From Barangay Courts to Battlegrounds: OPPO and MLBB Drive Local Esports in Pampanga and Bulacan

 

OPPO Philippines and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) brought esports closer to communities through the OPPO x MLBB Barangay Caravan, turning barangay courts in Bulacan and Pampanga into lively gaming hubs. The multi-leg tour featured 5v5 MLBB tournaments, community activities, and hands-on OPPO smartphone experiences, making competitive gaming more accessible to Filipino youth.

The caravan drew young gamers, local teams, and MLBB fans for action-packed matches and on-ground engagement, supporting grassroots esports and connecting with Gen Z players where they play.

OPPO co-presented select legs and led the official 5v5 tournaments in Brgy. Bagong Barrio and Brgy. Barrio in Pandi, Bulacan, Brgy. Cuayan and Brgy. Sto. Domingo in Angeles, Pampanga. Winning teams received OPPO A3x smartphones, while each barangay’s MVP took home an all-new OPPO A6 Pro.

In other stops, such as in Brgy. Cacarong Bata in Pandi, Bulacan, and Brgy. Panginay Cuayan and Brgy. Cuayan in Angeles, Pampanga, OPPO joined as a major sponsor, supporting the tournament atmosphere and on-site activities.

Beyond the matches, the event also featured fun booth activations, giveaways, and the OPPO Legends Henyo segment, where standout participants won prizes for their MLBB game knowledge.

To know more about OPPO’s partnership with MLBB, visit the OPPO Philippines’ official website at www.oppo.com/ph, or its official social media pages on Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

HONOR X9d 5G Records All-Time High Demand During Pre-Order Period

Leading global AI smart devices provider HONOR Philippines is widely known for its viral X9 series, and the newest HONOR X9d 5G might just be the most successful release in the series so far. Still in its pre-order period, the HONOR X9d 5G has already reached an all-time high in nationwide demand. With a chance to win a Tesla Cybertruck worth 17 million pesos, secure your HONOR X9d 5G now at any HONOR Experience and Partner Store or online via leading e-commerce platforms.

 

“We must admit that we were unsure whether the HONOR X9d 5G could live up to the success of its franchise, but seeing the reception and the overwhelming pre-order turnout, we cannot thank our HONOR fans enough. One buyer even pre-ordered 50 units. That says a lot,” said HONOR Philippines Vice President Stephen Cheng.

 

Win a Tesla Cybertruck!

With an introductory price of Php 17,999, the HONOR X9d 5G pre-order runs until January 23, giving customers a chance to win a Tesla Cybertruck worth 17 million pesos. What are you waiting for? Head to any HONOR Experience or Partner Store, or shop online via Lazada (https://bit.ly/Laz_X9d_PR), Shopee (https://bit.ly/Shop_X9d_Media), or TikTok Shop (https://bit.ly/TikTok_X9d_Media).

 

With Home Credit, you can get the HONOR X9d 5G for as low as Php 24 per day with an additional Php 1,000 discount, payable for up to 18 months. The promo runs until February 15, 2026. Apply here: https://bit.ly/HomeCredit_X9d_FB.

 

Industry-Largest Battery Life with SuperCharge  

Equipped with an ultra-large 8300mAh Silicon-carbon Battery, the HONOR X9d 5G revolutionizes mobile phone batteries to enter the 8 Era, providing the biggest battery life and capacity available in the market today, while with self-developed anti-aging algorithm for battery, the device has 6 years Ultra Durable. As a result, users can feel free to use it throughout three days and say goodbye to the powerbank completely. The test data shows that the device can stand up to 52.5 hours of music streaming, 23.8 hours of online video playback, 16.8 hours of gaming and 12.3 hours of video chat on a single charge. With multi-point temperature monitoring, the battery performs well in temperatures from -30°C to 55°C, which allows it to work perfectly in various harsh conditions. Additionally, the Ultra Power Saving Mode enables the device to maintain continuous calls for up to 60 minutes when the battery drops to 2%, while the 66W wired HONOR SuperCharge can rapidly revive the battery for extended usage.

 

For more exciting announcements, visit HONOR’s website www.hihonor.com, and follow HONOR Philippines on Facebook (Facebook.com/HonorPhilippines), Instagram (Instagram.com/honorph/) and TikTok: (Tiktok.com/@honorphilippines) for exclusive teasers, launch updates, and big reveal.

 

About HONOR
HONOR is a leading global provider of smart devices. It is dedicated to becoming a global iconic technology brand and creating a new intelligent world for everyone through its powerful products and services. With an unwavering focus on R&D, it is committed to developing technology that empowers people around the globe to go beyond, giving them the freedom to achieve and do more. Offering a range of high-quality smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearables to suit every budget, HONOR’s portfolio of innovative, premium and reliable products enable people to become a better version of themselves.

