Ms sect d 20161225 sunday

D1

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

Roger Garcia, Issue Editor

LGUs

Local Gov’t Units

mslocalgov@gmail.com

TUBA EYES 50-HECTARE LOT FOR PEZA EXPANSION

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'ANG PAO' AVAILABLE. A vendor spreads out her stock of 'ang pao' at a roadside market on Monday at the height of the Christmas shopping rush. These red envelopes, also called 'lai see' in Cantonese or 'hong bao' in Mandarin, are used to give monetary gifts during Christmas, New Year and special occasions such as weddings, graduations and birthdays. Ey Acasio

ONE MILLIONTH TREE PLANTED AT CAGAYAN WILDLIFE CENTER T

By Brenda Jocson

UGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan—Australian miner OceanaGold planted its one millionth tree in the Philippines in a wildlife rescue and reservation center here in its effort to fight climate change.

Through its local firm OceanaGold (Philippines) Inc., the Aussie mining firm planted a “mayapis” (Shorea palosapis) tree at RBB Nature Park and Wildlife Center, named in memory of dedicated forester Rogelio B. Baggayan, at the Cagayan Valley Regional Center here.

Regional Directors Wilfredo Malvar of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Mario Ancheta of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and Cesar Siador of the Environmental Management Bureau participated in the ceremony.

OGPI environment manager Jason Magdaong said the tree, which belongs to the Philippine mahogany group and is popular for making furniture, is one of the common dominant tree species found in OceanaGold’s Didipio Mine village in Kasibu town in Nueva Vizcaya.

“The one millionth tree is a milestone in our mining forest program, as we support the National Greening Program of the government,” Magdaong said.

He said this milestone would not have been possible without the support of the firm’s partners and stakeholders, not only in the industry but as environment stewards.

David Way, OGPI general manager, said they started their reforestation efforts since 2013. In the three years as an active partner of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, “we are now at this juncture.”

“Our target is to plant two million trees in a period of 10 years, which is still a lot to be accomplished,” Way said, adding that in just three years the firm exceeded its target by planting their one millionth tree.

“This means that we are ahead of our target and will be able to plant more than our two million target,” he added.

Way said planting a tree is not an easy feat, and it takes determination and dedication to be able to do the tremendous job at OceanaGold, which requires vigilance as responsible miners.

“We may not be able to stop or mitigate climate change overnight but the important thing is we are aware of what we need to do. Our little efforts taken collectively and combined will make a huge impact. Because we care, we care for the environment not only for the generation today but more so for the generations tomorrow,” Way said.

BEMAC, PUERTO PRINCESA TO PILOT ELECTRIC TRICYCLES

TACLOBAN'S TREE. This special Christmas tree, which changes colors per a software program, stands in the middle of a plaza in Tacloban City, a symbol of its recovery from the destruction of Typhoon 'Yolanda' three years ago. Mel Caspe

BEMAC Electric Transportation Philippines Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding with the City Government of Puerto Princesa for a pilot operation of two electric tricycles within the city.

BEMAC is giving the e-Trikes to Puerto Princesa for free and shall operate them until the end of 2016. Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron signed the MOU with Yvonne Palomar-Castro, Bemac Electric Transportation Philippines vice president for Sales, Marketing and After Sales.

Puerto Princesa has a history of undertaking projects to promote environmental sustainability and preservation. The United Nations declared the city as a “Biospheric Reserve,” and is acknowledged to be the country’s last ecological frontier.

As early as 2010, Puerto Princesa has been in the vanguard of local government units spearheading the use of electric vehicles, with the deployment of electric jeepneys or e-Jeeps. Six years later, the city

continues its initiatives through this collaborative project with BEMAC. The e-Trike BEMAC model 68VM was designed to meet Japanese standards of quality and reliability, while introducing innovations never seen before in the local EV industry.

BEMAC will also train drivers and operators of e-trikes in Puerto Princesa, and “its assistance in instilling technical expertise with the local government unit will be a strong foundation for any future endeavor of the city with electric vehicles,” the company said in a statement.

“The operation of these e-Trikes will serve as crucial data-gathering for the deployment of [more] e-Trikes in the city, as they will ply strategic routes servicing the commuting public,” BEMAC added.

Both the firm and the city government hope that findings from this data “may be beneficial for the further implementation of more e-Trikes throughout the country.”

