Your Dinner Plans This Love Month, Now With 20% Cashback When You Pay With Your Maya Credit Card

February usually means more dinner plans than usual. Some are dates. Some are catch-ups. Some are just excuses to go somewhere good. And if a solid night out for you means great food, good company, and a bill that doesn’t kill the vibe, this one’s for you.

This Love Month, Maya, the #1 digital bank and leading all-in-one fintech platform in the Philippines, is adding a little extra value to your nights out. Credit cardholders can enjoy 20% cashback on a minimum single receipt of ₱3,500 at participating restaurants, capped at ₱1,000, when you pay with your Maya Credit Card.

Whether it’s an intimate table for two, shared plates with friends, or finally checking out that restaurant you’ve been saving for months, the idea is simple: enjoy the night and get something back.

It works across the kinds of places people usually gravitate toward this season. Think dining at Antonio’s, Gallery by Chele, Toyo Eatery, or Hapag; intimate, chef-driven spots like Helm, Celera, or Den by Nikkei; and classic go-tos for a dressed-up night out such as Blackbird, Wolfgang’s Steakhouse, Smith & Wollensky, Mamou Prime, or CRU Steakhouse.

And because good nights don’t always end when the plates are cleared, Maya is extending the same 20% cashback to Manila’s bar scene. This month, cardholders can enjoy cashback on a minimum single receipt of ₱2,500 at participating bars, capped at ₱600.

The bar list includes some of the city’s most familiar late-night fixtures, such as Blind Pig, After Hours, El Gato, Three Dots, and The Opal Bar—places where one drink is rarely the last.

On top of the cashback, cardholders continue to earn their usual rewards. Maya Black Credit Card users receive up to 10x Maya Miles, while Landers Cashback Everywhere Credit Card holders earn 2% cashback points on eligible transactions.

For the full list of participating restaurants and bars and complete promo details, visit maya.ph/curateddining.

Follow @mayaiseverything on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to stay updated. Maya Philippines, Inc. and Maya Bank, Inc. are regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (www.bsp.gov.ph). Deposits are insured by PDIC up to ₱1 million per depositor.

PH-owned fintech firm BCRemit expands global footprint to 23 countries, outlines roadmap to scale local innovation beyond Filipino market

Building on its success in the retail remittance sector, BCRemit, a Filipino-led global digital remittance company, has expanded its services to 23 countries and announced plans to scale its operations to provide tailored cross-border payment solutions beyond the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

The company plans to launch a suite of cross-border payment services tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Business Process Outsourcings (BPOs), and freelancers, marking a significant expansion beyond its core Filipino roots. This evolution targets a broader global audience, aiming to provide services for other major migrant markets, including those from India, Mexico, and China.

"Our mission has always been to show that Filipino-led innovation can offer transformative solutions to the world. By expanding our services beyond our core community, we aim to serve as a global financial partner built on Filipino values ready to serve the world’s most dynamic economies,” said Oliver Calma, Founder and CEO of BCRemit.

BCRemit will start 2026 with the launch of a new QR-payment collection feature in partnership with Coins.ph. This feature will streamline outbound remittances from the Philippines, further strengthening BCRemit’s established integrations with major e-wallet platforms. This innovation is set to complement the surging remittance economy, which reached $2.91 billion in November 2025 alone.

Looking ahead, BCRemit also envisions evolving as an all-in-one financial platform, diversifying its product offerings to introduce loans, e-wallets, stablecoin, and investments.

Currently, BCRemit has processed over 1 million transactions since its launch, amounting to over $600 million in transaction value, underscoring the platform’s robust capability to seamlessly facilitate high-volume cross-border settlements.

BCRemit is leveraging its strategic partnership with Circle Internet Financial to harness technology in overcoming the challenges of traditional remittances. By utilizing blockchain technology and USDC stablecoins, the platform has successfully reduced transaction costs to approximately 1%, a stark contrast to the global average remittance cost of 6.4%. This infrastructure allows for near-instant settlements, bypassing the 3-5 day delays typical of traditional banking channels and ensuring that funds reach their destination at their highest possible value.

