by Ferry Bayu | Sep 7, 2023 | Business
Cebu Pacific offers piso fare in 9.9 seat sale
MANILA — Cebu Pacific is offering P1 seats for selected flights as part of its 9.9 Super Seat Fest.
In a tweet, the budget carrier said seats to destinations like Bacolod, Coron, Bohol, Tacloban, Boracay, Puerto Princesa, and other local destinations are available for a P1 base fare.
The piso fare is also available for flights to Jakarta, Macau, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Beijing, Taipei, and other Asian destinations.
Passengers must book their flights from September 7-10 to avail of the promo, then travel anytime from April to August 31, 2024.
Cebu Pacific’s net income reached P2.7 billion from April to June 2023, a reversal of the P1.9 billion net loss it recorded in the same period last year.
It is also expanding its fleet after facing complaints over flight delays and cancellations that have led to calls to suspend its franchise.
by Ferry Bayu | Sep 6, 2023 | Business
Schneider Electric to expand logistics hub in PH
MANILA -France-based multinational corporation Schneider Electric is planning to scale up its logistics hub in the Philippines, with the company investing 1.4 million euros (P86.5M) for its expansion.
The Board of Investments (BOI) met with Schneider Electric executives on July 20, during which expansion plan for its facility in Cavite was discussed.
The government agency said this move reaffirmed the French firm’s confidence in continuing its manufacturing, logistics and other high value services in the country.
A company executive said their business was constantly evolving to ensure growth and resilience.
“An integral part of our growth strategy includes continued strengthening of the organization’s global services that is based in the Philippines,” said Ejie-Tauto-An, logistics director of APC, Schneider Electric’s flagship brand.
“This expansion underpins the company’s goal of further boosting our global presence and capabilities to support advancement across different markets around the globe,” he added.
Schneider Electric’s local unit has been operating in the Philippines for 26 years and currently has 3,375 employees. The group caters to nine countries with annual products and services valued at 1 billion euros or P4.87 trillion.
The Philippines is one of four countries where the French firm operates global hubs, all of which provide technical, analytics, finance planning and accounting and sales support to 154 countries in 23 different languages.
Aside from this planned expansion in Cavite, the group has also expanded its analytics section for the Schneider Electric Global Hub in Taguig. The company is looking to hire 80 local data analysts for this expansion.
The group also discussed with BOI executives their road map to achieve net zero emission in its local operations within the current decade.
“Part of the company’s sustainability journey in the Philippines is to reach 50 percent conversion of inter-site trucks to electric vehicles (EV) and 20 percent of last mile to utilize EV trucks as part of their net-zero road map, which it plans to achieve by 2030,” said the BOI.
by Ferry Bayu | Sep 6, 2023 | Business
Unveiling a Strategic Partnership: NeuXP and CrownAsia Join Forces to Innovate Livestream Sessions for Businesses
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – NeuXP Sdn. Bhd. (“NeuXP”), a provider of BuddzyConnect an immersive virtual experience business platform, is thrilled to announce a strategic collaboration with CrownAsia, the biggest e-commerce convention in Asia curated by Ads Venture Group. This partnership seeks to enhance the live sessions feature known as BuddyzLive on BuddyzConnect. The collaboration is geared towards providing subscribers with an enriched virtual booth experience, along with unparalleled opportunities for promoting and selling their products through engaging livestreams.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – NeuXP Sdn. Bhd. (“NeuXP”), a provider of BuddzyConnect an immersive virtual experience business platform, is thrilled to announce a strategic collaboration with CrownAsia, the biggest e-commerce convention in Asia curated by Ads Venture Group. This partnership seeks to enhance the live sessions feature known as BuddyzLive on BuddyzConnect. The collaboration is geared towards providing subscribers with an enriched virtual booth experience, along with unparalleled opportunities for promoting and selling their products through engaging livestreams.
The collaboration between the parties underscores NeuXP commitment to providing innovative solutions that empower businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to thrive in the digital era. By merging BuddyzConnect cutting-edge virtual environment with CrownAsia expertise in influencer marketing and digital promotions, this collaboration creates a dynamic synergy that will redefine how businesses connect with their target audience.
Key Benefits of the Collaboration:
Elevated Live Sessions: Subscribers of BuddyzConnect will experience enhanced live sessions, where they can showcase their products or services through virtual booths and engaging livestreams. This immersive approach offers a unique opportunity for businesses to connect with potential customers in real-time, fostering greater engagement and interaction.
Influencer Engagement: CrownAsia brings its extensive network of influencers to the collaboration, enabling businesses to tap into the power of influencer marketing. Influencers will collaborate with subscribers to promote their products during live sessions, expanding brand reach and driving sales.
Seamlessness and Convenience: The collaboration aims to seamlessly integrate influencer-led live sessions within BuddyzConnect, providing subscribers with a convenient platform to connect with influencers, promote their offerings, and connect with a wider audience.
“We are thrilled to partner with CrownAsia to bring this exciting collaboration to our subscribers,” said Jeremy Mah, Founder & CEO of NeuXP “This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission of empowering businesses through innovative solutions. By combining the immersive capabilities of BuddyzConnect with CrownAsia’s expertise in influencer marketing, we are providing our subscribers with a powerful tool to effectively engage their audience and drive business growth.”
