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Manila Bulletin devider Technews devider 5 Mobile Apps That Are Helpful During the COVID-19 Extended Enhanced Community Quarantine

5 Mobile Apps That Are Helpful During the COVID-19 Extended Enhanced Community Quarantine

Published May 3, 2020 12:00 am
More people are experiencing anxiety and realization of the impact and grand scope of the COVID-19 pandemic even more with the declaration of the extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (and lately, even during General Community Quarantine state) in most part of Luzon and select provinces and cities in Visayas and Mindanao. More people are left stuck at home as they follow protocols of flattening the curve except those who are exempted like our harworking frontliners and people who needs to go out to buy basic necessities and food supplies which, hopefully will be enough until the lockdown is lifted. To knock down boredom, people become more creative. Some people learned to bake, cook, draw and paint, and even started to produce DIY/make-shift face masks with the intention to give and share to others who don't have access to it. On top of this, we now rely on digital and mobile technology to  continue with these new normal living and we need mobile apps to access or share creative ways of activities via social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Here are 5 mobile applications that you need during quarantine
  1. InShot
It's a free mobile app that helps us create short or extended videos with features that can be used to give your self-produced videos with the professional look. Some features are available for free while others can only be unlocked through a premium fee. InShot also allows us to edit photos that can be use for different contents and memes. IMG_20200502_104552 *InShot 100,000,000+ downloads
  1. PressReader
PressReader is a free online platform for digital copies of various publications around the globe. Getting out of the house to buy for your daily dose of newspaper copies is rather difficult because of the ECQ. Many broadsheets and tabloids across the country has gone to digital and are subscribed to PressReader. Ours like Manila Bulletin is available for free on PressReader where you can get fresh stories, updates on COVID-19, and tips and ideas to use to get creative in fighting this viral disease. IMG_20200502_104752 *PressReader 5,000,000+ downloads
  1. Mobile e-Wallet Online Payment App
GCash and PayMaya are two of the most popular e-Wallet and online mobile app that are used as mobile money and payment solutions enabling the financially underserved to pay online even without credit cards and  even send money online to friends and families. These days, GCash and PayMaya are being used as platforms to share donations to different organizations helping to raise funds for frontliners and less-fortunate countrymen who are affected by COVID-19 outbreak. *GCash 10,000,000+ downloads IMG_20200419_161327 *PayMaya 5,000,000+ downloads IMG_20200419_161358
  1. Group Chats and Video Conferencing
Aside from Messenger, Viber and Zoom have been effectively become the go-to tool for group chats and video conferencing during these difficult times. Viber helps in sharing news and updates on COVID-19 while Zoom are mostly set up for work continuity at home. Work from home or WFH is becoming the new normal in all sectors and industry since the global spread of this novel coronavirus. *Viber 500,000,000+ downloads IMG_20200502_104647 *Zoom 100,000,000+ downloads IMG_20200419_161135
  1. Online Shopping Apps
During theses difficult times when people are forced to limit movement and are following the government's call to stay at home and practice social.distancing, many are relying on mobile shopping applications such as Lazada and Shopee for convenient and seamless shopping of essentials that are allowed during ECQ. Many merchants of foods (from frozen goods to fresh vegetables) can be purchased through online shopping apps as well as medical supplies and equipments that can be delivered in places that are affected by quarantine. *Lazada 100,000,000+ downloads IMG_20200419_161254 *Shopee 10,000,000+ downloads IMG_20200419_161242 BONUS! TikTok Rules IMG_20200419_161222 (1) Whichever way you see this mobile app, you can't ignore the fact that many Filipinos have chosen TikTok as their quick relief in fighting boredom and to prevent the early signs of experiencing cabin fever. TikTok keeps everyone entertained in these trying times.TikTok has more than *100 million downloads as we speak and this will predictably to increase in the coming days. *Downloads as of  latest updates from April 7-10, 2020
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