Philippines

Google, YouTube implement measures to support Philippine midterm Elections

From voter assist to combating misinformation

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Google YouTube

Google and YouTube are rolling out several features as the Philippines gears up for the 2025 midterm elections on May 12th. These include initiatives aimed at connecting Filipino voters with reliable election-related information and safeguarding their platforms from potential abuse.

The two platforms are proactively implementing tools to enhance voter access to credible sources. On YouTube, users searching for information on 2025 senatorial candidates will now see an information panel displayed above search results. The panel will provide key details about the candidate. This includes their political party, and a direct link to Google Search for further information.

On Election Day itself, YouTube’s homepage will feature a prominent shelf dedicated to live coverage from authoritative news organizations. These live streams will be available in both English and Filipino. This will allow viewers to stay updated on election news and results as they unfold.

Additionally, a “How to vote” playlist from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) will be promoted on YouTube. This starts on May 12th and will offer Filipinos essential voting guidelines, requirements, and a step-by-step process.

Google Search will continue to prioritize authoritative information through its ranking systems. This is to ensure that voters receive relevant and contextual details on various election-related queries.

Platform Integrity, combating abuse

Beyond providing information, Google and YouTube are emphasizing the protection of their platforms from abuse. The company reiterated its long-standing policies against harmful content. This applies universally to all content, regardless of language, generation method, or political leaning.

Specifically, content that misleads voters on how to vote or encourages interference in the democratic process is strictly prohibited on YouTube. The platform will swiftly remove content that incites violence, promotes hate speech, disseminates harmful conspiracy theories, or threatens election workers.

Google’s latest Transparency Report indicated that the Philippines ranked 8th globally for video removals. These are due to policy violations on YouTube between October and December 2024. Over 153,000 videos have been taken down. Repeated policy violations can lead to channel termination.

Navigating AI-generated content

In response to the increasing prevalence of AI-generated content, Google and YouTube have introduced policies and tools to aid users in discerning its nature:

  • YouTube Content Labels: Creators are now required to disclose the presence of altered or synthetic content in their uploaded videos. Labels indicating such alterations will appear in the video description panel, providing crucial context. For election-related content, these labels will be directly visible on the video player, irrespective of the creator, political viewpoints, or language.
  • Google’s “About this Image” and Gemini’s Double-Check: Google Search’s “About this Image” feature assists users in evaluating the credibility and context of online images. Gemini’s double-check feature assesses whether web content supports its responses, offering an additional layer of verification.
  • Digital Watermarking: Google is actively working on embedding watermarks using DeepMind’s SynthID in all images generated through its products.
  • Industry Collaboration: Google and YouTube have joined the C2PA coalition and standard, a cross-industry initiative focused on providing greater transparency and context for AI-generated content. This collaboration will bring C2PA’s technical standards for metadata to Ads, Search, and YouTube.

Furthermore, Google is actively training media organizations through AI Workshops. This will equip journalists and news leaders with the knowledge and tools to responsibly leverage generative AI in their work. This includes election news coverage.

Supporting Media Literacy and COMELEC

In lieu of allowing political advertisements during the election cycle, Google and YouTube are proactively supporting media literacy programs and the COMELEC. This is to ensure that voters have access to trustworthy information.

Google has invested in local media literacy initiatives, partnering with organizations like CANVAS to create the YOUTHink magazine. IIt teaches readers to identify reliable information. YOUTHink has been adapted for various regions in the Philippines and published in multiple languages, including Filipino, Cebuano, and Ilocano.

In a collaborative effort to strengthen election integrity, Google has also provided specialized training workshops for COMELEC. These sessions detailed Google’s strategies for safeguarding elections on its platforms, best practices for platform safety on YouTube during critical periods, and a comprehensive overview of reporting tools available to government partners.

This collaboration aims to facilitate more effective coordination between COMELEC and YouTube in addressing potentially policy-violating content.

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Philippines

Power Mac Center opens 1st branch in Boracay

Island power

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March 31, 2026

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Power Mac Center has just opened its first branch in popular Philippine tourist destination Boracay, located at Station X.

The Premier Apple partner carries Apple devices and accessories, as well as digital lifestyle essentials from partner brands at the store.

The opening of the new branch aims to serve tourists capturing travel memories, digital nomads sustaining livelihoods, and organizations constantly looking for ways to operate more efficiently.

During its opening day, visitors also enjoyed exclusive deals on Apple devices, accessories, and trade-ins.

Meanwhile, for organizations interested in Apple integration, expert consultation is available. End-to-end deployment involving device and software solutions alike is likewise feasible.