BCRemit CEO and founder - Oliver Calma

BCRemit was established in 2015 by Oliver Calma and his son, Gio, inspired by their own family's history. Drawing from Oliver’s years as an overseas worker and the family's reliance on his sent funds, they built the platform to solve the real-world delays they faced firsthand and ensure other families wouldn't face the same hurdles. Their mission is rooted in the belief that overseas workers deserve to 'send money back home faster,' a principle that remains the heartbeat of the company’s 2026 expansion.

"We saw firsthand the impact of financial delays on our own family growing up, and that drives our commitment to innovation today," said Gio Calma, Co-Founder and Director of BCRemit. "We understand that for our customers, remittances aren’t just transactions, they’re a lifeline. As we expand, we remain focused on creating a trusted financial gateway that serves every Filipino from around the world."

Operating under the regulatory oversight of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Banco de España, and Bank of Canada, BCRemit remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of compliance to serving over 10.8 million overseas Filipinos across the world with seamless, secure financial services made by Filipinos, for Filipinos.

For more information, you may visit https://www.bcremit.com/ or follow their Facebook page.

Bitget Champions Women Shaping Education-First Web3 Growth in the Philippines

 Bitget, the world’s largest Universal Exchange (UEX), highlighted the growing impact of women-led Web3 education and advocacy in the Philippines through its flagship women-in-blockchain initiative, Blockchain4Her. The initiative supports women who are advancing blockchain literacy, community access, and responsible participation across emerging digital economies.

Blockchain4Her is designed to elevate and empower women in blockchain through education-first programs, grassroots partnerships, and community-led advocacy. By focusing on access, knowledge, and long-term inclusion, the initiative aims to close the gender gap in Web3 and create pathways for women to participate as builders, educators, and decision-makers.

In the Philippines, a market shaped by strong grassroots adoption and a rapidly expanding digital economy, Blockchain4Her has supported women working at the intersection of education, community-building, and responsible innovation. Advocates, including Bea Llana, Arshelene “Tita Arsh” Lingao, and MaryWave (Wave3), have emerged as leading voices helping women and young people approach Web3 with clarity, structure, and purpose.

Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget, sharing about Blockchain4Her in a Bitget event

“We started Blockchain4Her to create a safe space and build confidence for women to imagine a future in Web3,” said Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget and initiator of Blockchain4Her. “Seeing women in the Philippines take ownership of education and community-building shows what inclusion looks like when it begins at the grassroots level.”

Across their work, the advocates share a common focus on education over speculation and long-term understanding over short-term participation. Llana, a Southeast Asia–based ecosystem builder and co-founder of Buhayin, has worked to translate blockchain and emerging technologies into practical opportunities for local communities, particularly through education and connectivity initiatives in underserved island regions.

“There wasn’t one defining moment,” Llana said. “But working closely with communities showed how thoughtfully applied blockchain technology can support access and participation. That’s when curiosity became intention.”

Education has also been central to the work of Arshelene “Tita Arsh” Lingao, founder of Cryptita Plays, who has focused on improving Web3 literacy among Filipino youth and underserved communities. Alongside Bitget's other CSR initiative, Blockchain4Youth, she developed the Young Learners’ Encyclopedia, an accessible resource designed to introduce blockchain concepts in a clear and age-appropriate way.

“Too many young people enter crypto without honest guidance,” Lingao said. “Education helps them see Web3 as a space for learning and creativity, not hype.”

MaryWave, also known as Wave3, has addressed similar gaps in the trading space by building education-driven communities centered on market structure, discipline, and risk awareness. As co-founder of Wave3, she has focused on creating environments where women and beginners can learn without pressure or misinformation.

“What was missing was structure and honest education,” MaryWave said. “When people understand the market, confidence replaces fear.”

Through Blockchain4Her, Bitget continues to support women-led initiatives that emphasize responsible learning, long-term empowerment, and inclusive participation in Web3. In markets like the Philippines, where community-driven education plays a critical role, the initiative aims to ensure that women are equipped with knowledge beyond hype, as they explore opportunities in web3. This approach aligns with Bitget’s global education initiatives with UNICEF, which aim to expand access to digital skills and blockchain education for young people and underserved communities worldwide.

