Product Showcase
Garmin’s Venu 2 Plus puts calls, texts, access to phone’s voice assistant right on your wrist
Garmin’s latest offering lets users take calls, access their compatible smartphone’s voice assistant to send texts, control compatible smart home devices and more.
Garmin Philippines announced the arrival of Venu 2 Plus GPS smartwatch in the country. Garmin’s latest offering lets users take calls, access their compatible smartphone’s voice assistant to send texts, control compatible smart home devices and more. These voice-controlled functionalities join the robust suite of health, wellness and fitness features of Garmin’s Venu 2 Series. With a bright AMOLED display and battery life of up to nine days, the Venu 2 Plus is a direct line to wellbeing for active Filipinos.
“To support Filipinos’ drive to have a more active lifestyle where multi-tasking is crucial, Garmin presents a smartwatch that can give users the ability to answer calls or send texts without digging through their pocket or bag,” said Garmin Asia Director Scoppen Lin. “Garmin lets its user focus on their workout with the Venu 2 Plus’ on-device voice capabilities, on top of the signature features that the popular Venu 2 series is known for.”
Here’s what’s new for the Venu 2 Plus:
· Phone calls from the wrist: Users can make and take phone calls with the press of a button.
· Voice assistant control: Compatible with Siri, Google Assistant or Bixby, users can utilize their smartphone’s voice assistant to send texts, ask questions, control compatible smart home devices and more.
All-day health monitoring
The Venu 2 Plus dials into wellbeing with the broadest range of 24/7 health monitoring features available, including: heart rate (with user-configurable alerts for high or low readings2), advanced sleep with sleep score and insights by Firstbeat AnalyticsTM, breathwork activities, fitness age, respiration, Pulse Ox, all-day stress, hydration, and women’s health (menstrual cycle tracking and pregnancy tracking). Body BatteryTM energy monitoring shows users how “charged” their body is, as well as the draining effects of stress and exercise. Health SnapshotTM logs a two-minute window of key health stats and generates a report users can share with a health care provider; a great tool for capturing physiological data anytime you’re feeling off your baseline.
Customized fitness
The Venu 2 Plus pulls in all of the latest fitness features recently introduced on the Venu 2 series including over 25 built-in indoor and GPS sports apps with favorites that include walking, running, HIIT, cycling, pool swimming, Pilates, yoga, indoor climbing, hiking, advanced strength training with muscle map graphics and more.
Preloaded workouts can also be found on the watch and preset workouts are available for download from Garmin ConnectTM app on user’s smartphone. Customizable workouts may be created by choosing from over 1,400 exercises. The Venu 2 Plus has more than 75 preset animated workouts that demonstrate proper form and technique in Garmin Connect and on the wrist. Whether training for a 5K or longer, the device is compatible with Garmin Coach free adaptive training plans.
Safety and tracking
The Venu 2 Plus also includes Garmin’s safety and tracking features such as automatic incident detection (during outdoor walks, runs or rides)3 and manually triggered assistance alerts, both of which send a message with the user’s location to their emergency contacts. LiveTrack lets friends and family track the user’s outdoor activity3. Users can also assign a designated emergency contact that the Venu 2 Plus can call, such as local emergency services.
Smart features on the wrist
The Venu 2 Plus keeps the essentials on the wrist with built-in music (download up to 650 songs including playlists from Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer4), and smart notifications for calls, texts, calendar reminders, social media updates, breaking news stories and more3. Users may personalize the Venu 2 Plus with apps, watch faces and more available to download from the Connect IQTM store. Unlike many other smartwatches, the Venu 2 Plus can be used with either Android or Apple smartphones.
Designed for all-day wear
· The Venu 2 Plus has a 43mm watch case, stainless steel bezel and hardware, and a comfortable, 20mm industry-standard quick release silicone band. Mix and match bands and bezels.
· It boasts a durable Corning Gorilla Glass 3 touchscreen AMOLED display with optional, always-on mode.
· The Venu 2 Plus is powered by an impressive battery life that lasts up to 9 days in smartwatch mode and up to 8 hours in GPS + Music mode.
· It is capable of rapid battery recharge with 10 minutes of charging which adds up to one day of smartwatch mode battery life or one hour of GPS + music battery life. Users may extend the time further with battery saver mode.
Don’t miss out on Garmin’s special promotion! First 75 customers can get a free Garmin Tote Bag for every purchase of Garmin Venu 2 Plus watch for only PHP 25,695. The device is available in Black, Ivory and Powder Gray at Garmin Brand Stores, kinetic.com.ph, Lazada, Shopee and Garmin PH Viber Community.