TUBA, Benguet—The municipal government has identified a 50-hectare lot in one of the town’s 13 barangays as a potential site for the expansion of the Baguio City-based Philippine Economic Zone Authority that would help boost the growth and development of this town.

Mayor Ignacio Rivera said the actual location of the site “remains confidential” until Peza officials inspect the site and submit their recommendations for the local government’s consideration.

“It will be Peza management that will make the announcement if the proposed expansion site would suit their requirements. The area is between the mountainous and flat terrains of the locality that is why we are confident that it might be considered for the expansion of the economic zone operations,” Rivera stressed.

The local chief executive said options in other areas are available, but the area found to be the most feasible is the 50-hectare lot in one of the barangays.

If the Peza expansion comes into fruition, the locators can provide employment opportunities for Tuba’s qualified residents, give them new sources of livelihood and boost economic development that will improve the status of the municipality, Rivera said.

Based on the initial assessment of experts, the proposed expansion site has an independent source of potable water for locators, and the area is near various national roads to ensure the speedy delivery of products from the economic zone to their intended markets.

Earlier, Benguet Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan said Peza was looking for a 75- to 100-hectare land in the Baguio-La TrinidadItogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay or BLISTT area for its expansion, owing to the enormous growth of locators needing sufficient space for their operations.

Dexter See

SIARGAO HOSTS MS. UNIVERSE 2016 BETS SIARGAO Island recently hosted the first batch of Miss Universe 2016 delegates that visited the country’s surfing capital, as part of the pageant’s promotional tour around the country’s top tourist spots.

The contestants were hosted for lunch by the Triple-A Siargao Bleu Resort and Spa, the Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte headed by Gov. Sol Matugas, the First District Congressional Office under Rep. Bingo Matugas, the Department of Tourism-Region 13, and Siargao government and private stakeholders.

Miss Philippines Maxine Medina led the 12 candidates who visited the famed Cloud 9 surfing spot in Gen. Luna town, site of international tournaments.

She was joined by Miss USA Deshauna Barber, Miss Myanmar Htet Htet Htun, Miss Korea Jenny Kim, Miss China Li Zhenying, Miss Vietnam Ngo Tra My, Miss New Zealand Tania Dawson, Miss Japan Sari Nakazawa, Miss Indonesia Kezia Roslin Cikita Warouw, Miss Thailand Chalita Suansane, Miss Australia Caris Tiivel and Miss Malaysia Kiran Jassal.

LGUs

D2

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PHILEX, TWO TOWNS AGREE ON PROJECTS TUBA, Benguet—Philex Mining Corp. and its host towns of Tuba and Itogon have pushed for a more inclusive planning and implementation of the various projects on social development and environmental protection, as they vowed to cooperate further on the humanization of responsible mining.

This developed following the recently held founding anniversaries of the respective towns—which have become first-class municipalities mainly due to the economic impact of Philex Mining’s Padcal operations in Benguet—as well as the consultations done earlier by the company with the said local governments.

Mayors Ignacio Rivera and Victorio Palangdan, of Tuba and Itogon, respectively, have both expressed gratitude to Philex Mining for having paid its taxes religiously—a gesture returned by company officials for the continuous support extended by the host municipalities to the miner, which accounts for the bulk of the towns’ annual revenues.

In a speech during Tuba’s 105th Founding Anniversary, held December 11 with songs and dances at the grounds of its Municipal Hall, Ignacio said he “appreciates and is thankful” for the timely payment by Philex Mining of the required taxes, which have helped his administration uplift the lives of his constituents through various livelihood and other social projects.

“I also thank Philex Mining for having fulfilled its tax obligations,” said Palangdan—whose town celebrated its 116th Founding Anniversary, held December 15 in Itogon’s Fianza Memorial Gym—in various occasions organized by Philex Mining. He also said the funds have been used for various projects, including farm-to-market roads and livelihood assistance.

Manuel Agcaoili, SVP at Philex Mining and Padcal resident manager, congratulated Itogon during its founding anniversary celebration enlivened by cultural presentations, saying, “Thank you for your continuous support, and Philex Mining hopes to further our partnership in moving further toward sustainable development.”