GCash launches in-app beginner's guide to introduce crypto to everyday Filipinos

Interest in cryptocurrency continues to grow among Filipinos, with 96% showing awareness and over half expressing intent to invest within the year, according to a 2025 Consensys survey. Despite this high curiosity, many remain cautious and unsure where to begin.

To help everyday Filipinos take their first confident step into the world of crypto, finance super app GCash launches “A Beginner’s Guide to Cryptocurrency”, a free and exclusive in-app introduction to cryptocurrency, written and illustrated by Luis Buenaventura, Head of GCrypto. Buenaventura, a Filipino crypto author, artist, and entrepreneur, is widely recognized as a pioneer in the local and global crypto scene. 

The Filipino-focused, narrative-style guide breaks down complex concepts like Bitcoin, wallets, and volatility through familiar and practical examples like inflation and daily budgeting, making the topic more approachable for crypto newbies. 

“Storytelling makes learning personal and relatable. By grounding financial concepts into everyday examples, we aim to make complex topics like crypto approachable for anyone,” said Buenaventura.

Crypto: From Making Sense to Making Moves

Divided into eight chapters, the guide takes users through the fundamentals of crypto in a practical, easy-to-follow format that reflects the real financial experiences of Filipinos. It starts with why cryptocurrency was developed–tracing its roots to real-world economic challenges, particularly inflation and its impact on people’s savings and purchasing power. From there, it walks readers through Bitcoin's rise and volatility. 

“Understanding why crypto matters is the first step to learning how to use it wisely,” Buenaventura noted. “By helping them understand the balance of ‘high risk, high reward,’ we aim to set realistic expectations before they dive into actual investing.”

Once readers have a grasp of cryptocurrency, the book guides them towards taking their first careful step into investing. It emphasizes the importance of building traditional savings, maintaining diversified investments, and treating crypto as a complement—not a replacement—to other financial foundations.

The succeeding chapters explore the tools and mindsets needed to invest responsibly. It explains wallet apps, satoshis, and trading basics, and introduces other cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin, such as Ethereum, Solana, stablecoins, and high-volatility memecoins. 

It also dives into the mindset behind investing, tackling topics like moments of doubt, the importance of discipline, and the value of long-term thinking. Ultimately, it brings the conversation back to purpose—that crypto should serve real-life goals, helping Filipinos fund dreams, support their families, and celebrate financial progress responsibly.

“Our goal is to educate Filipinos on the responsible use of cryptocurrency, enabling them to take confident, informed steps into the future of finance,” Buenaventura added.

Crypto na Gets Mo

Accessible with just a few taps, “A Beginner’s Guide to Cryptocurrency” is now available through GCrypto, a secure marketplace within the GCash app where users can buy, sell, and learn about crypto safely. 

“By publishing the book directly on the GCrypto platform, users can learn and explore at their own pace within a secure environment. This helps Filipinos build confidence and make informed decisions as they navigate the world of crypto,” said Buenaventura. 

With streamlined registration, low minimum investment options, and a curated selection of reputable coins reviewed by security experts, GCrypto aims to make cryptocurrency more accessible and less intimidating for Filipino users.

Users can register and begin trading with just their fully verified GCash account, with no separate onboarding required. With investment entry points starting at just ₱200, GCrypto lowers the barrier for participation in the digital economy. 

The platform also offers a carefully curated portfolio of trusted cryptocurrencies, helping users make informed choices among reputable coins vetted for security and reliability. It also supports seamless conversion between pesos and crypto, as well as blockchain transactions for sending and receiving funds, all within the GCash app.

Users can access the book by opening the GCash app, tapping ‘Grow,’ and selecting GCrypto.

Ready to take your first step into crypto? Download the GCash App on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei App Gallery. Kaya mo, i-GCash mo!