The Medical Wellness Association Declares 2026 as “The Year of the Sardine”

 

The Medical Wellness Association (MWA), in its mission to improve wellness of the World’s consumers, has declared 2026 as “The Year of the Sardine”. The aim is to educate and inspire consumers across the globe on the wellness benefits of eating real, nutritionally dense foods--with sardines being one of the optimal and most affordable choices available. 

“Given the consistent worsening of wellness metrics across most of the developed world, it is clear the wellness community needs to course-correct its recommendations to the public.  Metabolic Health is rapidly being revealed in research as an underlying key to wellness, from preventing classic metabolic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver, to cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and even kidney and liver dysfunction”, says Dr. Christopher Breuleux, President of the USA based MWA.

According to MWA Board Member and Faculty Member, James Michael Laffety, “sardines represent one of the stronger options to combat metabolic disease. By consisting of proteins and Omega 3 fats and loaded with a high density of essential vitamins and minerals; coupled with being one of the most cost-effective proteins available, it really is a ‘superfood’.  We believe declaring 2026 as the year of the sardine, is a simple and clear call to action consumers can easily act upon.”

He added that sardines have been garnering heavy press recently, with leading physicians and wellness gurus from around the world promoting concepts such as “the 3 day sardine fast” across social media from Instagram to X. Sardines have been featured on globally leading podcasts, and as the world shifts its focus to metabolic health, it would seem this trend will only increase.

“Globally, in recent years the sardines’ market has increased at an annual rate of +7.5%, pre-dating the increased focus on metabolic health. The MWA forecasts annual growth to become double-digit, or 10%+ from 2026 onward, given increased education and awareness, and the recent changes to the US Food Pyramid as deployed last week. And this is a good harbinger for improved wellness across the world,” shared Mr. Lafferty.

Because of the health and wellness benefits, MWA has been active at reviewing the sardine category for several years. In mid-2025, after a review of sardine brands, they awarded the prestigious “Superfood” seal to Mega Sardines, a Filipino brand, based on the purity of their fishing waters in the South Pacific, coupled with Mega’s unique “Catch to can in 12 hours” vertically integrated production process, which ensures unsurpassed freshness for a canned sardine.

Mega Prime Foods, Inc. is a 50-year-old company that embraces the Filipino concept of “Malasakit”, which means “Giving to society without any expectation of payment in return”. As the company has embraced this philosophy and has seized on the MWA seal to drive the category, they have emerged as the leader driving knowledge, education, and awareness across the globe.

The company is actively developing a battery of clinical studies, underwritten by major universities, to expand the range of knowledge on food choices and impact on metabolic health. Ms. Michelle Tiu Lim Chan, CEO of Mega Prime Foods, sums it up best: “It all starts with our cultural value of Malasakit, and we are proud to be serving consumers in the Philippines and around the globe, high quality and high value foods that improve their health. We see the “Superfood” seal from the MWA, and being the sole brand in the world to earn this, as the culmination of our commitment to our consumers for the past 50 years. My father and mother started this mission, and it is my honor to continue it for another 50 years and beyond.” 

Sun Life donates CAD 150,000 for Cebu earthquake, Typhoons Tino and Uwan relief efforts

Reaffirming its commitment to extending aid in times of crisis, Sun Life has donated CAD 150,000 (PHP 6.3M) to communities devastated by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Central Visayas, and the destructive impact of Typhoon Tino and Super Typhoon Uwan.

CAD 50,000 (PHP 2.1M) will be allocated to restoring safe, inclusive, and continuous learning for 500 schoolchildren affected by earthquake in Cebu. With Save the Children Philippines as the implementing partner, the funding will provide modular temporary learning spaces that are child-friendly and accessible to learners with disabilities, alongside clean water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, emergency power stations, and internet connection. Complementary interventions, such as learning continuity kits with essential educational and psychosocial support materials, and emergency communication lines, will also be given.

Sun Life likewise aided response through World Vision Philippines, where CAD 50,000 (PHP 2.1M) was used to provide 350 families with emergency relief packs containing hygiene kits, non-food items such as blankets, mosquito nets, and lamps, and learner kits for children. Another CAD 50,000 (PHP 2.1M) went to typhoon relief efforts in Pangasinan, where 350 families received emergency relief packs to help them recover from Typhoon Tino and Super Typhoon Uwan’s impact.

