HUAWEI Grows Partner, Aims to Accelerate Local Digitalization

At the recently held Huawei Developer Day 2021 Philippines, Huawei announced several global and local achievements with updates on the Huawei Ecosystem, HarmonyOS, and Petal Nearby also taking center stage. 

HUAWEI Grows Partner, Product Portfolio in PH, Aims to Accelerate Local Digitalization

HUAWEI has reaffirmed its commitment to enabling Filipinos to enjoy a seamless AI life supported by an intelligently connected ecosystem at the recently held Huawei Development Day Philippines 2021. The tech leader also shared its aggressive roadmap in forging strategic partnerships with key industry players, which led to the availability of 96 percent of top local apps in HUAWEI’s very own AppGallery.

HUAWEI’s roster of partners covers essential industries from banking and e-commerce to lifestyle and entertainment. Some of the key partners represented at the HDD are mobile e-wallet GCash, telehealth platform KonsultaMD and online radio and entertainment channel WishFM.  

“We are grateful for the trust and confidence our partners vest upon us. As Huawei aggressively expands its mobile services and product portfolio, it is fitting that we partner with top brands and companies here in the Philippines. Through these strategic partnerships, we get to hyperlocalize our efforts in catering to the needs of our local customers. We are also glad that through our partnership, Filipino enterprises get to reach their intended audience and customers better in the highly digital new normal. We, together with our partners, are building and championing a more intelligent and interconnected world that makes seamless AI life possible,” shares George Li, country manager of Huawei Philippines - Consumer Business Group.

The Department of Information and Communications (DICT) also reaffirmed its strong relationship with HUAWEI at the event, noting the latter’s support in ensuring the continuous development of the Department’s programs and projects. Huawei and DICT have collaborated on several projects since 2018 which include the Philippine Startup Challenge (PSC) - a national startup competition that challenges participants to come up with ICT solutions to real-life problems. 

Huawei Inclusive Integration APAC

HUAWEI also shared its funding programs for app development across the world. The tech giant has recently invested USD 1M in an honor awards program that recognizes app innovation in five regions: APAC, Europe, LA, Middle East, and China. Innovative apps present in AppGallery get to bag prizes in multiple categories such as gaming, fintech, and social impact. This venture is geared at propelling innovation in the app industry in service of the evolving needs of highly digital consumers. 

The Huawei Developer Day 2021 Philippines also featured key updates for HarmonyOS and Petal Nearby. HarmonyOS 2: Next-Gen Operating System Huawei has unfolded a new chapter for its HarmonyOS 2 in the latter part of the first half of 2021. Launched with the tagline “One as All, All as One”, HarmonyOS is an integral component to the ecosystem roadmap of Huawei wherein more products running the operating system will be given the capability to seamlessly connect with each other.

At the HDD event, Huawei announced four main breakthroughs for HarmonyOS 2: DecoupledOS and hardware, sharing capabilities between devices, smooth and low latency operation, and the DevEco Studio. Through its decoupled and modularized technology in distributed OS architecture, HarmonyOS can be flexibly deployed to various devices with distinct form factors and storage capabilities. The same technology enables formerly isolated capabilities such as display, camera, speaker, microphone, communications, sensor and computing to be synergized seamlessly across multiple devices. 

HarmonyOS also addresses underperformance challenges with a Deterministic Latency Engine, which enables the system to have precise resource scheduling and real-time app prioritizing. This brings down response latency by 25.7 percent and latency fluctuation by 55.6 percent. Huawei also showcased its DevEco Studio which allows ICT professionals to develop tagged widgets and adaptive UI layouts. This rids the need for developers to redesign and rework structures as HarmonyOS makes their singular output compatible with different peripherals. 

