Zeinab Harake Parks Brings Fun to Kadayawan 2026 as Casino Plus Draws Nearly 2,000 Revelers to Davao Whisky Park

by Ferry Bayu | Aug 27, 2026 | Business

DAVAO CITY, Philippines, 15 AUGUST 2026 — Casino Plus, one of the country’s leading responsible digital entertainment platforms licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), turned Davao Whisky Park into one of the liveliest hubs of Kadayawan 2026 on Friday night, as social media star and digital content creator Zeinab Harake Parks brought her signature energy to an electric crowd of nearly 2,000 attendees for an evening of games, prizes, and entertainment.

Welcomed by the deafening cheers of hundreds of “Zebbies,” her devoted fanbase, Zeinab Harake Parks took the stage and greeted the crowd with an enthusiastic “Maayong gabi sa inyong tanan!” Marking her first time experiencing the Kadayawan Festival and her second visit to Davao since filming a vlog in the city in 2020. Zeinab celebrated alongside the community until midnight.

True to her word and aligned with Casino Plus’ core mission to “bring fun to people,” she delivered non-stop entertainment as fans repeatedly chanted “Arat na, Zeinab!” throughout the park.

Embracing her moniker as social media’s “Reyna ng Good Vibes,” she enthusiastically engaged the crowd posing for group selfies from the stage, on-ground, filming on-the-spot TikTok videos with five lucky meet-and-greet winners, and praising the overwhelming warmth of the Davaoeño community, noting that true beauty radiates from having a good, generous heart.

Zeinab also highlighted what she values most about partnering with Casino Plus, emphasizing how the platform has allowed her to connect with communities nationwide:

“I get to explore every city sa Philippines. Ngayon, andito ako sa Davao. Looking forward pa ako sa ibang cities and provinces para sa Casino Plus event. Excited pa ako sa maraming-marami pang provinces,” she shared.

The high-energy activation gave festivalgoers the chance to try Hantak-themed games, alongside complimentary refreshments, creator appearances, and hourly raffle draws that sent attendees home with premium tech, including AirPods 4, JBL speakers, and an iPad.

The social media star also invited audience members on stage for a viral TikTok dance-off, where winners took home ₱10,000 cash prizes courtesy of Casino Plus. Zeinab, meanwhile, personally handed out ₱5,000 in cash consolation prizes to the remaining participants. Despite the friendly competition, the contestants helped one another remember viral TikTok dances—a heartwarming display of camaraderie that she noted proves Davao City is truly one of the friendliest cities in the Philippines.

“Ang galing nila, hindi sila nate-threaten! Kahit magkalaban sila, nag-agree,” Harake-Parks quipped, after one contestant happily confirmed to the crowd that her rivals had nailed the dance routine.

For many attendees, the event served as a major highlight of their Kadayawan celebration. Anthony and Zara, a couple who traveled from Manila specifically to join the festivities and see Zeinab in person, expressed their excitement:

“Masaya! Sobrang saya. Pati ‘yung mga booths, lalong-lalo na ‘yung mga games, ang ganda. Siya rin ‘yung reason bakit kami nandito,” Anthony said. “Enjoy dito kasi napakaraming prizes!” Zara added.

International residents also joined in the festivities. Yuri, a Russian expatriate living in Davao City, took part in the games and walked away with consolation prizes. “I really enjoyed it!” he said.

The Casino Plus Kadayawan activation highlights how bringing Filipino cultural gaming traditions and modern entertainment together on one stage creates meaningful, shared experiences for fans, festivalgoers, and communities across the Philippines.

RESPONSIBLE GAMING ADVISORY

In accordance with PAGCOR’s Responsible Gaming Code of Practice, Casino Plus wishes to remind all players of the following:

Gaming is for entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered a source of income or a means of financial relief. Players are encouraged to play responsibly and within their means.

Winning is never guaranteed. All gaming outcomes are determined by chance. Past results, including jackpot wins, do not influence or predict future outcomes.

About IGO Digital High Technology, Inc.

Casino Plus is a PAGCOR-licensed online casino platform in the Philippines, providing secure, regulated, and responsible online gaming experiences for Filipino players. The company is committed to providing a secure, fair, and engaging digital entertainment experience, guided by the principles of responsible gaming and player protection. With its continuous expansion, Casino Plus is now regarded as one of the country’s leading online casino platforms, combining entertainment excellence with meaningful corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Payoneer in the Philippines: Cross-Border Payments Become Critical as Local Businesses Go Global

by Ferry Bayu | Aug 27, 2026 | Business

The press release explains how Payoneer supports Philippine businesses, freelancers, BPOs, and ecommerce companies managing international payments. It covers currency conversion, bank transfers, withdrawals, account verification, customer support, B2B payment methods, and PayPal vs. Payoneer considerations.

