Emirates has expanded its Travel Rehearsal program to Clark International Airport, offering neurodiverse children and their families a step-by-step walkthrough of the airport experience. This marks the airline's second rehearsal in the Philippines, following an initial session in Cebu.

 

 

SIMULATING THE AIRPORT JOURNEY

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The three-hour program hosted 22 students, their parents, and eight teachers from the Hand Prints School of Progressive Education and the Beyond Play Learning Center.

To help reduce the anxiety and sensory overload often triggered by unfamiliar airport environments, participants practiced every major step of departure:

 

• Checking in and clearing immigration

• Passing through security screening

• Navigating the departure concourse

• Simulating the gate boarding process

 

Emirates staff and airport teams guided the families through each station, explaining the procedures and answering questions to help parents gauge what to expect during future travel.

 

 

CROSS-AGENCY COLLABORATION

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The initiative was supported by a coordinated effort between Clark International Airport staff, customer service teams, border control, the Office for Transportation Security, and Emirates' ground handling partner.

"Making travel more inclusive starts long before a customer boards a flight. It means recognizing that every traveler experiences the airport differently and working with our partners to make travel more accessible."
— Khalid Al Zarooni, Emirates' Country Manager for the Philippines

 

 

A BROADER INITIATIVE

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Emirates achieved its Autism-Certified Airline status after training over 35,000 cabin crew and ground staff in sensory sensitivity and autism awareness. Since launching the rehearsals, the airline's Airport Services teams have conducted more than 40 sessions globally, spanning hubs like Dubai, Barcelona, Sydney, Hong Kong, and Toronto.

Communications group COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises, through its Citizen COMCO advocacy branch, has concluded Wish to Ignite. Run in partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, this special fourth season of the Write to Ignite initiative focused on documenting the lives of children battling critical illnesses whose wishes were granted by the non-profit.

Century Tuna has unveiled the 40 finalists who will compete in the grand finals of Century Tuna Superbods 2026, marking the 20th anniversary of the Philippines' longest-running fitness competition.

The finalists were announced during the competition's Final Callback, where hundreds of applicants from across the Philippines were narrowed down to 20 male and 20 female contenders.

This year's edition signals a broader direction for the competition, putting equal emphasis on personal growth and wellness alongside physical fitness.

Rather than focusing solely on physique, contestants were encouraged to share the stories behind their fitness journeys. The lineup includes repeat hopefuls returning after multiple attempts, working professionals, parents balancing family life with fitness, coaches, models, and personalities from different backgrounds.

Among this year's participants are mothers returning to fitness after raising families, fathers embracing healthier lifestyles, and even families competing together. The batch also includes transgender men joining the competition for the first time, as well as older contestants who continue to challenge conventional ideas about age and fitness.

"Every edition, the Superbods competition evolves, but our core mission remains unchanged—to inspire Filipinos to become the healthiest versions of themselves," said Carlo Endaya, Vice President, General Manager, and Group Business Head of Century Pacific Food Inc.

"As we enter this new chapter, we want to celebrate health as something that goes beyond appearance. It's about discipline, purpose, and living well."

Contestants faced a series of challenges during the callback, including a runway walk, stage presentation, and question-and-answer segment. Judges evaluated not only their physical conditioning but also their confidence, communication skills, and advocacy for health and wellness.

The judging panel included Century Pacific Food executives, actress and fitness advocate Jasmine Curtis-Smith, and former Century Tuna Superbods champions Jules Aquino and Christelle Abello.

Advancing to the finals in the men's division are Aaron Maniego, Ameer Ahid, Herschel Verne Sanchez, MJ Ordillano, Arvin Corpuz, Jay Gonzaga, Austin Dizon Cabatana, Nunoy van den Burgh, Jaco Benin, Paul John Galang, Christopher Ian El Jouni, Joselito Florendo, Prince De Guzman, Rafael Cruz Tan, Ken Batino, Dominic Camozzi, Kim Panique, RC Kashyap, Ricardo De Jesus, and Lorenzo Isip.

The female finalists are Alana Maris Montemayor, Janica Reloxe, Maan Marquez, Aleiah Torres, Jarly Verceles, Jasmine Rovelle Paguio, Anna Valencia Lakrini, Ashley Cayuca, Chucel Njigha, Ronalyn Lalimo, Jilliane Robillos, Rovin Mizuse, Diane Querrer, Donnabelle Erno, Kristen Bea H. Chua, Thalia Joaquin, Vienne Luna, Gee Canlas, Lou Yanong, and Gia Gonzales.