The Venu 2 Plus was recognized at the recently concluded CES 2022 global tech-event as an Innovation Awards honoree.
Engineered on the inside for life on the outside, Garmin products have revolutionized the wellness industry. Committed to developing wearables and health measurement tools that help people of all activity levels lead healthier lives, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate and a chance to beat yesterday.
Product Showcase
Omega Healthcare recognized
Omega Healthcare is the only RCM service provider to earn both the Leader and Star Performer distinctions
Omega Healthcare, an AI-driven healthcare solutions company, has been recognized as a “Leader” and “Star Performer” in the Everest Group Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) Operations PEAK Matrix Assessment, 2026, maintaining its position as a “Leader” in the evaluation since 2017.
Omega Healthcare is the only RCM service provider to earn both the Leader and Star Performer distinctions in the report, which assessed 34 RCM operations service providers. The Star Performer designation is given to companies that demonstrate the most improvement over time on the PEAK Matrix. Everest Group’s team of analysts led a comprehensive analysis of the RCM services market, including client reference checks and interactions with the service providers evaluated.
“Against a backdrop of persistent margin pressures, rising denial rates, and evolving reimbursement dynamics, healthcare providers are making revenue cycle performance a strategic priority, driving demand for more intelligent, technology-enabled operating models that enhance efficiency and financial resilience,” said Aastha Malik, Practice Director, Everest Group.
“Omega Healthcare is well-positioned in this evolving landscape, integrating its large coding talent pool with digital platforms and analytics-led solutions to deliver scalable and performance-driven RCM operations. Its investments in gen AI and agentic AI across RCM processes, supported by a strong partner ecosystem, reflect a shift toward more intelligent and automated workflows. These capabilities underpin its recognition as a Leader and Star Performer in Everest Group’s Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) Intelligent Operations PEAK Matrix Assessment 2026.”
Omega Healthcare was honored as a Star Performer due to double-digit revenue growth, expansion into larger provider segments, with increased deal scale, and strong buyer feedback across cost savings, domain expertise, innovation, value addition, and AI/technology expertise.
According to Everest Group, leaders have demonstrated comprehensive support of healthcare providers by operationalizing gen AI, automation, and advanced analytics across key RCM workflows.
Everest Group cited Omega Healthcare for several key strengths, including:
- Integrated delivery model: Clients benefit from a fully integrated delivery model that combines Omega Healthcare’s global workforce with the Omega Digital Platform and WhiteSpace Health analytics to deliver scalable, technology-enabled RCM operations. This seamless integration helps healthcare organizations drive workflow automation and data-driven performance management across the entire revenue cycle.
- Advanced technology enablement: Omega Healthcare’s use of gen AI and agentic AI in workflows such as denials, appeals, coding, and A/R follow-up helps clients resolve claims faster, reduce manual errors, and enhance process consistency. Its strategic technology partnerships help clients scale AI beyond pilots, delivering more reliable and impactful outcomes across enterprise operations.
- Enterprise growth and domain expertise: Clients highlighted Omega Healthcare’s deep domain expertise, strong understanding of clinical workflows, and ability to flex resources to meet evolving operational needs. The company has continued to expand its presence among large health systems, strengthening its position to support end-to-end engagements and deliver sustained results for complex provider organizations.
“We are honored and proud to be the only RCM provider recognized in the report as both a Leader and Star Performer by Everest Group,” said Omega Healthcare CEO and Co-Founder Anurag Mehta. “This achievement is a direct reflection of the relationships and strategic partnerships we’ve built with our customers and the broader ecosystem. As healthcare organizations navigate persistent financial pressures, regulatory change and the proliferation of AI, we remain fully committed to leveraging the strength of our purpose-built AI-powered solutions to bring intelligence into action for our customers. We are constantly co-creating novel solutions with our customers across different parts of the RCM continuum. This relationship helps ensure Omega Healthcare owns outcomes and consistently delivers breakthrough results.”
Product Showcase
For every parent who wants to be present: AXA reinforces importance of early health preparedness
Even the most loving preparation can leave one crucial question unanswered: What happens when the parent who protects the family suddenly needs protection too?
Preparing for a child often begins long before birth. Parents plan for the crib, the diapers, the milk, the clothes, every necessity mapped out before the baby even arrives.
Yet even the most loving preparation can leave one crucial question unanswered: What happens when the parent who protects the family suddenly needs protection too?