Payoneer in the Philippines: Cross-Border Payments Become Critical as Local Businesses Go Global

The Philippines has become an important hub for businesses serving customers around the world. From outsourcing and IT services to freelancing, ecommerce, and professional services, Philippine businesses increasingly generate revenue from international markets.

But winning a global client is only part of the equation. Businesses also need reliable ways to receive payments, manage currencies, pay international partners, and maintain control over their cash flow.

This is making cross-border payments an increasingly important part of the growth strategy for Philippine businesses.

Platforms such as Payoneer provide businesses and professionals with tools designed to help manage international payments and operate across markets.

Why Payoneer in the Philippines Matters

Philippine businesses have access to a growing global customer base. A technology company can provide services to clients in the United States. A BPO or outsourcing agency can manage operations for companies in Australia or Europe. A freelancer can work directly with clients across multiple countries.

An ecommerce seller can reach customers outside the Philippines. These opportunities create demand for reliable B2B payment methods and international payment infrastructure.

The right payment setup can help businesses manage international revenue without creating unnecessary operational complexity.

Traditional International Transfers Can Create Friction

Traditional bank transfers remain an option for many businesses receiving money from overseas.

However, international transactions can involve multiple steps and intermediaries.

Businesses may encounter:

• Additional transfer fees
• Foreign exchange costs
• Longer settlement times
• Complicated payment instructions
• Manual reconciliation
• Limited payment visibility
• These challenges may be manageable for occasional transactions.

They can become more significant when a company receives international payments regularly.

How Long Does a Payoneer to Bank Transfer Take?

One common question among Philippine users is Payoneer to bank transfer time. The actual processing time can depend on several factors, including the receiving bank, currency, transaction details, compliance checks, and other processing requirements.

Businesses should therefore consider transfer timing when planning cash flow. Checking the expected processing information available within the Payoneer account can also help users understand when funds are expected to arrive.

Managing USD to PHP With Payoneer

Currency conversion is another important consideration for Philippine businesses receiving international revenue.

A business may receive USD from a US customer but have most of its operating expenses in Philippine pesos.

This creates an important planning question around USD to PHP Payoneer conversion.

Understanding the applicable exchange rate and conversion costs can help businesses estimate how much international revenue may ultimately be available in PHP.

This can be particularly important for:

• Freelancers
• BPO companies
• Digital agencies
• IT service providers
• Ecommerce businesses
• Exporters

Currency management becomes even more important as international transaction volumes increase.

Payoneer for Philippine Freelancers and Businesses

The Philippines has a large community of professionals providing services to international customers.

Freelancers may work in:

• Software development
• Graphic design
• Digital marketing
• Virtual assistance
• Content creation
• Consulting
• Customer support

For these professionals, international payments are not an occasional requirement. They can be a fundamental part of their business model. A platform that supports international payments can therefore become an important part of running a freelance business.

B2B Payment Methods for Global Companies

Businesses working internationally have several potential B2B payment methods available to them. These can include traditional bank transfers, payment platforms, digital wallets, and other financial services.

The appropriate option depends on factors such as:

• Transaction volume
• Countries involved
• Currencies required
• Payment frequency
• Fees
• Settlement times
• Accounting requirements

For a growing Philippine company, selecting a scalable payment method can be just as important as selecting the right banking relationship.

Outsourcing Businesses Face an Even Larger Challenge

For BPOs and outsourcing companies, payment complexity can increase with scale.

An agency may receive payments from several international clients while simultaneously managing payroll, contractors, suppliers, and operating expenses.

This can create a complex financial workflow.

Some companies may also use a payroll app Philippines businesses rely on for local workforce management while using a separate platform for international client payments.

Connecting these processes efficiently can help businesses reduce manual work and improve financial visibility.

How to Withdraw Money From Payoneer in the Philippines

Another common question for local users is how to withdraw money from Payoneer in the Philippines. Available withdrawal options can depend on the user’s account, currency, eligibility, and supported banking arrangements.

Users should check the withdrawal options available directly within their Payoneer account before initiating a transaction. This is particularly important for businesses that need to plan when international revenue will become available for local operating expenses.

How to Check if a Payoneer Account Is Verified

Account verification is another important consideration for new users. People searching for how to check if Payoneer account is verified can review their account status and any outstanding verification requirements through their Payoneer account.

Additional information or documentation may sometimes be required before particular features become available. Completing verification requirements early can help reduce potential disruption when a business begins receiving international payments.

PayPal vs Payoneer Philippines: What Should Businesses Consider?

