Latest news with #AOL
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Remittances dip to 11-month low in April 2025
Funds sent in by overseas Filipinos fell to an 11-month low in April, data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Monday showed. Cash remittances or money transfers through banks or formal channels were recorded at $2.664 billion in April, up 4.0% from $2.562 billion the same month last year, but lower than the $2.810 billion in March. This is also the lowest in 11 months since the $2.583 billion cash remittances recorded in May 2024. Inflows from land-based workers stood at $2.08 billion, while sea-based workers accounted for the remaining $0.58 million. This brought the year-to-date cash remittances to $11.107 billion, reflecting a 3.0% increase from $10.782 billion in the comparable period of 2024. The biggest source of inflows for the four-month period was the United States with 40.4%, followed by Singapore with 7.3%, Saudi Arabia with 6.3%, Japan with 5.0%, and the United Kingdom with 4.5%. They were followed by the United Arab Emirates with 4.5%, Canada with 5.2%, Qatar with 2.9%, Taiwan with 2.7%, and Hong Kong with 2.7%, while other countries accounted for the remaining 20.6%. The BSP noted, however, remittances coursed through money couriers cannot be disaggregated by actual country source and these are lodged under the country where the main offices are located, which is in the United States in many cases. Personal remittances or the sum of transfers sent in cash or in-kind via informal channels came in at $2.975 billion, down from $3.130 billion in the previous month, but higher than the $2.859 billion in April 2024. Year-to-date personal remittances were recorded at $12.372 billion, up from $12.010 billion in the comparable period of 2023. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
8 police chiefs removed for failure to implement ‘5-minute response' policy
Eight police chiefs in Metro Manila were removed from their posts for failure to implement the Five-Minute Response Time policy, according to Jun Veneracion's report on Super Radyo dzBB. PNP chief Police General Nicolas Torre III said in an interview with reporters that the the police officials refused to comply with the policy. The cops were stationed in Navotas, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Mandaluyong, Marikina, San Juan, Parañaque, and Makati, according to PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Jean Fajardo. Meanwhile, Torre said more police officials are expected to be removed from their posts, including provincial directors in Central Visayas. Torre added there are already replacements lined up for the removed officials. The PNP previously said that the 5-Minute Response Time Strategy serves as a major departure from traditional precinct-based policing, making the police presence a more mobile, proactive, and people-centered approach. The program shall also ensure that calls for help are answered swiftly, professionally, and at any hour. —Joahna Lei Casilao/AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Globe reaches 61.6M mobile subscribers in Q1 2025
Globe Telecom has recorded 61.6 million mobile subscribers as of end-March 2025, up 5% from 58.8 million the same period last year. Globe also said its broadband customers grew to 1.83 million as of end-March 2025, up from 1.72 million the same period last year. The telecommunications company said 87% of its total service revenues in the first quarter of 2025 came from data, up from 85% the previous year. Globe president and CEO Carl Cruz said it is a strong sign that Filipinos are embracing a digital-first lifestyle. "We're not just going digital for the sake of it. We're building solutions that reflect real needs, real affordability, and real stories of connection. That means helping students with their online learning, helping an OFW see their family over a clear video call, or allowing small businesses to receive payments digitally. These moments are what matter,' said Cruz. As of April, GFiber Prepaid (GFP), on the other hand, earned a standout Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 67—a strong indicator of satisfaction and trust among value-conscious households. With 70% reload rates—the highest among prepaid fiber brands—and a 53% quarter-on-quarter subscriber growth, the product is expanding rapidly into income-challenged households, said Globe. "These numbers are indicative that customers prefer our services. We'll keep innovating, investing, and pushing technology forward, but always with the customer in mind. When you build with empathy, the impact follows," Cruz said.—Jon Viktor Cabuenas/AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Who is Katrina Anne Johnson? Get to know our Binibining Pilipinas International 2025
Katrina Anne Johnson reigned victorious as Binibining Pilipinas International 2025! At the Binbining Pilipinas coronation night held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the beauty queen from Davao was crowned by Myrna Esguerra. Aside from the most coveted crown for the night, Katrina also won Best in Evening Gown and Binibining Dunkin awards. If you'd like to learn more about our Binibining Pilipinas International 2025, here are interesting facts about the Filipina beauty queen. She competed in Binibining Pilipinas 2023. Katrina's journey to the Binibining Pilipinas International title is a testament to her perseverance. After a 1st runner-up finish in the 2023 edition, she didn't give up. Two years later, she finally fulfilled her dream and earned the prestigious title. She is a pharmacist. The 25-year-old Davaoeña beauty queen is a licensed pharmacist and a