SNAP brings solar power system to Ambuklao Elementary School in Benguet

Students and teachers of Ambuklao Elementary School, in Bokod, Benguet  can now enjoy a more reliable source of electricity following the turnover and switch-on of a solar power system donated by SN Aboitiz Benguet (SNAP-Benguet) on February 12, 2026.

SNAP-Benguet turned over 22 solar panels, inverter, battery, breakers and other electric materials totaling around Php300,000. The company’s electrical and facilities teams volunteered on the installation of the solar power system and have committed maintenance support to ensure the solar panels continue to function optimally. 

The panels were provided by its affiliate company, SNAP-Magat, which previously piloted a floating solar project in preparation for a proposed commercial solar facility.

Through the former school principal Emerson Hadsan, the school requested assistance from SNAP-Benguet to help address power interruptions, particularly during the rainy season, which have disrupted classes and school activities for the school’s 70 learners.

During the turnover ceremony, Principal Emilyn Esnara expressed her gratitude to SNAP for its generosity and continued support for the students’ development and learning. She said, “With this facility donated by SNAP, our teachers will be able to continuously prepare learning activities and conduct classes for the children, even during heavy rains and storms.”

Ambukalo Barangay Chairman Rey Tello also shared that Ambuklao Elementary School is the first recipient of the solar power project in Bokod. This SNAP project is expected to help reduce the electricity expenses of Barangay Ambuklao.

The initiative reflects SNAP’s continued commitment to supporting its host communities while promoting sustainable and renewable energy solutions. It also supports the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly the goals on quality education and affordable and clean energy.

The New Home Robot Embodies LG Electronics’ Zero Labor Home Vision, Introducing Physical AI to Manage the Time-consuming Tasks of Daily Housework

 LG Electronics (LG) today announced LG CLOiD™, an AI-enabled home robot that will be demonstrated publicly for the first time at CES 2026. Designed to perform and coordinate household tasks across connected home appliances, CLOiD is intended to reduce the time and physical effort required for everyday chores. The system represents LG’s latest development in AI-based home robotics and smart home platforms, building on the company’s Self-Driving AI Home Hub (LG Q9), and the ThinQ ecosystem.

Demonstrating Household Automation in a Real-World Home Setting 

At CES 2026, the company will show LG CLOiD operating in diverse home environments. In one scenario, the robot retrieves milk from a refrigerator and places a croissant into an oven to prepare breakfast. After household occupants leave, LG CLOiD initiates laundry cycles and folds and stacks garments after drying. These tasks display LG CLOiD’s ability to understand the user’s lifestyle and precise appliance control

Hardware Designed for Operation in Living Spaces 

LG CLOiD consists of a head unit, torso with two articulated arms and a wheeled base equipped with autonomous navigation. The torso can tilt to adjust its height, enabling the robot to pick up objects from knee level and above.

Each arm has seven degrees of freedom, matching the mobility of a human arm. The shoulder, elbow and wrist allow forward, backward, rotational and lateral motion, while each hand includes five independently actuated fingers for fine manipulation. This configuration allows LG CLOiD to handle a wide range of household objects and operate in kitchens, laundry rooms and living areas.

The wheeled base uses autonomous driving technology derived from LG’s experience with robot vacuums and the LG Q9. This form factor was selected for stability, safety and cost-effectiveness, with a low center of gravity that reduces the risk of tipping if a child or pet makes contact.

LG CLOiD’s Head as a Mobile AI Home Hub

The head functions as a mobile AI home hub. It is equipped with a chipset – which functions as LG CLOiD’s brain – a display, a speaker, cameras, various sensors and voice-based generative AI. Collectively, these elements allow the robot to communicate with humans through spoken language and “facial expressions,” learn the living environments and lifestyle patterns of its users and control connected home appliances based on its learnings.

Vision-Based Physical AI: VLM and VLA

At the core of LG CLOiD is the company’s Physical AI technology, which combines:

• Vision Language Model (VLM) — converts images and video into structured, language-based understanding

• Vision Language Action (VLA) — translates visual and verbal inputs into physical actions

These models have been trained on tens of thousands of hours of household task data, enabling LG CLOiD to recognize appliances, interpret user intent and execute context-appropriate actions such as opening doors, or transferring objects.

