Vivo V70 Launches in the Philippines with POP MART ZSIGA Collaboration and Stunning Golden Hour Design

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Vivo has officially confirmed the arrival of the Vivo V70 in the Philippines on February 28, 2026, signaling an exciting new chapter for its popular V Series lineup. This latest release stands out not only for its upgraded design but also for its creative collaboration with POP MART and its well-known intellectual property, ZSIGA. At the center of attention is the exclusive Golden Hour colorway, a finish inspired by warmth, individuality, and modern lifestyle expression.

Built around the concept “Bloom Under the Sun,” the partnership reflects Vivo’s commitment to blending technology with fashion and personal identity. By working with POP MART and ZSIGA, Vivo aims to connect more deeply with the younger generation, combining artistic storytelling with innovative smartphone design. This collaboration reinforces the brand’s evolution beyond technology and into a lifestyle-focused experience.

The Golden Hour colorway takes inspiration from the natural glow of the setting sun, symbolizing authenticity and self-expression. It mirrors the creative spirit of ZSIGA’s “Under The Sun” series while aligning with Vivo’s understanding of how users today value individuality. This unique finish encourages users to celebrate their personality and capture meaningful life moments in their own way. For those who prefer a more understated look, the Vivo V70 will also be available in Alpine Gray, offering a sleek and minimalist alternative.

Beyond its visual appeal, the Vivo V70 introduces a completely refreshed design focused on both elegance and durability. The smartphone features an aerospace-grade aluminum alloy frame, providing improved resistance against drops, deformation, and corrosion. This ensures the device remains reliable even with daily use.

The camera module has also been upgraded with a premium metal construction, enhancing both durability and aesthetics. Meanwhile, the matte glass back panel is designed to resist fingerprints and stains, keeping the phone looking clean and stylish. On the front, ultra-thin 1.25mm bezels deliver a more immersive viewing experience, giving the device a modern and refined appearance.

With its fashion-forward collaboration, premium materials, and stylish new finishes, the Vivo V70 positions itself as a portrait flagship smartphone built for creativity and self-expression.

Filipino consumers can watch the official launch live on the Vivo Philippines Facebook page on February 28, 2026, at 5 PM, where the brand will showcase how the Vivo V70 brings together technology, art, and lifestyle in one impressive device.

LG UltraGear evo Debuts at CES 2026, Introducing 5K AI Upscaling and Next-Generation Gaming Displays

LG Electronics has officially unveiled UltraGear evo™, a new premium gaming monitor brand that signals a major evolution in display technology. Introduced at CES 2026, the UltraGear evo lineup is designed to deliver ultra-high resolution, exceptional speed, and immersive performance without the compromises gamers have traditionally faced.

At the heart of the UltraGear evo series is LG’s groundbreaking 5K AI Upscaling technology. This world-first, on-device AI solution enhances image quality in real time, allowing content to appear sharper and more detailed even without upgrading a graphics card. By processing enhancements directly on the monitor, LG removes one of the biggest barriers to enjoying higher-resolution gaming.

One of the standout models is the UltraGear evo 39GX950B, a 39-inch 5K2K OLED gaming monitor packed with intelligent features. It includes AI Scene Optimization, which automatically adjusts visuals based on what’s on screen, and AI Sound, which enhances audio immersion. The monitor also features Dual Mode, allowing users to switch between detailed 5K resolution at 165Hz or prioritize speed with an ultra-fast 330Hz refresh rate.

LG also introduced the 27GM950B, the world’s first 5K New MiniLED gaming monitor. With 2,304 local dimming zones and Zero Optical Distance technology, it significantly reduces blooming while maintaining exceptional brightness and contrast. Like its OLED counterpart, it supports 5K AI Upscaling and Dual Mode performance up to 330Hz, offering both clarity and competitive speed.

For gamers seeking maximum immersion, the UltraGear evo 52G930B pushes boundaries as the world’s largest 5K2K gaming monitor. Its massive 52-inch display, combined with a 1000R curve and panoramic 12:9 aspect ratio, creates a wraparound viewing experience. A fast 240Hz refresh rate ensures smooth gameplay despite the enormous screen size.

LG is positioning UltraGear evo as a breakthrough lineup that eliminates the traditional trade-offs between resolution, brightness, contrast, and speed. Visitors at CES 2026 can experience the new displays through a “Dream Setup” showcase and a racing simulator powered by the 39-inch OLED model.

In addition, LG is expanding its gaming portfolio with the global launch of the UltraGear GX7, a 27-inch QHD Tandem OLED monitor capable of an astonishing 540Hz refresh rate.

With UltraGear evo, LG is redefining what gamers can expect from premium monitors, bringing together AI intelligence, extreme performance, and next-level immersion.

LG Electronics Unveils CLOiD: A Glimpse Into the Zero Labor Home

At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, LG Electronics introduced its newest innovation, the LG CLOiD home robot, marking a major step toward the company’s ambitious vision of a “Zero Labor Home.” This concept imagines a future where routine household chores are no longer a burden, allowing people to focus on more meaningful activities, personal growth, and quality time with loved ones.