Meanwhile, Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc. (Sun Life Foundation), the philanthropic arm of Sun Life Philippines, also responded to recent natural calamities through its partnership with ABS-CBN Foundation. Food packs were distributed to 600 families affected by the Cebu earthquake and 585 families in Masbate recovering from the effects of Typhoon Opong.

The Philippines ranks as one of the most disaster-prone countries, situated within the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiencing on average 20 typhoons annually.

“More than our way of supporting communities, this donation symbolizes our firm commitment to standing with our fellow Filipinos during their most vulnerable moments,” said Benedict Sison, CEO and Country Head of Sun Life Philippines. “As a partner to Filipinos, we aim to help rebuild lives and restore hope for a brighter future.”

#

About Sun Life

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of September 30, 2025, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1.62 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

All figures in Canadian dollars

What Can You Do with HONOR X9d 5G’s Industry-Largest 8300mAh Battery

  

Leading global AI smart devices provider HONOR Philippines has once again stolen the spotlight with the explosive launch of the HONOR X9d 5G. HONOR’s newest smartphone is not only the toughest—it also features the industry’s largest 8,300mAh battery, allowing you to do more and be more. For only Php 17,999, get yours now during the pre-order period for a chance to win a Tesla Cybertruck.

 

“No power bank? No problem. The HONOR X9d 5G offers the industry’s largest battery capacity at 8,300mAh. You can go for days without charging—and not just that. You can even use it for reverse charging to power up your other devices, such as earbuds and extra phones,” said HONOR Philippines Vice President Stephen Cheng.

 

Industry-Largest Battery Life with SuperCharge  

Equipped with an ultra-large 8300mAh Silicon-carbon Battery, the HONOR X9d 5G revolutionizes mobile phone batteries to enter the 8 Era, providing the biggest battery life and capacity available in the market today, while with self-developed anti-aging algorithm for battery, the device has 6 years Ultra Durable. As a result, users can feel free to use it throughout three days and say goodbye to the powerbank completely. The test data shows that the device can stand up to 52.5 hours of music streaming, 23.8 hours of online video playback, 16.8 hours of gaming and 12.3 hours of video chat on a single charge. With multi-point temperature monitoring, the battery performs well in temperatures from -30°C to 55°C, which allows it to work perfectly in various harsh conditions. Additionally, the Ultra Power Saving Mode enables the device to maintain continuous calls for up to 60 minutes when the battery drops to 2%, while the 66W wired HONOR SuperCharge can rapidly revive the battery for extended usage.

 

Pricing and Availability

Catering to users’ diverse style preferences, the HONOR X9d 5G is available in three captivating colorways: Reddish Brown, Sunrise Gold, and Midnight Black.

 

With an introductory price of Php 17,999, HONOR X9d 5G pre-order starts from January 9 to 23 where you can get a chance to win a Tesla Cybertruck. What are you waiting for? Run to any HONOR Experience and Partner Store or online via Lazada (https://bit.ly/Laz_X9d_PR), Shopee (https://bit.ly/Shop_X9d_Media) or TikTok Shop (https://bit.ly/TikTok_X9d_Media).

 

For more exciting announcements, visit HONOR’s website www.hihonor.com, and follow HONOR Philippines on Facebook (Facebook.com/HonorPhilippines), Instagram (Instagram.com/honorph/) and TikTok: (Tiktok.com/@honorphilippines) for exclusive teasers, launch updates, and big reveal.

 

About HONOR

HONOR is a leading global provider of smart devices. It is dedicated to becoming a global iconic technology brand and creating a new intelligent world for everyone through its powerful products and services. With an unwavering focus on R&D, it is committed to developing technology that empowers people around the globe to go beyond, giving them the freedom to achieve and do more. Offering a range of high-quality smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearables to suit every budget, HONOR’s portfolio of innovative, premium and reliable products enable people to become a better version of themselves.

Lenovo CIO Playbook 2026: 96% of ASEAN+ Enterprises to Boost AI Investment by 15% in 2026

(L-R) Nigel Lee, General Manager, Lenovo Singapore 

⁠Sumir Bhatia, President, Infrastructure Solutions Group Asia Pacific, Lenovo

Fan Ho, Executive Director and General Manager, Solutions and Services Group Asia Pacific Lenovo

Scott Tease, Vice President and General Manager, Enterprise Product Line, Lenovo

⁠Rakshit Ghura, Vice President and General Manager, Digital Workforce Solution, Lenovo

Enterprises across Asia Pacific are accelerating their shift from AI experimentation to execution, with 96% of organizations planning to increase AI investments over the next 12 months, according to the 4th edition of the Lenovo CIO Playbook 2026 - The Race for Enterprise AI, commissioned by Lenovo with insights from IDC. On average, organizations expect AI spending to grow by 15%, spanning GenAI and Agentic AI, public cloud AI services, on-prem AI infrastructure, and AI security tools.