Another common search among Philippine users is PayPal vs Payoneer Philippines. Both platforms can serve international payment needs, but their features, supported use cases, fees, and withdrawal options can differ.

Businesses should compare providers based on their specific requirements rather than choosing solely on brand familiarity.

Important factors to consider include:

Receiving payments

How international customers can pay you

Currency support

Which currencies you need to receive and manage

Withdrawals

Available options for accessing local funds

Fees

Transaction, withdrawal, and currency conversion costs

Business use

Whether the platform fits your transaction volume

Support

Available customer service and assistance

Scalability

Whether the solution can support future growth

For a Philippine freelancer, the best option may differ from the needs of an outsourcing company receiving large recurring B2B payments.

What Should Philippine Businesses Look for in a Payment Platform?

There is no single payment solution that works for every business. Before choosing an international payment provider, companies should consider:

• Supported currencies
• Receiving options
• International payment capabilities
• Currency conversion
• Transfer fees
• Payment processing times
• Security and compliance
• Accounting integrations
• Scalability

The payment solution should fit the company’s current needs while leaving room for future international growth.

Cross-Border Payments Are Becoming Business Infrastructure

International payments were once primarily viewed as a banking function. Today, they are increasingly connected to the wider digital business ecosystem. Businesses want to manage customers, invoices, payments, currencies, and accounting with fewer disconnected processes.

This shift is particularly relevant to Philippine companies serving international markets. As transaction volumes grow, payment infrastructure can directly affect operational efficiency and cash-flow management.

The Future of Global Payments for Philippine Businesses

Cross-border commerce continues to evolve. Several developments are shaping international payments:

Greater digitalization

Businesses increasingly expect payments to fit naturally into their existing digital workflows.

More multi-currency activity

Companies are working with customers, suppliers, and contractors across more markets.

Greater demand for transparency

Businesses want clearer visibility into fees, exchange rates, and payment status.

More integrated financial operations

Payments are increasingly connected with accounting, invoicing, payroll, and other business systems.

These changes are encouraging businesses to think about payments as more than simply moving money from one account to another.

Supporting the Philippines’ Global Business Ambition

The next stage of growth for many Philippine businesses may come from serving more customers around the world.

As companies expand internationally, they need more than access to overseas customers. They need practical financial infrastructure to receive revenue, manage currencies, pay partners, and maintain visibility over their cash flow.

Payoneer provides a platform designed to support businesses and professionals operating across borders.

For Philippine businesses participating in the global economy, having the right payment infrastructure can help turn international opportunities into sustainable, repeatable growth.

Huis Ten Bosch’s Winter Is Reimagined! ‘The Starlight Million’ & ‘European Holy Christmas’

by Ferry Bayu | Aug 27, 2026 | Business

APAME 2026 Examines AI, Research Integrity, and the Future of Peer Review

by Ferry Bayu | Aug 26, 2026 | Business

Top medical editors and researchers gathered in Manila to discuss how scholarly publishing can preserve trust in an increasingly AI-enabled research environment.

The Asia Pacific Association of Medical Editors (APAME) 2026 Conference and the 7th Philippine Association of Medical Journal Editors (PAMJE) Conference brought together medical editors, researchers, reviewers, publishers, librarians, and health professionals at the Henry Sy Sr. Building of the University of the Philippines Manila on August 20–21, 2026.

The well-attended conference featured prominent leaders in medicine, health research, medical publishing, and public policy from the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific region. Distinguished speakers included Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala, Regional Director for the Western Pacific of the World Health Organization; Usec. Leah Buendia of the Department of Science and Technology; Prof. Michael Tee, Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Manila; PAMJE president Prof. Cecilia Maramba-Lazarte; UP Medicine Dean Prof. Charlotte Chiong; and Prof. Nicholas Talley of the Medical Journal of Australia.

The program also brought together experts from the World Association of Medical Editors, APAME, PAMJE, universities, medical journals, research institutions, libraries, and government agencies.

The conference marked the presentation of the first-ever APAME Presidential Awards, recognizing Dr. Jose Florencio Lapeña Jr., concurrently President of WAME, and Dr. Wilfred C. G. Peh for their contributions to editorial excellence, publication ethics, peer-review education, and the advancement of medical publishing in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Discussions focused on research integrity, responsible artificial intelligence use, the declining pool of peer reviewers, and concerns about citation quality in published research.

AI brings promise and new risks

Artificial intelligence can support literature searching, language editing, translation, data analysis, coding, knowledge synthesis, and dissemination.

However, it may also amplify plagiarism, fabricated references, undisclosed generated content, inappropriate authorship, manipulated data or images, paper-mill activity, and other forms of misconduct.