Integration with ThinQ and ThinQ ON

LG CLOiD’s capabilities expand significantly through its integration with LG’s smart home ecosystem, including the AI Home Platform “ThinQ™” and Hub “ThinQ ON.” This seamless connectivity allows LG CLOiD to orchestrate a wider range of services across LG's various appliances.

LG Actuator AXIUM: Robotics Components for Physical AI

Alongside the home robot, LG is introducing LG Actuator AXIUM™, a new brand of robotic actuators for service and robots.

An actuator serves as a robot’s joint, integrating a motor that generates rotational force, a drive that controls electrical signals and a reducer that regulates speed and torque. As one of the most critical and cost-intensive components in a robot, actuators are widely regarded as a strategic upstream technology in the emerging era of Physical AI.

LG has accumulated world-class component technology through its market-leading home appliance business. This expertise in component technology is expected to be the foundation for delivering key competitive advantages in actuators, such as lightweight and compact design, high efficiency and high torque. In addition, LG’s modular design technology enables customizing, multi-variety production that is necessary for manufacturing advanced robots, which require dozens of types of actuators.

Roadmap Toward AI-Driven Homes

LG plans to continue developing home robots with practical functions and forms for housework. Simultaneously, the company will expand the application of its accumulated robotics technology to home appliances, creating categories such as “Appliance Robots” like robot vacuums, and “Robotized Appliances” like refrigerators with doors that open automatically as a person approaches. The ultimate goal is to create an “AI Home” where housework is entrusted to AI appliances and home robots, allowing people to rest, enjoy themselves and spend their time on more valuable activities.

“The LG CLOiD home robot is designed to naturally engage with and understand the humans it serves, providing an optimized level of household help,” said Steve Baek, president of the LG Home Appliance Solution Company. “We will continue our relentless efforts to achieve our Zero Labor Home vision, making housework a thing of the past so that customers can spend more time on the things that really matter.”

Visitors to CES 2026 (January 6-9) can experience the tangible benefits of LG CLOiD and the Zero Labor Home through a variety of real-life scenarios at LG’s booth (#15004, Las Vegas Convention Center).

Create Your Life’s Soundtrack with Lyria 3 on Gemini

 

Whether it’s a sunset photo from an El Nido trip or a wayward thought shared while stuck in EDSA traffic, every moment in your life little or grand can now have its own perfect, fitting soundtrack. That’s because Google is launching Lyria 3, a generative music model available directly within Gemini.

Lyria 3 is a digital instrument that gives people a new way to express themselves. By describing an idea or scenario, or uploading a photo, Gemini generates a 30-second, high-quality track with lyrics and cover art that matches exactly what you’re looking for or the vibe you’re chasing. With simply a prompt, you can choose the genre—from upbeat pop to chill acoustic and everything else that’s available—and adjust the tempo, vocals, and style to fit your vision.

Here’s how it works:

• Prompt to Play: Describe a vibe as detailed as you can, like “a nostalgic 90s alternative track about a rainy day in Manila.”

• Visual inspiration: If you don’t know where to start with a text prompt, you can also upload a photo and let Gemini generate a melody that matches the mood of the image.

• Granular Control: Once Gemini gives you the output, you can tweak the vocals or the energy of the track with further prompts until it sounds right.

A good sound track comes from human emotion and experience, and Lyria 3 serves as an exciting and accessible partner in that process. The Philippines has a long history of adopting technology to express themselves. From viral shortform video remixes to visual storytelling, Filipinos are already using AI to showcase their culture and daily lives.

And for many young Filipinos today, AI works best as a collaborator. Lyria 3 provides a safe, simple space to experiment with these ideas, giving "Pinoy creativity" a new set of digital tools. Students can use it to score school projects, while content creators could use it to find unique beats for their videos.

Lyria 3 is now available on Gemini. You can start creating today at gemini.google.com.