 

ASEAN+ mirrors this momentum, with 96% of organizations also planning to increase AI investments, reinforcing AI’s role as a core driver of enterprise growth and competitiveness across the region.

 

“When 96% of organizations are planning a 15% on average increase in AI investment, it tells us that AI decisions are now being made at the core of enterprise strategy,” said Sumir Bhatia, President, Asia Pacific, ISG, Lenovo. “The differentiator will be how effectively organizations integrate AI, embedding it into infrastructure, operations, and security so value compounds over time.”

 

As AI becomes increasingly embedded into enterprise strategy, driving revenue growth, improving profitability, and enhancing business & customer experience have emerged as the top three business priorities for CIOs in Asia Pacific.

 

From ROI Validation to Outcomes-Led AI

Building on last year’s AI-nomics focus on validating returns and business cases, the 2026 Playbook highlights a decisive shift toward outcomes-led AI adoption. CIOs remain confident in AI’s value, but are applying greater rigor to ensure investments translate into sustained impact.

 

88% of AP organizations expect a positive ROI from AI in 2026, with an average anticipated return of 2.8x (US$2.85 for every US$1 invested). Yet, scaling AI beyond pilots remains a key challenge, reinforcing the importance of governance, operating models, and lifecycle management.

 

AI Adoption Expands Beyond IT

AI adoption across Asia Pacific continues to accelerate and is no longer confined to IT. 66% of organizations are already piloting or systematically adopting AI, while 15% remain in early stages and 19% are considering adoption.

 

ASEAN+ reflects a similar pattern, with 67% piloting or systematically adopting AI, 15% in early stages, and 18% evaluating adoption.

 

AI is increasingly being deployed across customer service, marketing, operations, finance, and industry-specific lines of business, reshaping how enterprises operate and compete. Notably, half of surveyed organizations report that non-IT departments are now funding AI initiatives, elevating the CIO’s role as an enterprise-wide orchestrator.

 

Agentic AI Emerges as the Next Enterprise Opportunity

Interest in Agentic AI is expected to double over the next 12 months. Today, 21% of Asia Pacific organizations report significant usage, while nearly 60% are exploring or planning limited deployments, particularly across telecommunications, healthcare, and government, where operational complexity and scale are highest.

 

Despite growing interest, readiness remains uneven. Only 10% of organizations consider themselves ready for scaled Agentic AI implementation, with 41% requiring more than 12 months to meaningfully scale. Security, governance, data quality, and integration complexity remain key barriers.

 

“Agentic AI represents a fundamental shift in how intelligence is embedded into the enterprise,” said Fan Ho, ED & GM, Asia Pacific, Solutions & Services Group, Lenovo. “With nearly 60% of organizations already exploring Agentic AI and the majority are choosing a measured path to scale, it reflects that enterprises want AI that operates within core workflows, meets security and governance expectations, and delivers consistent outcomes.”

 

Hybrid AI Becomes the Default Enterprise Architecture

As AI workloads scale, infrastructure strategy is emerging as a defining CIO decision. The Playbook finds that 86% of organizations across Asia Pacific now incorporate on-premises or edge environments as part of hybrid AI architectures, effectively making hybrid AI the default model for enterprise AI deployments.

 

In ASEAN+, 81% of organizations prefer hybrid AI architectures, combining on-prem and edge environments to balance performance, security, and regulatory requirements. Key drivers include data privacy, advanced security needs, and the ability to optimize latency and cost as enterprises increasingly manage large-scale inferencing and mission-critical workloads.

 

CIO Imperatives for 2026

The Lenovo CIO Playbook 2026 highlights three priorities shaping the year ahead:

 

1. AI inferencing becomes the value engine – Over a model’s lifecycle, inferencing costs can be up to 15 times higher than training. By 2030, 75% of AI compute will be dedicated to inferencing, with 80% of enterprises relying on distributed edge infrastructure.

2. Employee productivity rises as a strategic priority – Deploying AI devices to enhance productivity & local inferencing has climbed to the #2 IT Investment priority, alongside growing adoption of AI PCs, with 50% of enterprise PC purchases expected to shift to models with on-device AI agents.

3. Scaling AI remains the defining challenge – While 88% of organizations expect positive ROI, only around half of AI proof-of-concepts reach production, making scale - not ambition - the critical gap.