In earlier consultations held separately by Philex Mining with Tuba and Itogon, the towns’ respective officials and the company, represented by Agcaoili and Victor Francisco, VP for Environment and Community Relations (ComRel), agreed to strengthen the involvement of the host towns at the municipal level in the implementation of social and environmental projects.

Dexter See

WAR DANCE. The Darangen Dance Troupe of Mindanao State University in Marawi City perform the 'sagayan' war dance to ward off evil spirits during the Lanao del Sur Cultural Night Presentation on December 13 at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex in Cotabato City. Omar Mangorsi

LION'S HEAD ON KENNON B

SET FOR P13-M RENOVATION BY DPWH

AGUIO CITY—The Department of Public Works and Highways Baguio City District Engineering Office will widen the road, protect the soil and put up a view around the famous Lion’s Head along Kennon Road to improve its status as one of the major tourist attractions in the city.

Engineer Ernesto Aguilos, DPWHBCDEO assistant chief of the construction division, said the project costs P13 million, is funded by the national government, and will happen next year once the bidding for its services is completed.

The major component of the project is the road widening work worth P9 million, while the soil protection works will assess the stability of the soil and rock formations in the area prior to installing the view deck for the Lion’s Head

—a creation of the local Lions Club erected in 1972—and the historic zigzag road of Kennon.

The City Council is also deliberating on a proposal by the Baguio City Host Lions Club to return the monument to its original black and yellow colors “for the better appreciation of the public,” Aguilos said.

He also told the Council there was a P3-million private project around the Lion’s Head following questions councilors raised on the stability of its surrounding areas.

Rockslides often occur along Kennon, the shortest route into

BAGUIO COUNCIL SHELVES VOTE ON TRAFFIC PLAN

‘TUPAD’ PROGRAM. The city government of Muntinlupa, through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers or TUPAD, provides employment for 111 drug dependent surrenderees starting December 19 as part of the local Re-integration Program. Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (center) hands out protective equipment to the beneficiaries, who will work for at least 10 days under the Environmental Sanitation Center, receiving P481 per day as salary with insurance. Also shown are Muntinlupa Police Chief Nicolas Salvador and Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Office chief (Ret.) Col. Florocito Ragudo.

PANGASINAN GOVT WORKERS REAFFIRM SERVICE PACT LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—“Tonight we reaffirm our commitment to serve our fellow Pangasinenses.”

Gov. Amado “Pogi” I. Espino III thus set the tone of the Employees’ Night of the provincial government held at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center inside the Capitol Compound here.

The governor reminded the provincial workforce of giving due respect foremost to the citizenry, whom they owe their trustworthy service.

“Like what I’ve asked of you since the first day I spoke to you as your governor, during my first flag-raising ceremony with you, always have respect—respect your work, respect your

the city from the lowlands, which force its closure for several days for clearing operations.

The Lion’s Head is one of the most frequented tourist spots in Baguio because it is on the boundary of the city and Tuba, Benguet.

Earlier, Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan said it is best for DPWHBCDEO and the city government to commission experts to assess and evaluate the best projects around the Lion’s Head, instead of councilors wasting precious time debating on the matter.

Dexter A. See

colleagues and, most importantly, respect those whom we serve,” Espino said.

The event was a recognition of every provincial government worker’s effort for the whole year in serving their fellow Pangasinenses, he added.

Lastly, the governor enjoined every employee to carry with them not only their position and own name but the province’s as well.

The annual party coincided with the 42nd wedding anniversary of Fifth District Rep. Amado T. Espino Jr., the former governor and the incumbent’s father, with Madame Priscilla “Mely” I. Espino.

Espino also awarded the winners of the 1st Pagalaw tan Olupan ed Gobyerno Itanduro or POGI Sportsfest individual and team events.

The Benchmark team was hailed as the overall champion, with Warriors as the first runner-up, and Generals at third place.

Spicing up the celebration was the 1st Ms. PoGay Universe pageant among male employees. Romping off with the title and P15,000 cash prize was Michael Gonzales of Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

First runner-up was Joenard Manuel from the General Services Office, who received P10,000 cash prize, and third was Roland Cruz from the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office, who pocketed P8,000.

Another much-awaited highlight of the Employees’ Night was cash prizes that were raffled off. Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY—The City Council has deferred approval on an experimental odd-even traffic scheme that would help declog the city’s major roads of traffic during weekends.

