philippines. ‘We are also trying to promote our company’s needs for Architects and Engineers… and we think this partnership with PMAP and SM is helping us tremendously with this.’

Joaquin Feliciano, University Relations Partner and Talent Sourcer at Meralco, likewise noted the turnout despite the weather, citing the collaboration among Quezon City LGU, PMAP and SM as a strength of the event. By bringing employers and jobseekers into the same accessible venue, SM Job Fair helps shorten the distance between available talent and available opportunities.

Making the employment journey easier

Jobseekers were also able to access digital government assistance through eGovPH, helping facilitate requirements such as TIN, Pag-IBIG, and SSS.

Pauline Faye Agtarap, Project Development Officer II of DICT, said the service helps reduce the steps jobseekers need to take as they prepare for employment. ‘Happy po ako kasi natutulungan natin ang mga naghahanap ng trabaho, bawas po sa pag-asikaso nila. It’s a great opportunity to have SM as a partner in promoting the programs of DICT in helping Filipino jobseekers.’

This reflects the broader direction of SM Job Fair: making the journey to employment more convenient-not only by bringing jobs closer, but by connecting Filipinos with skills development and essential support services along the way.

Opportunities closer to home

The PMAP Mega Job Fair is part of SM Supermalls’ continuing nationwide employment advocacy, bringing together employers, government and industry partners to make career opportunities more accessible to different communities. From a jobseeker braving bad weather for an interview to an applicant walking out with a new job, the impact ultimately comes down to individual lives moving forward.

Because sometimes, the distance between looking for an opportunity and finding one can be as simple as having the right people, support, and opportunities within reach.

More SM Job Fairs ahead

Following the successful PMAP Mega Job Fair, SM Job Fair continues to bring employment opportunities closer to communities through a nationwide lineup of hiring events:

August 25 – SM City Davao I SM City Tuguegarao

August 26 – SM City Fairview I SM City Cabanatuan

August 27 – SM City Pampanga I SM City Bacoor I SM City Trece Martires I SM Center Muntinlupa

August 29 – SM City Baguio

August 31 – SM Center San Pedro

September 1 – SM City Sto. Tomas

September 3 – SM City Manila

September 4 – SM City Sta. Mesa

September 7-8 – SM City Butuan

September 8-9 – SM City Iloilo I SM City Davao

September 9 – SM City Baguio

September 9-10 – SM City Cebu I SM CDO Downtown Premier

September 10 – SM City Trece Martires I SM City Tuguegarao I SM City North EDSA I SM City Zamboanga

September 12 – SM City La Union I SM City San Pablo

September 14 – SM CDO Downtown Premier

September 16-17 – SM Seaside City Cebu

September 24 – SM City Trece Martires I SM City Calamba

September 29 – SM City Bacoor

Schedules and participating malls may change without prior notice.

Each event provides jobseekers with direct access to employers from various industries, allowing them to explore career opportunities, submit applications, and participate in on-the-spot interviews-all in one convenient and accessible location.

The Golden Icons Foundation, Inc., in collaboration with the Jaffer Family Foundation, continues to turn its commitment to social impact into tangible opportunities for communities through a comprehensive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative focused on livelihood, education, mobility, and community empowerment.

The initiative brought meaningful assistance to members of the Indigenous community in Sibagat, Agusan del Sur, through the Vehicle Turnover Ceremony, marking the donation of a Tuk-Tuk vehicle and motorcycles intended to support sustainable livelihood and educational transportation. More than providing transportation, the vehicles are envisioned as practical tools for creating greater mobility, access, and economic opportunity for the community. They can help residents reach schools, workplaces, markets, training opportunities, and essential services-addressing one of the barriers that communities in geographically isolated areas often face.

As part of the same initiative, the Golden Icons Foundation also turned over 11 sewing machines to members of the Sibagat community.

The sewing machines are intended to provide individuals with opportunities to develop practical skills, generate income, and build sustainable sources of livelihood.

Through skills-based assistance, the Foundation hopes to move beyond short-term relief and help families develop the capacity to become more self-reliant and economically empowered.

The initiative reflects the Foundation’s belief that meaningful development is not only about providing immediate assistance, but also about providing people with the tools, skills, and opportunities to build a better future.

Education remains at the heart of the Golden Icons Foundation’s advocacy.

In July, 17 scholars received their monthly educational allowance as part of the Foundation’s commitment to provide 10 months of continuous educational support.

The scholars come from communities in Bukidnon, Davao, Agusan del Norte, and Agusan del Sur and receive comprehensive assistance designed to help remove some of the financial barriers that can prevent students from continuing their education.

Depending on their individual needs, the educational assistance includes:

Boarding or rental support

Transportation assistance

School uniforms

Food and meal allowance

Monthly educational allowance

Other essential educational needs

For many of these students, the assistance represents more than financial support. It provides them with the opportunity to stay in school, continue their education, and pursue aspirations that may otherwise be beyond their family’s financial capacity.

The Foundation also allocated support for a training facility, further strengthening its commitment to skills development and community empowerment.

The facility is envisioned as a space where community members can gain practical knowledge and develop skills that may lead to employment, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

This approach reflects the Foundation’s broader philosophy:

Empower people not only by giving assistance, but by giving them the tools and opportunities to create their own future.

The realization of these initiatives was made possible through the generous support of the Jaffer Family Foundation, whose commitment to community development and belief in the advocacy of the Golden Icons Foundation helped transform these programs into tangible assistance for communities and students.

The partnership demonstrates the power of collaboration in creating sustainable social impact.

For the Golden Icons Foundation, the goal is not simply to provide donations. It is to create a continuum of opportunity-from education and skills development to livelihood and community empowerment.

Through this collaboration, a vehicle can become a means of mobility and livelihood. A sewing machine can become a source of income. A training facility can become a place where new skills are developed. And an educational allowance can become the reason a student is able to remain in school.

These individual forms of assistance contribute to one larger objective: creating opportunities that can change the trajectory of families and communities.

The initiatives form part of the Golden Icons Foundation’s continuing commitment to its mission:

‘Empowering Children. Developing Skills. Creating Future Icons.’

The Foundation believes that every child and every community has the potential to thrive when given access to opportunity, education, skills, and meaningful support.

Through partnerships such as this, the Foundation aims to create programs that do not end with a single donation or ceremony, but continue to generate impact long after the assistance has been delivered.