News

PLDT’s RapidPass aims to decongest quarantine checkpoints

Essential workers can quickly pass through by showing a QR code

Published

April 25, 2020

Kenrick Buduan

Every day, hundreds of medical workers and personnel delivering essential goods pass through numerous checkpoints. These checkpoints carry a risk of exposure and infection as they have to show identification to uniformed personnel so they can pass. Plus, it’s a time-consuming process as validating information requires a thorough look to confirm that it is not falsified.

The newest initiative from PLDT aims to change that. With its RapidPass project, medical workers simply have to use a smartphone to confirm their identification.

Through the project, anyone included in the Approved Persons Outside Residence (APOR) can register at this website to get a special QR code. Those with a QR code can save it to their smartphone or have it printed. Once they pass through a quarantine checkpoint, uniformed personnel can simply scan the code for validation.

The project went through a pilot testing in early April. DevCon Philippines partnered with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to create the website for the approval and generation of QR codes. PLDT supplied an initial batch of 200 smartphones to major checkpoints at the boundaries of Metro Manila.

Screenshot of Rapidpass.ph

Since the initial run was successful, PLDT is expanding the project in cooperation with other government agencies. DOST will receive an additional 540 smartphones with voice and data packages for use by the Philippine National Police (PNP) on checkpoints. Each checkpoint will receive three phones each for the proper monitoring of people during the lockdown.

Other use cases mulled

The government is also planning to expand the RapidPass project not only in Metro Manila but also in other parts of the country. Plans are also underway to utilize the project even after the quarantine is lifted. The rationale for expanding the project’s usage is the efficient monitoring and control of traffic to slow down the spread of COVID-19.

The RapidPass project is surely a helpful tool for streamlining identification on various checkpoints throughout the country. Medical workers and other people crucial during these times don’t have to present physical IDs as they can just show a QR code.

As general rules, the CDC or The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed these to help with preventing the spread of COVID-19:

Stay home when sick
Cover coughs and sneezes
Frequently wash hands with soap and water
Clean frequently touched surfaces

Related Topics:coronavirus PLDT RapidPass

Enterprise

TikTok finally gets a buyer in the United States

The deal targets a closing date in late January.

Published

December 19, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

The year started with a ban. A day before Donald Trump started his second term, TikTok went dark, in anticipation of an impending ban. The platform quickly went back online, leading to an ultimatum that saw TikTok hunt for an American buyer to full stave off a definitive ban in the United States. Now, as the year ends, a buyer is finally here.

Via CNBC, TikTok has reportedly inked a deal to finalize a deal in the United States, as stated in an internal memo from CEO Shou Zi Chew. The memo, which was sent just this week, details a plan that will see the deal close by January 26, 2026.

Fifty percent of TikTok’s newly restructured U.S. arm will be held by a collection of American investors including Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX. Meanwhile, already existing investors of TikTok will hold 30.1 percent. Finally, ByteDance will retain 19.9 percent.

Additionally, TikTok’s algorithm in the United States will be retrained with American data. The American arm will also handle the country’s “data protection, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurance.” Oracle will be the “trusted security partner” in charge of making sure the company keeps within regulations in the country.

With a deal pushing through, the long-running TikTok saga in the United States might finally come to a close.

Gaming

Silksong is getting its first major expansion next year

The expansion is called Sea of Sorrow.

Published

December 16, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

I still can’t believe that Hollow Knight: Silksong came out this year. After years of just waiting for the mythical title, it’s surreal to have it in my library. Now, barely waiting to catch their breath, Team Cherry is already working hard towards the next content drop, starting with Silksong DLC.

Just like the original Hollow Knight, Silksong is getting free DLCs to expand its story. The upcoming Sea of Sorrow DLC will be the game’s “first big expansion.”

The expansion’s trailer barely shows anything about the new content, besides vague allusions to what’s coming. At the very least, Team Cherry has confirmed, both via the announcement and the accompanying poster, that Sea of Sorrow will be nautical-themed.

It will feature new locations, new tools, and new enemies. By itself, Silksong is already a huge game. Adding more content then is a massive undertaking. Plus, Team Cherry says that this is just the first expansion, hinting at more coming in the future.

Sea of Sorrow will launch in 2026.

Besides the new expansion, the studio is also working on a Nintendo Switch 2 update for the original Hollow Knight. It will add higher framerates, resolutions, and more graphical effects. PC players will also get some upgrades to support larger screens.

The Switch 2 update, which will be free for those who already own the original game, will also launch next year.

Entertainment

Supergirl gets its first teaser trailer

Milly Alcock stars as the titular character.

Published

December 12, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

Before the new year starts, it’s already fair to assume that Supergirl might be one of the most anticipated movies of 2026. Premiering a year after the globally successful Superman, Supergirl will see the adventures of Clark Kent’s superpowered cousin, Kara Zor-El. Now, the next film in the sage finally has a teaser trailer.

As James Gunn mentioned previously, Supergirl will be based on Tom King’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Off traveling to other planets to party, Kara finds herself thrust back into the role of being a hero after a young girl named Ruthye Mary Knoll asks her for help.

Though the teaser trailer is mostly a montage of scenes, we already know what we can expect. According to Gunn, Supergirl will be tonally different from Superman, and we see this in the trailer.

However, we can still see influences from Gunn including the usage of “Call Me” by Blondie for the trailer. Also, the film’s space scenes look like they can fit right in with Guardians of the Galaxy.

Still, that’s what we have, and we’re excited. Supergirl will premiere on June 26, 2026.

The film will be directed by Craig Gillespie (Cruella). Milly Alcock plays the titular character. Meanwhile, she will star alongside Eve Ridley as Ruthye Mary Knoll.