In a statement on Friday, the council said its Committee on Public Utilities, Traffic and Transport Legislation needs to consult with affected stakeholders while it runs an information campaign to let residents and the public know about the proposed traffic solution that would be run for 60 days.

Under the odd-even traffic scheme, private motor vehicles having license plate numbers ending in 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 will not be allowed in Baguio’s existing number coding zone from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays. Those with license plate numbers ending in 2, 4, 6, 8 and 0 will not be allowed to travel around the number coding zone on Sundays.

The scheme would provide motorists, particularly tourists, stress-free travel around the major tourist destinations located in Baguio’s different barangays.

However, some councilors said the proposal should include public utility vehicles under the scheme and provide a “window period” once the proposal is implemented.

The 60-day experimental period should also be shortened to 30 days, other councilors said, while they consult with the people of Baguio to gain insights on how to improve traffic around the city, the council added.

Traffic in Baguio grinds to a halt, especially on weekends and around its central business district, as tourists drive up to the city to feel the cool Cordillera mountain breeze and see its attractions.

Dexter A. See

Gadgets & Games

D3

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

NOKIA SUES APPLE FOR PATENT VIOLATION

RAGNAROK PROTOCOL. (Left to Right) Jed Ralph Pascua, Alexandra Arcega, John Alson Entuna, Norman Lee, Paul Anton Rae Aguilar and Mario Joshua Ignacio

DOST HOLDS GAME DESIGN OSCARS' NIGHT

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EPARTMENT of Science and Technology’s Information and Communications Technology Office, in collaboration with the Game Developers Association of the Philippines and Animation Council of the Philippines recently hosted the 2nd ICT Creatives Awards Night, considered to be the Oscars in game design in the country.

It aims to recognize the efforts of professionals and amateurs in this emerging field.

All the finalist software were showcased in the Game On area during the E-Sports and Gaming Summit organized by GDAP. Industry professionals and the public had an opportunity to try out the games during this event.

Seven schools participated in this year’s Game On Competition, namely Asia Pacific College, CIIT Philippines-College of Arts and Technology, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, De La Salle University, iAcademy, and Jose Rizal University.

The much- coveted Game of the Year was awarded to Vincent Layog, Erickson Melchor, Joshua Soya, and Paul Andrada from DLS-CSB for Tesselate.

Cecile Reine Cabrera, Mark Stephen Cruz, Karlene Gail Valmonte, and Pauline Wen also took top prizes for the Best Educational Game and Best Narrative/Story Category for Face to Phase.

Best Game Play was presented to Paul Anton Rae Aguilar, John Alson Entuna, Alexandra Arcega, Mario Joshua Ignacio, and Jed Ralph Pascua for Ragnarok Protocol, while Best Game

Art was conferred to Daryll Española, Ferdinand Corrales, Kenneth Sta. Barbara, and Roi Adorio for Seizmore Fin. Norman Lee, DLS-CSB School of Management and Information Technology-Game Design & Development Program Chairperson, said the success of Benildeans at the event was proof of the “quality of education we offer and the quality of games that we produce.”

“This fact is telling considering that in some categories, Benilde students competed against each other,” Lee said.

From the same institution, other finalists for Best Game Play were Admor Aloysious Aguilar, Justine Maurice Orprecio, and Bianca Therese Tan for Project Breach, and Game of the Year contenders were Rouinald Macabitas, Genard Ancero, Justine Orprecio, Joshua Matias, and Laurence Chua for After Image.

Dr. Bea Lapa was likewise a nominee in the professional category.

With the feat achieved in the contest, he added there is pressure to accomplish more next year.

LENOVO VIBE A6600: PORTABLE, PRACTICAL, PRICED FOR ALL LENOVO offers Filipino millennials unmatched experience in an affordable, nifty package with the release of Lenovo VIBE A6600, a feature-packed budget smartphone exclusively available through Philippines’ leading mobile carrier Globe Telecom.

Featuring a stylish 5” HD display and Powered by a 64-bit MediaTek® 6735p quad-core 1.0GHz processor, the Lenovo A6600 comes with 4G capability, and VoLTE connectivity.

The phone is a multimedia powerhouse contained in a form factor that is still intuitive enough for Filipino smartphone consumers.