The LG CLOiD is not just another smart appliance—it is a fully capable home assistant designed to perform a wide range of indoor household tasks. From organizing items and assisting with daily routines to handling delicate chores, CLOiD aims to make home management more seamless and efficient. Its design reflects a strong emphasis on functionality combined with intelligent interaction.

One of CLOiD’s most impressive features is its advanced mechanical system. The robot is equipped with two articulated arms, each offering seven degrees of freedom, along with five fully actuated fingers. This sophisticated structure allows CLOiD to replicate human-like hand movements with remarkable precision. As a result, it can perform tasks that require careful handling, such as picking up fragile objects, arranging household items, or assisting with light domestic work.

At the core of CLOiD is a powerful built-in chipset that serves as its central brain. Supporting components include a display for visual communication, a speaker for voice interaction, and a camera paired with multiple sensors. These technologies allow the robot to navigate its environment intelligently, recognize surroundings, and interact naturally with users. The robot can communicate expressively, respond to voice commands, and move safely and efficiently throughout the home.

Powering this innovation is LG’s Affectionate Intelligence platform, which enables CLOiD to learn and adapt over time. By observing patterns and interacting repeatedly with household members, the robot can personalize its responses and improve its performance. This learning capability ensures that CLOiD becomes more useful and intuitive the longer it is used.

LG’s commitment to robotics extends beyond this single product. The company has strengthened its research and development efforts through the creation of its HS Robotics Lab and partnerships with global robotics leaders. These strategic moves position LG at the forefront of the emerging home robotics revolution.

With CLOiD, LG Electronics is not just introducing a new device—it is redefining the relationship between humans and technology, bringing the future of automated living closer to reality.

PLDT Spotlights AI Upskilling as Pathway to New Opportunities for Filipinos

Artificial intelligence (AI) is often framed as a looming disruptor of jobs. At the Philippine Telco Summit 2026, however, PLDT Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer Menardo “Butch” Jimenez Jr. offered a different view: AI, he said, is less a threat than a call to adapt—and a powerful tool for expanding opportunities for Filipinos who are willing to learn new skills.

Speaking on a panel at the summit organized by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Jimenez underscored the need for workers, businesses, and institutions to pivot toward AI as it becomes embedded in everyday life and work.

“AI is going to happen, whether we like it or not,” Jimenez said. “The real question is how we respond. If we embrace it and learn how to use it, AI can help protect or diversify your job, open new opportunities, and make people more productive.”

Jimenez emphasized that while large-scale industrial AI systems can be costly, many practical AI tools are already accessible and affordable to ordinary Filipinos—from transcription apps to content creation and productivity tools. These technologies, he said, lower barriers for individuals and small businesses, allowing them to do more with limited resources.

He pointed to the experience of creators and entrepreneurs who now rely on AI-powered tools to shorten workflows that once took days into tasks that can be completed in minutes. “There are AI applications today that are affordable, easy to use, and immediately useful,” Jimenez said. “The key is helping people understand which tools make sense for them—and giving them the confidence to try.”

That focus on accessibility is reflected in PLDT Group’s broader push to democratize AI through infrastructure investments and community-based programs. The company has invested heavily in AI-ready infrastructure, anchored by its integrated fixed and wireless networks and the VITRO Sta. Rosa (VSR) hyperscale data center in Laguna, the country’s first facility built specifically to support AI workloads. VSR, inaugurated in 2025 by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, sits at the heart of the country’s growing technology corridor south of Metro Manila.

VSR also hosts Pilipinas AI, the country’s first sovereign AI solutions stack, designed to help Philippine enterprises and institutions deploy AI without having to build or manage their own infrastructure. By keeping data and workloads hosted locally, Pilipinas AI enables both public and private sector users to access advanced AI capabilities while ensuring data sovereignty and security.

Beyond enterprise applications, PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. are extending AI upskilling to communities through initiatives such as AI-in-a-Box, which provides connectivity, tools, training, and support to local government units, schools, MSMEs, media organizations, and community groups. Launched in 2025, the program has reached learners and organizations from Baguio to BARMM, helping demystify AI and show how it can be applied in practical, day-to-day settings.

At the policy level, Jimenez also highlighted the importance of sustained collaboration between government and industry, particularly as the country implements the Konektadong Pinoy Act. He said ongoing dialogue with the DICT and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has helped address early concerns from telcos, including clearer definitions around spectrum utilization and safeguards related to pricing regulation for players with significant market power.

“The real measure of success,” Jimenez added, echoing President Marcos, “is how much these policies improve Filipino lives. Faster or cheaper internet only matters if it actually makes life better.”

That principle also guides PLDT and Smart’s continued investments in connectivity for remote and underserved communities. PLDT tested Radisys point-to-multipoint broadband wireless access technology, which delivers fiber-like speeds over-the-air through a single base node connecting to remote radio nodes in customer premises. The company also piloted Google’s Taara laser communication technology, delivering fiber-like speeds using beams of light instead of undersea or underground cables, to sites like Talim Island in Rizal, Dipaluda in Isabela, and Bagong Pag-asa in Quezon City. Smart has also partnered with Lynk Global to enable direct-to-device satellite-powered mobile connectivity, allowing users to send SMS and use apps like WhatsApp even when cell services are unavailable.