Now on its 20th year, Century Tuna Superbods continues to evolve beyond a fitness competition. This year's finalists reflect a wider range of backgrounds and experiences, highlighting how health and wellness can look different for every Filipino as they prepare for the competition's grand finale.

Travelers planning their next vacation can score discounted flights and hotel stays during Trip.com's 7.7 Mega Sale, happening from July 7 to 10.

The four-day promotion features limited-time airfare and accommodation deals for both local and international destinations, along with promo codes and vouchers that offer additional savings throughout the campaign.

Flight deals begin at ₱77 one-way for select domestic routes, with flash sales scheduled at different times on July 7.

Among the featured offers are ₱77 fares for Manila-Cebu and Manila-Caticlan flights at midnight, followed by ₱499 domestic fares to Cebu and Davao at noon. International deals include ₱999 one-way flights to Tokyo via Jetstar Japan, Shanghai via Philippine Airlines, Hong Kong via HK Express, Taipei via STARLUX Airlines, Hanoi via VietJet Air, and Bangkok via Philippine Airlines.

Travelers can also watch for a buy-one-get-one roundtrip promotion for Manila-Cebu and Manila-Caticlan flights via Philippine Airlines, scheduled for 9 p.m.

Beyond the flash sales, Trip.com will release ₱1,000 flight promo codes throughout July 7 for bookings with a minimum spend of ₱8,000. Select users may also receive surprise ₱1,500 discount vouchers, while customers booking eligible Manila-Hong Kong flights can unlock a ₱2,000 hotel voucher for qualifying reservations.

Those who miss the one-day flash deals can still save from July 8 to 10, when an additional 8% discount (up to ₱1,500) will be available on eligible flight bookings.

The sale also covers hotel accommodations, with room rates starting at ₱77 for selected properties in the Philippines.

Other featured hotel offers include ₱499 stays at participating local hotels, ₱999 stays at selected high-star Philippine properties, and ₱999 rates at participating hotels in Vietnam and Thailand.

Hotel bookings are likewise eligible for ₱1,000 promo code discounts throughout July 7 for a minimum spend of ₱6,000. Surprise ₱1,500 hotel vouchers may also be released at selected times during the day.

From July 8 to 10, travelers can still enjoy 10% off hotel bookings, with discounts of up to ₱1,500.

The promotion is available through the Trip.com mobile app and website, where travelers can also find destination guides, travel recommendations, and other seasonal offers.

Students in some of Southern Leyte's most remote schools now have access to digital learning tools through the latest rollout of the School-in-a-Bag (SIAB) program.

A total of 97 multigrade schools across the province received SIAB kits under a partnership among the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), PLDT Inc., Smart Communications, the Department of Education Region 8, and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP). The deployment is UNICEF's largest under the program so far.

The initiative builds on a partnership that began in 2019, with UNICEF and the PLDT Group bringing more than 300 School-in-a-Bag units to last-mile schools nationwide.

"Our mandate is to ensure that every child has equal access to quality education, especially those in the most marginalized communities," said Jieun Yoon, Education Specialist at UNICEF Philippines. "We hope these devices help improve classroom learning while easing some of the workload of teachers."

One of the recipient schools is Benit Elementary School in Malitbog, about 38 kilometers from Maasin City. Like many schools in the province, it runs multigrade classes, where one teacher often handles students from several grade levels at the same time.

Teacher-in-charge Merry Ann B. Tagon said the equipment will make a noticeable difference in daily classroom instruction.

"This is a big blessing for our learners, especially in multigrade classes where one teacher supports many students at once," she said. "The fact that the materials can be used even without an internet connection means teaching and learning can continue without interruption."

Each School-in-a-Bag functions as a portable digital classroom. The kits include a laptop, ten tablets, a Smart Bro LTE Pocket WiFi with load allocation, a teacher's guide, and digital learning resources such as contextualized Learning Activity Sheets and #LearnSmart applications that help develop literacy and numeracy skills in learners' mother tongue.

Roby A. Alampay, first vice president and head of the Public Engagement and Corporate Communications Group at PLDT and Smart, said the goal is to make digital learning resources available to students regardless of where they live.

"We're grateful to work with UNICEF in reaching more remote schools and bringing these portable digital classrooms directly to learners," he said.

The rollout forms part of the PLDT Group's #KonektedForLearning program, which supports efforts to improve access to education through technology. For schools in geographically isolated communities, programs like School-in-a-Bag help bridge gaps in learning by providing digital resources that can be used even in areas with limited or no internet connectivity.

 

➤ SEE: PLDT INNOLAB