“Lenovo is committed towards innovating great smartphones that address millennials’ productivity and speed requirements. Our latest smartphone, Lenovo VIBE A6600, offers a delicate balance between portability and performance sans the hefty price tag, to empower dynamic Filipino millennials in their day-to-day needs, “said Dino Romano, Philippines Country Manager, Lenovo Mobile Business Group.

Beyond-the-basic functionality

Lenovo VIBE A6600 comes preinstalled with Android 6.0, sans the usual bevy of bloatware. Powered by a 64-bit MediaTek® 6735p quad-core 1.0GHz processor with 1GB of RAM, Lenovo VIBE A6600 offers extraordinary performance, storage, and speed befitting multitaskers who frequently

the smartphone’s Dual SIM support.

Additionally, Lenovo VIBE A6600’s dual VoLTE-enabled SIMs make HD voice calling really easy...

Sweet additions

Lenovo VIBE A6600’s 8MP autofocus rear camera with flash contains automatic face detection, automatic scene detection and zero shutter delay features, for capturing incredible photos.

With the smartphone’s expandable 16GB internal storage capacity, users can maintain easy access to a huge archive of music, movies and games.

Lenovo VIBE A6600 is backed by a 2300 mAh battery, which offers plenty of juice for extended use. Its high capacity interchangeable battery gives users the capability to switch batteries, so users can worry less about their battery running low.

Pricing and Availability

Lenovo Vibe A6600 is a multimedia powerhouse contained in a form factor that is still intuitive enough for Filipino smartphone consumers.

shift between updating social media, reviewing documents, and answering phone calls.

And the smartphone revolutionizes the viewing experience, too. Its brilliant 5-inch HD screen has an 800:1 contrast

ratio that covers the maximum color spectrum, for displaying strikingly clear videos and photos.

Users can connect with what matters most at blazing 4G speeds, and conveniently carry two numbers with

Consumers can get the Lenovo VIBE A6600 exclusively for free at Globe MyLifestyle Plan 599.

The bundle includes unlimited calls and texts to Globe/TM and GoSURF 99, which offers 200MB of mobile internet.

It also comes with exciting freebies: choice of Navigation, Explore, or Fitness Pack for one (1) month; one (1) month Gadget Care subscription; and 1GB Globe Cloud for 24 months. Lenovo VIBE A6600 is available in Matte White and Matte Black colors.

HELSINKI —Nokia announced Wednesday it is suing Apple in German and US courts for patent infringement, claiming the US tech giant was using Nokia technology in“many” products without paying for it.

Finnish Nokia, once the world’s top mobile phone maker, said the two companies had signed a licensing agreement in 2011, and since then “Apple has declined subsequent offers made by Nokia to license other of its patented inventions which are used by many of Apple’s products.”

“After several years of negotiations trying to reach agreement to cover Apple’s use of these patents, we are now taking action to defend our rights,”Ilkka Rahnasto, head of Nokia’s patent business, said in a statement.

The complaints, filed in three German cities and a district court in Texas, concern 32 patents for innovations related to displays, user interface, software, antennae, chipsets and video coding. Nokia said it was preparing further legal action elsewhere.

Nokia was the world’s leading mobile phone maker from 1998 until 2011 when it bet on Microsoft’s Windows mobile platform, which proved to be a flop. Analysts say the company failedtograspthegrowingimportanceofsmartphone apps compared to hardware.

It sold its unprofitable handset unit in 2014 for some $7.2 billion to Microsoft, which dropped the Nokia name from its Lumia smartphone handsets.

Meanwhile Nokia has concentrated on developing its mobile network equipment business by acquiring its French-American rival Alcatel-Lucent.

Including its 2013 full acquisition of joint venture Nokia Siemens Networks, Nokia said the three companies united represent more than 115 billion euros of R&D investment, with a massive portfolio of tens of thousands of patents.

The 2011 licensing deal followed years of clashes with Apple, which has also sparred with main rival Samsung over patent claims.

At the time, Apple cut the deal to settle 46 separate complaints Nokia had lodged against it for violation of intellectual property. AFP

BROTHER COMMITTED TO STUDENTS

Students of Inigan Elementary School are the beneficiaries of Brother Philippines' generosity.

FOR the students of Inigan Elementary School in Rodriguez, Rizal, education is worth crossing a river for. Every day, they make the perilous journey across the river to get to their poorly equipped classrooms to fulfill their dreams of a brighter future.