 

For more information: Download the Lenovo AP CIO Playbook 2026

 

 

About Lenovo

Lenovo is a US$69 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #196 in the Fortune Global 500, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver Smarter Technology for All, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company with a full-stack portfolio of AI-enabled, AI-ready, and AI-optimized devices (PCs, workstations, smartphones, tablets), infrastructure (server, storage, edge, high performance computing and software defined infrastructure), software, solutions, and services. Lenovo’s continued investment in world-changing innovation is building a more equitable, trustworthy, and smarter future for everyone, everywhere. Lenovo is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange under Lenovo Group Limited (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY). To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

Make 2026 Yours: Claim the Year of New Possibilities with Galaxy AI

It is time to make 2026 yours and step into the New You. Leave behind the endless scrolls, information overload, and distractions that weighed you down, Galaxy devices powered by Galaxy AI help you reclaim focus, creativity, and time. AI curates the content that matters most, boosts your productivity, and frees up space for what truly counts—your goals, passions, wellness, and loved ones.

 

Discover how Galaxy devices powered by Galaxy AI personalize your 2026, helping you step purposefully into the new you and be mindful in 2026.

 

Unfold Your Potential. Flip Into the New You with Galaxy Z Series

Own 2026 with style, creativity, and confidence. With Galaxy AI at its core, every fold and flip helps you start to live your most empowered year yet.

 

The Galaxy Z Fold7, Samsung’s lightest and thinnest Galaxy Fold yet, features a large main display that makes multitasking effortless, letting you run apps side by side like a portable workstation. The Galaxy Z Flip7, with its long-lasting 4,300mAh battery, keeps you moving all day, thoughtfully supported by personalized information from the Now Brief app, which shares essential updates such as weather and health, and the innovative Now Bar, which keeps you informed about the apps and tools you use most. Together, they let you take on every challenge with confidence, style, and flexibility.

 

Powered by Galaxy AI, both devices feature multimodal AI that understands what you see, say, and do. Seamlessly type or speak contextual questions to get instant answers, or use screen or camera sharing on Gemini Live to show what is in front of you and get insights in real time—a faster, smarter way to learn, create, and explore more opportunities this year.

 

Compact yet powerful, the Galaxy Z Flip7 FE features a 6.7-inch immersive display for streaming, creating, and connecting. With Galaxy AI guiding every interaction, it helps you flip into your most productive, creative, and confident self in 2026, turning every moment into a chance to grow, achieve, and shine.

 

Elevate Every Day with the Galaxy S Series

Turn every moment into an opportunity to create, connect, and shine. With Galaxy AI at its core, the Galaxy S Series elevates how you create, communicate, and get things done, helping you start the year smarter, faster, and more inspired in your “New Year, New Me” journey.

 

Make every bit of 2026 glow with the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Featuring a 200 MP camera powered by Galaxy AI’s ProVisual Engine, it captures every detail, vibrant color, and rich texture, giving you a sharp and vivid glimpse of the new you. Along the way, discover more with Circle to Search with Google: just draw a circle around any object or text and get instant results in a floating view.

More than just a powerful processor and optimized battery, the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus help you capture vibrant photos and videos with enhanced Nightography, leveraging an advanced Spatio-Temporal Filter that analyzes pixel data across multiple frames. It separates the subject from the background, perfect for your new adventures and experiences.

 

There is no obstacle to improving your creativity with the Galaxy S25 FE. Featuring a refined Galaxy AI model and advanced prompt processing like Generative Edit, it allows you to remove unwanted objects and related elements, adjust angles, and naturally fill in backgrounds, resulting in polished, professional-quality photos. Just like you, it is ready to explore, conquer, and grow this year, turning every memory into a standout.

 

Blast Off into 2026: Elevate Your Galaxy Experience

2026 is your year to claim, create, and elevate. With Samsung Galaxy AI powering the Z and S Series, every device is your partner in making smarter choices because with Galaxy, the new you begins now.

 

Celebrate the new year with up to P10,000 in savings with the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Flip7, and P4,000 off the Galaxy Flip7 FE until February 28, 2026.  Be in style and power with the Galaxy S25 series and enjoy up to P3,000 off until February 28, 2026 and with flexible payment options for up to 36 months, starting at P866/month for Galaxy S25 FE.

 

You can also get up to 30% off Galaxy Watch and Buds worth up to P12,000, perfect for staying connected, active, and fully immersed in your Galaxy-powered year and have additional discounts with trade-in until January 31, 2026.

 

DTI Permit Nos. FTEB -245565, 245575, 245573, and 243999

 

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, home appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions, and delivering a seamless
connected experience through its SmartThings ecosystem and open collaboration with partners. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.