The key issue is not simply whether AI should be used, but whether its use is appropriate, transparent, verifiable, and accompanied by clear human accountability.

AI tools cannot be authors because they cannot take responsibility for the accuracy, originality, confidentiality, or integrity of a publication. Human authors remain responsible for all content, including AI-assisted text, references, analyses, tables, code, images, and interpretations.

The future of peer review

Participants also discussed the declining and uneven availability of qualified peer reviewers worldwide.

Peer review provides independent scrutiny of a manuscript’s research question, methods, analysis, interpretation, originality, relevance, and ethical conduct. However, journals increasingly struggle to find reviewers with the appropriate expertise, no conflicts of interest, and sufficient time to complete careful assessments.

The growing complexity of manuscripts, and the need to evaluate AI-assisted content, data, images, and references, has added to this pressure.

The conference also raised concerns about citation quality. References may be incomplete, irrelevant, inaccurately described, or difficult to verify. AI tools have introduced an additional risk by generating citations that appear plausible but do not exist or do not support the claims for which they are cited.

101 Health Research facilitates two workshops

As part of the program, 101 Health Research contributed two workshops facilitated by its Founder and Managing Director, Dr. Venus Oliva Cloma-Rosales:

• Publication Quality and Ethics in the AI Age: How to Comply with the Latest Publication Guidelines

• Medical Statistics for Non-Statisticians

The first workshop presented publication compliance as a continuous process beginning with study planning and extending through data management, analysis, reporting, peer review, publication, and post-publication correction.

It examined the traditional dimensions of publication quality of substance, form, and style, and the growing importance of a fourth dimension: integrity.

Integrity encompasses authorship, accountability, transparency, data governance, confidentiality, responsible AI use, conflict-of-interest disclosure, accurate citation, reproducibility, and correction of errors.

Participants reviewed guidance from ICMJE, WAME, COPE, the EQUATOR Network, professional organizations, institutions, funders, and target journals. The session emphasized that responsible AI use requires human verification, protection of confidential information, careful checking of references, and documentation of significant decisions.

The second workshop focused on the SAMPL Guidelines, or the Statistical Analyses and Methods in the Published Literature guidelines. These support clear reporting of statistical methods and results, including the software used, estimates, measures of uncertainty, p-values, and the relationship between statistical findings and the research question.

The workshop reinforced that statistical reporting is not merely a technical requirement. Clear reporting allows readers, reviewers, and editors to understand how conclusions were reached and assess whether they are supported by the data.

Preserving trust in medical publishing

The APAME 2026 discussions reinforced that research integrity is a shared responsibility. Authors must report their work transparently, reviewers must provide independent and fair assessments, and editors must apply consistent standards and respond appropriately to ethical concerns.

Artificial intelligence may make research and publishing more efficient, but efficiency cannot replace judgment. The future of medical publishing will depend on stronger human systems for verification, peer review, accountability, and learning.

For 101 Health Research, preserving trust begins with sound methods, responsible statistics, transparent reporting, and integrity at every stage of the research and publication process.

Learn more about 101 Health Research’s work in research methods, biostatistics, publication support, and research integrity at 101healthresearch.com.

About 101 Health Research

Founded in 2014, 101 Health Research® is an independent health research consulting and analytics firm dedicated to producing trustworthy, ethical, and decision-relevant evidence for clinical care, public health, and health systems.

We serve hospitals, universities, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, government agencies, and international partners across the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and global markets.

Our work spans clinical research, epidemiology, biostatistics, medical data science, and research governance. Through rigorous methodology, collaborative engagement, and strong ethical standards, we design, conduct, and support research that strengthens decision-making at institutional, national, and regional levels.

Gratitude Inc Opens MyGlit Recruitment Operating System to External Hiring Teams Across the Philippines, India and Malaysia

by Ferry Bayu | Aug 26, 2026 | Business

MANILA, Philippines — Gratitude Inc has announced that it is opening access to MyGlit, its recruitment operating system and applicant tracking technology, to companies, recruitment consultancies and hiring teams across the Philippines, India, Malaysia and other global markets.

The move marks a new phase for MyGlit, which was originally developed to support Gratitude Inc’ own recruitment operations. Until now, the technology was used primarily within Gratitude’s recruitment ecosystem to manage live vacancies, applicants, recruiter activity, candidate movement and hiring workflows.

According to the company, MyGlit has become one of the operating systems behind Gratitude Inc high-volume recruitment work. The decision to open the platform to outside users follows interest from clients and recruitment partners who wanted access to the same workflow for their own hiring operations.