The young girls and boys of Inigan Elementary have been a constant source of inspiration for Brother Philippines.

The business and home tech solutions company has been at the side of the students and the school since 2012, donating school supplies and equipment to help promote meaningful instruction and interaction within the classroom. Fun and engaging lessons on creating a better, greener environment are also provided as part of Brother’s global advocacy.

Last Dec. 8, Brother Philippines once again renewed its support for the Inigan community this December 2016 with a fresh supply of ICT tools and school necessities, as well as a Lakbay Aral trip to the Museo Pambata and Fort Santiago for a day of fun and learning with the company’s employees.

“The whole Brother Philippines team has been looking forward to this special activity for the diligent students and inspiring teachers from Inigan Elementary School,” said Glenn Hocson, Brother Philippines President.

Brother Philippines’ commitment to Inigan Elementary School has resulted in various educational assistance activities, since 2012, and annual educational tours.

To date, Brother has helped hundreds of students by providing school supplies, a good number of teachers with ICT tools that can enable further research and learning, and the school with its very own generator set (the school has no formal energy subscription) and a public-address system that come in handy when staging school programs and activities.

For more information on Brother Philippines corporate social responsibility programs, visit brother.com.ph or call (02)581-9888.

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Gadgets & Games

CAN THE NOKIA BRAND RECLAIM ITS THRONE?

HAIER, A REF THAT'S READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS

French Door Ref

The still unnamed devices, especially the flagship one, have piqued the interest of geeks as they compete head to head with Samsung’s premium Galaxy S8 and even the iPhone 7.

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OKIA, once the world’s top mobile phone maker, will make a comeback on the smartphone market in the first half of 2017, the company and its licensee said.

They are set to launch two new Android 7.0 Nougat devices, a mid-ranger and a premium, flagship handset.

The still unnamed devices, especially the flagship one, have piqued the interest of geeks as they compete head to head with Samsung’s premium Galaxy S8 and even the iPhone 7.

(See D3 for additional Nokia news) The phones may feature 5.2-inch and 5.5-inch QHD screens, along with fingerprint scanner, camera

innovations, split-screen modes, enhanced notifications and improved gaming due to the support for the Vulkan API. The phones also hint at 3D touch technology, with elements of touch and hover interaction.

Nokia, which is now a leading telecom equipment maker, has licensed its brand to HMD Global which is to launch its first Nokia smartphone products early next year.

The Finnish company said HMD had received the green light to proceed with production after completing all necessary transactions with its

Taiwanese manufacturing partner, FIH Mobile of FoxConn Technology Group, and with US tech giant Microsoft which had bought the unprofitable phone business from Nokia in 2014.

“HMD can begin operations as the new home of Nokia phones, under an exclusive global brand license for the next ten years,” excluding Japan, Nokia said in a statement.

Microsoft’s venture into phone manufacturing cost it $7.2 billion in 2014, but proved short-lived last May, when it said it would sell its feature phone business to HMD Global and FIH Mobile for $350 million (329.4 million euros).

Microsoft also decided to end its smartphone manufacturing in Finland, letting go of some 1,350

smartphone makers and former Nokia employees.

When Nokia sold its phone business to Microsoft, it agreed not to get back into smartphones until the last quarter of 2016. With the restriction no longer valid next year, HMD can begin making new smartphones under the Nokia brand.

“Nokia branded feature phones remain one of the most popular choices of mobile phone in many markets around the world today and HMD will continue to market them... alongside a new range of smartphones and tablets to be announced later by HMD,” Nokia said.

Nokia is not a shareholder in HMD, but will receive royalty payments for sales of each mobile phone and tablet sold under its brand. With AFP

NOKIA, SMART SHOWCASE LIVE 5G Manuel Pangilinan, PLDT Smart Chairman and CEO

NOKIA and Smart, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PLDT, have achieved 5G speeds of 2.5 Gigabits per second (Gbps) using 100 MHz with latency of just 1 millisecond for the first time in the Philippines over a ‘live’ network.

With its capability to deliver extremely high speeds coupled with low latency, 5G opens up exciting possibilities for Internet of Things applications for Filipinos, particularly in healthcare and smart cities.

Nokia Manila Technology Center and Smart’s innovation team will collaborate to conduct joint 5G research for the development of 5G technology.