Moreover, teachers and students can enjoy huge discounts on select devices and accessories for use in school. Simply consult with product specialists in-store for more information.

Station X is located between the main road and the beach, around Station 2. It houses various dining, shopping, and entertainment options.

Power Mac Center Boracay is located specifically at the ground floor, open from Mondays to Sundays, 10:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M.

Overall, it is the seventh store in Western Visayas, after stores in SM City Iloilo, Festive Walk Mall, SM City Roxas, Robinsons Iloilo, Ayala Malls Capitol Central, and Robinsons Antique.

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News

nubia Neo 5 series launches in the PH, starts below PhP 12K

Built-in cooling fan highlights latest nubia gaming series

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March 28, 2026

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nubia has officially launched the nubia Neo 5 series gaming smartphones in the Philippines through a fan activation event at SM Megamall.

The series consists of the nubia Neo 5, nubia Neo 5 Pro, and nubia Neo 5 GT.

Here are the pricing details and storage configurations for each variant:

  • nubia Neo 5 (8GB+128GB): PhP 11,999
  • nubia Neo 5 Pro (12GB+256GB): PhP 14,999
  • nubia Neo 5 GT (8GB+256GB): PhP 17,999
  • nubia Neo 5 GT (12GB+512GB): PhP 19,999

In particular, the top-of-the-line nubia Neo 5 GT is available in Phantom Black, Stellar Silver, and Electro Gold.

The entire series builds on the nubia Neo history of gaming-centric features, from the phones’ aesthetic, RGB lighting, OS design, and features.

New to the series is a built-in active cooling fan, and a large VC vapor chamber cooling panel.

This system eliminates the need for an external cooling fan which was among the freebies for the previous series, so users can simply focus on gaming sessions.

The phone has small exhaust vents on both sides. The series retains the shoulder triggers, although the presence of the vents pushes the volume buttons and power button lower on the right-hand side of the phone.

Powering the nubia Neo 5 GT variant is the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 processor for up to 2.6GHz clock speed.

The handset comes with up to 12GB of base RAM (plus 12GB expansion), and up to 512GB of internal storage. It also supports Wi-Fi 6 for fast and stable connectivity.

Inside is a 6,210mAh battery with support for 80W fast charging, as well as charge separation to directly charge the phone while bypassing the battery for extended sessions.

In front is a 6.8-inch 1.5K OLED display with up to 144Hz refresh rate and 4,500 nits peak brightness. This screen also has a 439ppi pixel density for sharp visuals. It is also complemented by DTS:X Ultra surround sound technology.

For its camera, the Neo 5 GT has a 50MP main camera, plus a 16MP front camera.

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Automotive

The Changan Eado Plus officially lands in the Philippines

Its aggressive launch pricing challenges the compact sedan status quo.

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March 26, 2026

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Inchcape Philippines is officially shaking up the compact sedan segment.

The Changan Eado Plus has arrived on local shores, and it’s gunning for the top spot in your driveway.

Available in two trims — Luxe and Lite — the Eado Plus offers the Filipino driver a car that looks like a million bucks without the massive price tag.

Modern aesthetic inside and out

On the outside, the Eado Plus makes a bold statement with its prominent three-dimensional grille and streamlined body lines.

This polished, premium look relies on LED lighting to command a strong presence on the road. Inside, a meticulously curated cabin handles the daily grind with ease.

The Luxe variant carries a massive 10-inch touchscreen equipped with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Meanwhile, the Lite variant keeps you connected with a 7-inch display.

To beat the local climate, Changan included a PM2.5 air filter to keep the cabin air clean, alongside a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster that puts all your vital driving data front and center.

Performance and safety without compromise

Under the hood, a 1.5L Bluecore gasoline engine powers both variants. This engine works with a 7-speed wet-type dual-clutch transmission (WDCT) to deliver a stable, responsive ride.

For those who want more control, the Luxe variant offers selectable Eco and Normal driving modes to match your mood or the traffic conditions.

Safety remains a top priority, as the Eado Plus houses a comprehensive suite of protection. Beyond the standard Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Stability Program (ESP), the car packs in practical features like rear parking sensors, tire pressure monitoring, and ISOFIX tethers for families.

Pricing, availability

To celebrate the launch, Changan offers the Eado Plus with aggressive introductory pricing through April 30, 2026.

During this period, the 1.5 Luxe DCT costs only PhP 749,999, while the 1.5 Lite DCT goes for just PhP 699,000. These rates offer a significant discount from the standard prices of PhP 799,999 and PhP 750,000, respectively.

Drivers can choose from four colors: White, Black, Andean Gray, and Titanium Silver Gray (via special order).

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