certified clinical pharmacist. As a medical professional, Katrina advocated for accessible healthcare in the Philippines. "My advocacy revolves around healthcare and how it is, unfortunately, a privilege instead of one's right here in the Philippines," she wrote in her Binibining Pilipinas profile. "I hope to spread awareness on the importance of healthcare in the overall betterment of our country," she added. She is a fur mom of 13 dogs. Among Katrina's interests is spending time with her pets. In her Binibining Pilipinas profile interview, she revealed that she is a fur mom to 13 dogs. "It's a mix of senior dogs, dogs that have been rescued from unfortunate situations, ones with special needs, one even has a wheelchair," she said. Katrina will represent the Philippines in the upcoming 63rd Miss International pageant set for November 27 in Tokyo, Japan. Congratulations! —AOL, GMA Integrated News
Forbes
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Internet Scrabble Club': The Retro Site That Shames Modern Apps
Online Scrabble is a crowded field It looks like it hasn't been updated since 1996. It has sound effects that you've not heard since the glory days of AOL. Yet the Internet Scrabble Club puts the game's official apps to shame. Created by a Romanian player called Florin Gheorghe, according to the site's Wikipedia page, the Internet Scrabble Club is all about the game – there are no ads, no in-app purchases, no distractions. There's a premium tier for those who want to unlock more advanced features, but anyone can play for free. It's a glorious reminder of what the Internet used to be like and the best place to play online Scrabble that I've found. There is no shortage of apps and sites out there that will let you play Scrabble online – although many avoid using the 'S' word for intellectual property reasons. One of the officially endorsed apps is Scrabble Go, which is available for both iOS and Android, but it's a user experience horror show. It's a barrage of pop-ups and promotions as you play, desperately trying to convince you to link social media accounts or buy virtual currency so that you can purchase needless trinkets such as fancy tiles. It feels more like playing a slot machine than Scrabble. Scrabble Go deluges players with constant promotions FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Then there's Classic Words With Friends, which is very similar with the constant pleas to try this and that, and the full-screen, unavoidable video ads after you play each word. Some of the websites are better. lets you get on and play without even requiring you to register, and with minimal intrusive advertising. However, not having to register means anonymous players think nothing of abandoning games early if they're getting well beaten and the site has some curious features. For example, it shows you precisely what letters remain unused, including your opponents' letters when you get down to zero tiles left in the bag. That just feels like cheating. The curiously named is a decent Scrabble site, too. It's a non-profit funded by donations, allowing it to run ad-free. My only real gripe with the site is that it's often difficult to find people waiting in the lobby for a game, especially outside of U.S. hours. The Internet Scrabble Club doesn't look pretty, but it's a haven for players The Internet Scrabble Club doesn't make the best first impression. It looks like a site that was abandoned around the turn of the millennium, with dated graphics and few concessions to modern web design. Don't let that put you off, because the gameplay itself is wonderful. It clearly has a small but committed community of players. There's rarely any trouble finding an online match at any time of day and the players take it seriously. I've played almost 40 Scrabble matches on the site now, and only one of those games has been abandoned, with an opponent leaving midway through. Players are courteous, but not overly chatty. It's common to wish the opponent good luck before a game starts; seven-letter bingos are normally met with a 'wp' (for 'well played'). It will take a while to get used to the site's labelling and acronyms. The figure in brackets next to a player's name is their ranking. Anything over 1,000 is seriously good, while 800 is the average (according to the site's help files). Your rank will improve greatly if you topple a much better-ranked player, but it's best to find opponents in and around your level and improve your rank gradually. Most players use the CSW (Collins Scrabble Words) dictionary, which accepts both U.S. and U.K. English spellings and is more generous with two-letter words than most dictionaries. Most will play in a mode where you're simply not allowed to play words that aren't in the dictionary, but some players use 'Challenge' mode where the opponent can dispute whether it's a valid word, and you lose your turn or points if it's not in the dictionary. There is a variety of match times on offer too, ranging from three minutes per player right up to 20 mins. If you're new, I suggest starting at ten minutes or longer. The faster 'blitz' games require extraordinarily quick thinking. The site looks like it's desktop-only and it certainly plays best when using a PC or laptop, but it does play fine on tablets too. There's the odd glitch as you drag a tile on to the board, but it's more than playable on an iPad or Android tablet. It's even usable on smartphone screens, although I personally find it a little small and fiddly. So if you're looking for a game of online Scrabble and you're willing to be part of a friendly community, you could do a lot worse than party like it's 1999 at the Internet Scrabble Club.