Built from practical recruitment pressure

Recruitment teams often face a common challenge: they are expected to manage more vacancies, more applicants and more recruiters, while still depending on spreadsheets, scattered communication, manual status updates and individual recruiter memory.

MyGlit was developed to address this operational gap by combining applicant tracking, job posting, company boards, hiring cards, questionnaire-based screening, candidate tracking, recruiter collaboration and AI-assisted rerouting in one workflow.

“MyGlit was built from real recruitment pressure, not as a theoretical software product,” said a spokesperson for Gratitude Inc. “Our own teams needed a cleaner way to manage high-volume hiring. As clients and recruitment partners saw the workflow, the demand to open the technology outside Gratitude became stronger.”

Opening the platform beyond Gratitude Inc

With MyGlit now being made available to external users, employers and recruitment firms can create separate Company Boards for different clients, employers, departments or business units. Each live vacancy becomes a Hiring Card, where job details, required skills, applications, candidate activity and status updates are kept together.

This structure is designed to reduce tracker confusion, avoid mixing candidates across mandates, and help recruitment teams work on more vacancies with greater visibility.

MyGlit’s recruitment ecosystem already supports hiring workflows and job campaigns connected to several large BPO, IT and shared services employers, including Teleperformance, iQor, Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services, WNS, Accenture, EXL, TDCX, Movate, JP Morgan Chase and other major employers across the Philippines, India and Malaysia.

These company-specific workflows allow recruiters to manage live vacancies, applicant movement and status tracking across major hiring campaigns, while keeping candidates, roles and client requirements organized within separate boards and hiring cards.

Job posting, applicant traffic and candidate rerouting

A key part of the MyGlit model is that it is not only an internal ATS. Companies can publish live vacancies on MyGlit, share MyGlit job links across job portals, social media, email campaigns, recruiter posts, referrals and their own websites, and receive applicants from both their own sourcing efforts and MyGlit’s growing candidate traffic.

The platform is also designed to reduce candidate waste. In recruitment, a good candidate may apply to the wrong job or may not fit one specific opening but could still be suitable for another active vacancy. MyGlit’s AI-assisted rerouting can help identify another role where the candidate may be a better fit, giving companies more value from the same applicant traffic.

Questionnaire-based screening further helps teams decide which candidates should enter a specific hiring card, while still allowing recruiters to manually review candidates who may not have cleared the first screening layer but could still be relevant.

Relevance for the Philippines, India and Malaysia

Gratitude Inc is initially positioning MyGlit for hiring teams in markets where recruitment remains high-volume, competitive and operationally complex.

In the Philippines, the platform is relevant for BPO and shared services hiring across Metro Manila, Cebu and other hiring hubs, where employers often manage large applicant volumes and fast-moving campaigns.

In India, MyGlit can support recruitment companies and corporate teams working across multiple clients, cities, recruiters and roles.

In Malaysia, the platform can help employers and recruitment teams manage multilingual, shared services, customer support and regional hiring requirements with clearer applicant tracking and candidate movement.

The company also plans to make MyGlit available to teams outside these markets that need a practical recruitment operating system for managing vacancies, applicants and recruiter activity.

Designed for adoption and network growth

MyGlit’s commercial model is designed to support adoption by growing recruitment teams. The platform offers unlimited users across plans, job posting access, hiring cards, questionnaire workflows, Kanban-style movement, AI-assisted features and fair-use terms.

According to Gratitude Inc, the goal is to make recruitment technology easier for teams to adopt without creating unnecessary per-user billing pressure or forcing companies to operate across disconnected tools.

As more companies and consultancies join the platform, MyGlit expects the network effect to become stronger: more companies can add genuine jobs, more applicants can discover opportunities, and recruitment teams can create more joining opportunities from the same candidate ecosystem.

Moving from manual tracking to recruitment operating systems

The opening of MyGlit reflects a wider shift in recruitment operations. Companies no longer need only job posting pages or candidate databases. They increasingly need systems that help recruiters manage workflow, track applicant movement, reduce repetitive manual work and make better use of every candidate profile.

By opening MyGlit to outside companies, Gratitude Inc aims to make a recruitment system built from practical hiring experience available to a wider market.

About Gratitude Jobs Ahead Hr inc
MyGlit is a recruitment operating system and applicant tracking platform developed by Gratitude Inc. The platform combines Company Boards, Hiring Cards, questionnaire-based screening, candidate tracking, job posting, recruiter collaboration and AI-assisted rerouting in one workflow. It is built for companies, recruitment consultancies and hiring teams that want to manage more vacancies, applicants and joining opportunities with less manual work.
Website: https://www.myglit.com
Book a demo: su*****@****it.com