The 5G demo was conducted at Nokia Manila Technology Center in Quezon City, one of its global Research and Development powerhouses for 5G technology. Nokia is at the forefront of 5G research and standardization, and its R&D centers across the globe including the Manila facility, are helping to bring the company’s 5G vision closer to reality.

With extremely low latency, 5G will enable a huge number of new use cases, such as remote surgery, real-time responsive robots for automated industrial production, virtual and augmented reality and autonomous driving.

Utilizing content created with the Nokia OZO virtual reality (VR)

Sandeep Girotra, Nokia Head of Asia Pacific and Japan

JoachimHorn, PLDT Smart Chief Technology and Information Advisor

camera, the demo showcased the possibilities enabled through the broadcast of rich, immersive 3D 360 VR content. The demo also leveraged the Nokia AirFrame Data Center platform to support high performance and low latency requirements. Smart has a proven record of investing in the Internet of Things and Machine-to-Machine applications, and 5G will be critical in realizing their full vision.

“We are excited to work with Nokia in conducting cutting-edge research and development for 5G. This is a key part of our efforts to transform the PLDT and Smart network into the country’s most future-ready data infrastructure delivering a wide range of gigabit digital solutions,” said Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman and CEO of PLDT and Smart.

On the other hand, Joachim Horn, chief technology and information advisor at PLDT and Smart, said: “Smart is committed to enriching the lives of Filipinos by bringing them the best-possible technology. This live demo is part of our initiative to develop 5G capabilities by 2020. We look forward to working with Nokia and taking advantage of its leadership and proven expertise in the 5G space. The demo also underlines our commitment to provide the most relevant services and the best experience to our customers.”

Sandeep Girotra, head of Asia Pacific and Japan at Nokia, said: “Smart has been a longstanding partner of Nokia and we are thrilled to be part of their transformation towards 5G. Acquiring the 5G competencies early will enable Smart to lead the market with new offers for their subscribers and improve the customer experience. Nokia is committed to R&D investment through our Manila Technology Center, which plays an important role in the development of 5G solutions and services.”

NEXT to cooking appliances, refrigerators take center stage during the holidays by keeping fresh ingredients, chilled drinks, and leftovers neatly stored and organized in the kitchen.

A regular-sized fridge, however, might not be enough for the needs of the occasion, especially with new faces possibly adding to the yearly guest list.

“Christmas should be about renewing relationships with the people we love, not about worrying how to keep things in order. To make our loved ones feel welcome when they visit, it’s important that we keep our homes stress-free,” said Jennifer Samson, Haier’s Product Manager for refrigerators.

French Door Ref

What type of fridge will work best for the holidays? Here are a few things to consider.

Size and space

Large-capacity refrigerators can store lots of perishable items for big feasts, such as Noche Buena and New Year’s Eve. Haier offers several two-door models as well as multi-door units designed with space in mind.

The Top Mount Direct Cool series comes with a two-door design in sizes including 6.0, 6.6, 9.0, and 11.5 cubic feet to suit various storage requirements. Likewise, Haier’s Top Mount Inverter models offer the same familiar style but with three different sizes: 8.5, 9.3, and 11.1 cubic feet.

If greater accessibility, visibility, and convenience on top of spacious design are needed, the two-door Bottom Freezer Direct Cool series would be a great option—available in 7.0 and 8.4 cubic feet sizes. Finally, the brand’s French Door unit offers a roomy 14.0 cubic feet of fridge capacity, including a huge 130L storage space for the bottom freezer.

Multiple shelving

To add to their large capacity, Haier’s two-door units are designed with several shelves that can be adjusted to better accommodate food containers. Door shelving is also available for bottled goods, chilled water, and eggs.

As for Haier’s French Door unit, multiple racks inside the main fridge and on the two hinge doors make organization very easy. Fruits and vegetables are also given more storage space with their own separate drawer above the bottom freezer.

Energy efficiency

The fridge sees frequent usage during the holidays, so it’s important that the unit has power saving features to keep the electricity bill from soaring.

Haier’s Direct Cool refrigerators reduce energy consumption through fast cooling performance. Mechanical controls also let users set the temperature at optimal levels for greater cost efficiencies.

For advanced power savings, Haier’s French Door and Inverter refrigerators are built with a FD+ Inverter technology compressor that automatically lowers energy consumption when temperatures are already optimal.