Petal Nearby: Adventures Made Easier, Brought Closer

Petal Search has been a hallmark of the Huawei ecosystem since its launch at the Huawei Developer Conference 2020. It is now present in several types of devices, being used across 170 countries with 50-language iterations and 20 vertical categories. Huawei has observed a rapid change in user behavior in terms of search trends in recent years. From mere search queries, online users now clamor for more interactive options that satisfy the need for immediate information. To address this, Huawei has updated Petal Search to optimize it as a hub that connects all local services. This resulted in Petal Nearby. Petal Nearby is a high-traffic portal that gives users access to all local services. Nearby portal brings together a wide selection of local businesses and services such as hotels, entertainment, attractions, education, food and drink, automotive and other local services, providing search efficiency and convenience. 

This update to Petal Search is also aimed at helping local businesses connect better with their immediate market in terms of proximity, which is crucial today as people lessen travel to areas outside of their cities. Filipino Huawei fans and tech enthusiasts may stream the Huawei Developer Day 2021 on the official Facebook page of AppGallery for more information on the HarmonyOS, Huawei Mobile Services and Ecosystem, Petal Nearby, and local and global business updates.

Globe Strengthens Support to 
Stakeholders with Social Programs

More than a year into the pandemic, Globe remains committed to going the extra mile in supporting its stakeholders and addressing their most urgent needs. The company’s COVID-19 contributions hit P154 million in the first six months of the year, distributed among various stakeholders. These include customers, employees, vendors, and other beneficiaries in various communities, and the health and education sectors.

“Globe continues to extend its support to our kababayans in one of the most challenging periods in our country’s history. More than ensuring first-world connectivity and services, we prioritized assistance to strategic sectors, such as health and education, which are hardest hit by the pandemic. We know that many customers still feel challenged because of the impact of the pandemic. That's why we are stepping up our assistance for basic services to communities which need them the most,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications.

Among the projects included in the P154 million support is the Globe Labs COVID-19 testing facility for use of employees, their dependents and also employees of vendors and managed services partners. 

“Since the start of the pandemic, we have prioritized the safety and well-being of Globe employees, their dependents, and our partners who ensure the continuity of our business. Through Globe field technicians, store personnel, and even those working from home, we are able to provide first-world connectivity, products, and services essential for individuals and businesses to succeed in the new digital economy. Beyond that, we strongly support key sectors and communities by giving them financial, technical, and in-kind assistance so they can rebound quicker from this pandemic and contribute to the country’s overall economic recovery,” added Rizza Maniego-Eala, Globe’s Chief Finance Officer.

Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, Globe has raised and contributed P1.9 billion for its stakeholders to help in the country’s fight against the health crisis. The amount reflects cumulative employee and vendor-partner support, product and service packages for community programs, monetary donations, and fundraising efforts through various means, including its digital platforms. 

Globe also did not forget its community partners, with support amounting to P14.7 million. It consists of P9 million company investment in community programs and P5.7 million raised through employee and customer donation drives. There were P2.8 million total customer donations through Globe Rewards, P1.1 million through the #OneGlobeVsCovid internal fundraising campaign, and P1.8 million from the recently concluded #BrigadangAyala initiative for the Philippine General Hospital, Tondo Medical Center, and National Children’s Hospital.

Globe also supported various government agencies through relevant hotlines and help sites. To support the education sector, support initiatives include free access to Globe eLibrary, professional development training for teachers under the Global Filipino Teachers program, and mental wellness webinars under the Department of Education and Globe’s TAYO Naman! (Tulong, Alaga, Yakap at Oras para sa mga Tagapagtaguyod ng Edukasyon) program.

Over 4,300 connectivity tools were also turned over to partner non-government organizations to support students and teachers in distance learning. At the same time, 268 Community Pantries were assisted through grocery packages and prepaid loads to help in hunger alleviation. Globe also provided funding contributions to the Ingat Angat campaign. Globe strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 3, which ensures healthy lives and promotes the well-being of all ages. Globe is committed to upholding the United Nations Global Compact principles and 10 UN SDGs. To learn more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.