For many Filipino families, that reality is closer than most realize. About one in five Filipinos may develop cancer before the age of 75. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that neoplasms, which include various types of cancer, ranked as the country’s second leading cause of death. The toll is made heavier by late diagnosis, with many cases discovered only when the window for early intervention has passed.
This June, as the country observes National Cancer Survivor Day, AXA Philippines unveils the third short film of its Everyday Protectors campaign, one that reflects what many Filipino families quietly carry – the weight of serious illness, and the love that refuses to let it win.
AXA’s health film portrays the story of Lina, a mother whose world shifts on the same day it expands. As her daughter takes her first breath, Lina also receives a cancer diagnosis, turning the happiest moment of her life into one filled with fear and uncertainty. Yet despite the difficult road ahead, Lina finds strength in the moments she hopes to witness like first steps, birthdays, and the everyday memories that make parenthood meaningful.
The film reveals how Lina shows up for every milestone despite her illness, a quiet testament to what Filipino parents do every day: protect the people they love, no matter the cost to themselves. But Lina’s story also carries another truth which is that everyday protectors should not have to face their hardest battles alone.
AXA Philippines, one of the largest and fastest-growing insurance companies in the country, understands that a serious illness is as much a financial challenge as it is a personal one. From preventive healthcare benefits to comprehensive critical illness coverage, AXA offers a wide range of health insurance plans so families get the care they need: Global Health Access (GHA) delivers access to worldwide premium medical services; Health Care Access provides comprehensive medical insurance with cashless access to doctors and hospitals nationwide; while AXA’s superior critical illness plan, Health Max Elite, provides the most extensive coverage that spans the full care journey, from pre-early to late stage protection, covering over 150 critical illnesses, including select mental health conditions and non-listed cases requiring ICU confinement and life-saving surgery.
By helping reduce the financial strain that too often forces families to choose between care and everything else, AXA gives everyday protectors the room they need to focus on healing and being present.
AXA’s Emma app, where you can easily access and manage your insurance policy anytime, anywhere, just got a refreshed look with enhanced features designed to take charge of your health with ease. From accessing mental wellness support through Mind You to filing reimbursements and tracking claims in real time, Emma by AXA helps you maximize your health benefits with greater convenience. Log in today and make the most of the tools designed to support your health and well-being every step of the way.
One name to cover all your insurance needs, discover how AXA can provide complete protection for health, car, travel, and SMEs here.
Product Showcase
Sun Life appoints Bianca Ilibasic as Managing Director, Sun Life Global Solutions
She will lead SLGS across India and the Philippines, providing strategic direction to multi-functional teams spanning Technology, Operations, Analytics, Actuarial, HR, Finance, and Risk & Compliance.
Sun Life has appointed Bianca Ilibasic as the Managing Director for its global capability centre, Sun Life Global Solutions (SLGS). She previously served as Vice President & Chief Operations Officer, Sun Life Asia.
In her new role, Bianca will lead SLGS across India and the Philippines, providing strategic direction to multi-functional teams spanning Technology, Operations, Analytics, Actuarial, HR, Finance, and Risk & Compliance. Her mandate is to further scale SLGS as a high-impact, enterprise capability supporting Sun Life across 28 markets.
During her time in Asia, Bianca advanced straight-through processing, accelerated digital adoption, and shaped a forward-looking AI roadmap to drive business growth — strengthening shared platforms and enabling scalable outcomes.
Commenting on the appointment, Laura Money, EVP and Chief Information and Technology Innovation Officer, Sun Life, said, “Over the past four years, Bianca has been a driving force behind operational excellence and digital transformation, leading with clarity, courage, and a deep commitment to our Purpose. Advancing our AI roadmap and scaling impact across common platforms, Bianca has been consistently delivering results while building strong, empowered teams. She is a visionary, insights driven leader who brings energy, heart, and ambition to everything she does, and I could not be more thrilled to see her step into this role.”
Reflecting on the opportunity, Bianca added: “I am excited to begin this new chapter. Sun Life Global Solutions is more than a capability centre — excellence, innovation, and dedication are consistently demonstrated via brilliant, passionate teams across India and the Philippines who support our Purpose and our Clients every single day. What excites me most is the opportunity to build on our foundation and deepen partnerships, accelerate transformation, and relentlessly focus on outcomes that truly matter to our Clients.”
Bianca’s appointment marks a defining moment for SLGS, strengthening its role as both a strategic engine for enterprise value and a platform where empowered teams can shape what’s next for Sun Life. We look forward to everything Bianca and the SLGS team will achieve together.
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