NBA Store Philippines Celebrates 10 Years of NBA Cares by Supporting Filipino Education Initiative

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The three NBA Stores in the Philippines, which are managed by International Athletic Trading Company, Inc. (IATC), announced today the launch of a retail promotion to support Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. (KCFI) in providing more Filipinos with access to quality education.

To commemorate the 10-year anniversary of NBA Cares, the league’s global social responsibility program, all three NBA Stores in the Philippines will donate a portion of NBA Name & Number T-shirt sale proceeds from Aug. 10 to Sept. 13 to KCFI. Proceeds from this initiative will fund the foundation’s education program focused on providing multimedia learning resources for students in grades K-12 and training teachers from public schools in the National Capital Region of Luzon.

“As an organization, we are aware of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and how achieving inclusive and quality education is a global priority,” said IATC President and CEO Melvin Lloyd Lim. “We value this opportunity to work with Knowledge Channel Foundation and look forward to bringing this program to life as our own way of giving back to the Philippine education system.”

“We want to provide the Filipino children with multimedia learning resources that provide an enriching academic journey,” said Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. President Rina Lopez Bautista. “Given the popularity of the NBA in the Philippines, we are excited to see how this initiative will enable more people to contribute to our mission of uplifting the lives of fellow Filipinos from poverty through education.”

KCFI is a not-for-profit organization helping empower Filipinos through educational media for the past 17 years. Knowledge Channel’s on-air, online and on-demand educational videos and other multimedia learning resources are accessible to more than 5 million learners in both formal and alternative learning systems in an estimated 6,000 schools and learning centers nationwide. In addition, KCFI is immersed in training teachers and stakeholders who implement the KCFI educational program in the Philippines.

NBA Name & Number T-shirts are part of the comprehensive selection of authentic NBA merchandise available at all three NBA Stores in the Philippines, which also offer official jerseys, footwear, performance gear, lifestyle apparel, basketballs, toys and collectibles. The NBA Stores at Glorietta 3, Mega Fashion Hall and TriNoma carry products from all 30 NBA teams, and feature brands such as 2K Sports, adidas, Mitchell & Ness, New Era, Panini, Spalding, Stance, and many more.

For more information on Knowledge Channel Foundation, visit www.kchonline.ph and follow the official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/knowledgechannel). For all the latest news and updates on the NBA Stores in the Philippines and the NBA, visitwww.nba.com and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/philsnba), Twitter (www.twitter.com/nba_philippines) and Instagram (@nbastoreph).

Hontiveros: Imprisonment Awaits Hospitals Violating Anti-Hospital Deposit Law

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros is pushing for a 4-6 year imprisonment for hospital administrators and officials who are guilty of violating the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law.

Hontiveros, who is the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, filed Senate Bill No. 216 that seeks to amend the existing Anti-Hospital Deposit Law and impose stricter penalties.

"Emergency-case patients are in life-and-death situations", Hontiveros explained. "The state must do its best to provide hospital and medical services to the people. The government must guarantee that they will not be denied hospital treatment just because they cannot give an advance payment," Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros' bill proposes a 4-6 year imprisonment for erring hospital administrators and officials who demand any deposit or other form of advance payment, as a prerequisite for admission or medical treatment of an emergency patient. In addition, from the current PhP 100,000, Hontiveros' bill seeks to raise the maximum penalty to PhP 1,000,000.

The Senator explained that harsher penalties will ensure compliance, especially if it includes eventual revocation of hospitals' licenses to operate. “Upon three (3) repeated violations committed pursuant to an established policy of the hospital or clinic or upon instruction of its management, the health facility’s license to operate shall be revoked by the Department of Health”, includes the bill filed by Hontiveros.

However, Hontiveros was quick to say that her bill provides tax deduction for hospitals that will admit indigent or poor patients in cases of emergency. "I am confident that majority of our hospitals are compliant with the law. We will make sure that their efforts in partnership with government hospitals to help close the public health care gap are duly recognized," she said.

Early this year, University of Santo Tomas (UST) Hospital came under fire when Andrew Pelayo took to social media to air his grievance regarding his wife’s miscarriage due to the hospital’s refusal to provide treatment before any deposit was made.

"Kahit saan natin tignan, mas mahalaga ang buhay ng tao kaysa anumang deposito. Ang deposito ay mababayaran. Ang buhay na nawala ay hindi maibabalik o matatawaran," Hontiveros concluded.

Home Credit and Samsung Bring Back its Samsung Galaxy J Series Promo

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Due to popular demand, Home Credit Philippines and Samsung Philippines have decided to bring back the Samsung Galaxy J Series Promo where consumers can get a hold of the latest Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 and J7 2016 at 0% interest from August 5 to September 4, 2016.

Home Credit Philippines is a consumer financing company that offers easy, simple, and fast loan installment plans to Filipinos. The company only requires two valid IDs and an initial cash-out for the loan application. The approval process can take as little as 15 minutes, after which the consumers can take their Samsung J Series phones home.

"Our first 0% promo with Samsung for the J Series smartphones last summer was a huge success, and there is demand from customers even after the promo was over,” remarked Home Credit Philippines’ Head of Sales, Adam Bernasek. “So it was a very easy decision for us to bring back the promo with Samsung, and help more people get their hands on the amazing J Series phones.”

Customers may avail of the Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 for as low as ₱1,199 per month, or the Samsung Galaxy J7 2016 at ₱1,499 on instalment-basis for 6 months, through any of Home Credit’s retail partners.

The all-new Samsung Galaxy J5 and J7 2016 both feature 48GB memory, which can store thousands of selfies. At the same time, both units feature two new technologies, Signal Max and Ultra Data Saving, both first launched in the Philippines through the J5 and J7 2016. Signal Max provides for wider signal coverage and enhanced call quality. While its Ultra Data Saving feature enables consumers to save up to 50% on their mobile data consumption. Imagine how many more additional hours of internet browsing, video and music streaming, and photo uploads you can do with these savings. They also feature HD Super AMOLED displays, for true-to-life colors and clearer and deeper images. They even have improved cameras, with a 13MP back and 5MP front camera, f/1.9 aperture and LED front flash, both units produce high-quality pictures even in low-light conditions. They also come with 3,100 mAh and 3,300 mAh, for J5 and J7 2016 respectively. On top of these, they also feature Ultra Power Saving to help extend battery life, as well LTE Dual SIM, for added convenience.

"We are happy to be providing Filipinos the option to purchase the gadgets, appliances, and electronics they need via affordable loan installments, allowing them to manage their finances better. And we are very fortunate to have partners like Samsung who share the same vision," said Bernasek.

For more information, please visit www.homecredit.ph.