Working with government agencies, local government units, and private sector partners, PLDT and Smart have also pushed to streamline permitting processes and accelerate network rollouts, ensuring that digital services reach communities that need them most. These efforts support national programs such as Konektadong CHED and the Bayanihan SIM initiative, which aim to expand access to education and mobile connectivity in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA).

“Our mission is simple: reach more Filipinos by delivering meaningful connections and experiences,” Jimenez said. “By working closely with government and industry partners, we can deploy stronger, more resilient networks—and ensure that new technologies like AI create real opportunities for people across the country.”

As AI continues to reshape economies and workplaces worldwide, PLDT’s message at the Philippine Telco Summit was clear: the future will belong to those who adapt. For Filipinos, Jimenez said, the future begins with learning, collaboration, and the confidence to pivot.

Safer Internet Day 2026: Groups Warn of Escalating AI-Driven Online Abuse Targeting Filipino Children

Metro Manila – Girl and child rights organizations Plan International Pilipinas and Consuelo Foundation warned of escalating artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled online abuse targeting children, as they convene lawmakers, tech companies, youth leaders, and civil society groups at a Safer Internet Day Celebration on February 24, 2026.

The groups flagged the rapid proliferation of AI tools capable of generating hyper-realistic images, videos, and voice recordings, which are increasingly being weaponized to exploit, harass, and extort children online. These include AI-generated sexual images, “deepfake” content, impersonation scams, and grooming tactics that are more difficult for parents and authorities to detect.

“We are facing a reality where algorithms move faster than our laws, leaving children vulnerable to abuse before we even know the risks exist,” said Pebbles Sanchez-Ogang, Executive Director of Plan International Pilipinas.

Studies show that one in two children has experienced some form of online violence, and seven out of ten girls report experiencing online abuse, with perpetrators misusing digital platforms to produce, distribute, and profit from abusive content. With AI tools now lowering the technical barriers to creating manipulated sexual images and videos, advocates warn that children—particularly girls—face heightened risks of image-based abuse, cyberbullying, impersonation, and online blackmail.

The National Coordinating Center Against OSAEC-CSAEM said the number of reported incidents remains significantly lower than what is happening on the ground, suggesting that many cases of online abuse still go unreported.

“We cannot allow innovation to outpace the safeguards that have protected children for generations. Through the Safer Internet Day Celebration, we are calling for a collective shift—one that strengthens collaboration among government, tech companies, communities, and families. Digital safety is a shared responsibility. It calls for ‘Smart Tech’ that prioritizes child protection and ‘Smart Choices’ from all of us to create safer online spaces for them,” Sanchez-Ogang added.

The Safer Internet Day Celebration, titled “Beyond the Feed: Safeguarding Girls, Children, and Young People in AI-Driven Digital Spaces,” will move the conversation beyond awareness toward practical solutions. Sessions will examine how emerging technologies can be harnessed to strengthen child protection by improving reporting systems, enhancing built-in safeguards, and equipping families and communities with the tools to respond to online risks.

The event will also spotlight the voices of young people as active partners in shaping safer digital spaces. Girl leaders and youth advocates will share their insights and recommendations, underscoring the need for sustained, coordinated action to uphold children’s rights in an AI-driven online environment.

The celebration forms part of Plan International Pilipinas’ #StandWithGirls campaign, a national movement dedicated to advancing long-term investment in girls’ rights, safety, and leadership. Through this platform, the organization reinforces the message that protecting children online is inseparable from advancing gender equality and preventing violence against girls.

Founded in 1961, Plan International Pilipinas will mark 65 years of working with children and girls across every stage of their lives in the Philippines in June. The celebration will also highlight ongoing initiatives such as SAFE Online, SUFASEC, and Connect2Protect — projects dedicated to strengthening online safety.

“As Safer Internet Day draws attention to the risks children face online, Plan International Pilipinas is urging all stakeholders to take meaningful, long-term action that prioritizes children’s safety in digital spaces. Standing with girls means standing firmly against online abuse, through policy, through practice, and in every corner of the internet where children learn, play, and connect,” Sanchez-Ogang added.

Echoing this call for protection, Dr. Mariella Castillo, the Managing Director of Consuelo Foundation, stated, “What happens on our screens has real-world consequences for our children. ‘Beyond the Feed’ is not just a theme; it is a call to look past the algorithms and see the human cost of unchecked technology. Consuelo Foundation is proud to stand with Plan International Pilipinas to ensure that digital spaces are built to nurture young people, not exploit them.”

To sustain these collective efforts, the organizations are opening doors for collaboration. Interested partners may reach out via partnerships.ph@plan-international.org. Plan International Pilipinas will also be launching a donation portal by the last week of February.