This collaboration with CrownAsia marks another milestone for NeuXP, reinforcing its dedication to supporting businesses in adapting to the digital landscape and thriving in a competitive market. For more information on BuddyzConnect, go to https://www.buddyz.app/buddyzconnect
About NeuXP
NeuXP is a provider of an integrated platform that offers comprehensive financial and lifestyle services with flexible, accessible and simple user experience. Extending beyond what’s normally made available by other providers in Europe, North America, Asia and beyond, NeuXP offers a comprehensive financial and lifestyle services ecosystem that eases the journey of its users beyond borders.
Its all-in-one financial and lifestyle platform is also designed for businesses to seamlessly transition into the digital world while gaining access to a wide range of global financial and business services.To find out more, visit www.neuxp.com
About CrownAsia
CrownAsia is a captivating and dynamic event that serves as a ground-breaking platform for influencers and brands to come together and amplify their online presence. This innovative event revolves around the fascinating world of live streaming, where influencers showcase their unique talents, engaging content, and magnetic personalities to captivate audiences across various digital platforms.
Gathering a diverse array of both established and emerging influencers, as well as forward-thinking brands, CrownAsia creates an electric atmosphere where creativity and innovation flourish. Influencers from various niches, such as lifestyle, beauty, gaming, fashion, and more, converge to share their passions and talents through real-time, interactive streaming. To find out more, visit https://crownasia.net/
Melati Musa
me****@***xp.biz
by Ferry Bayu | Sep 6, 2023 | Business
Managing the tempo of technology change
Innovation is vital for businesses to thrive. Whether the goal is operational efficiency gains, improving consumer access, or creating entirely new products and services, innovation and better businesses go hand in hand.
At BDO Unibank, innovation is driven by the Bank’s focus on customer needs, understanding available technology in developing solutions, while remaining cognizant of the local business landscape.
We believe that the future of financial services will see a coming together of technological efficiency and analytical capabilities with human insight, judgment, and relationships. Technology will work in tandem with, not replace, people, bringing the best of both to businesses and consumers.
The rapidly emerging network economy
Today, technology is the cornerstone of the rapidly emerging network economy. As of early this year, internet users in the Philippines grew by 13.4 per cent to 85.1 million. This equates to an additional 10 million plus users. The 6.6 per cent year-on-year growth of mobile cellular connections, to 168.3 million, is equally impressive. With the increased adoption of mobile phones in the Philippines, a corresponding uplift in digital payment acceptance using Mobile Wallets has been seen. Accepting digital payments reduces many businesses’ security and operational concerns when customers pay with cash. With similar benefits to consumers, it is not surprising to see digital payments to merchants increase from a 13 per cent share of volume in 2018 to 24 per cent in 2020.
Economic growth has resulted from technology growth in the Philippines. By 2025 the Philippine Internet Economy will be worth USD28 billion, up from USD7.5 billion in 2020.
Cultural and technological barriers to adoption remain
Despite technology being embraced by many in the Philippines, there are still barriers to even more widespread access and adoption. Geographic challenges include digital logistics and delivery difficulties and a need for more stable, affordable, and speedy internet availability.
Despite the impressive growth rate of digital payments, the fact remains that the Philippine economy remains mainly cash-based, despite handling and safekeeping costs. Currently, only five per cent of Filipinos pay utility bills digitally through bank accounts or mobile money accounts, compared to 22 per cent in Indonesia and 80 per cent in Malaysia. Even for online shopping, cash remains core, with 77 per cent of online purchases from sellers such as Lazada and Shopee settling with cash.
Cash dominance is one reason banks in the Philippines continue to invest in their branch and ATM network. As of the third quarter of 2019, there were over 12,500 bank branches and over 21,400 ATMs across the country, growing at 4.4 per cent and 1.6 per cent, respectively.
In addition, Filipino businesses still rely on long-term, trusted relationships and person-to-person engagement. In our world of financial services, Relationship Managers remain a critical sounding board and advisor to businesses on everything from managing financial processes to the latest cash management techniques.
Developing technology and people in parallel
The modern-day Relationship Manager brings to the table human-led service and support supplemented by the data insights, security and efficiency technology provides. Technology must therefore work alongside and facilitate human interaction.
This is why banks must continue to invest in branch networks and upskill their Relationship Managers. BDO Unibank, for example, has developed the only team of cash management and industry-specific Relationship Managers in the Philippines.
Our Relationship Managers work with our clients on their industry-specific current and long-term cash management issues and opportunities. From providing facilities for cover before revenue is received, to determining the best structure for payments and accounts, at BDO, we find ways for our clients to optimise their cash flow and working capital. Furthermore, BDO Unibank continues to operate and invest in a network of more than 1,600 branches – the largest in the Philippines. Meaning human help is never far away when needed.
Aligned with our co-development approach, in branches, the Bank connects the physical with the digital with online appointment booking, fully digital account opening, paperless in-branch cash and check transactions and cardless ATMs using biometric authentication. These blended digital, in-branch solutions supplement over-the-counter services offered by BDO’s experienced tellers. Digital branch services are one example of the new era of blended financial financials services – physical services with digital overlays.
To ensure we continue to advance and provide our customers with the most secure and convenient services, we also invest in digital services that make it easy for businesses to receive customer payments and settle accounts with suppliers. These include Auto Debit Arrangements, which seamlessly debit one account and credit the receiving organisation’s collection account. And our online business banking service provides easy and secure access to digital payments and account information through a range of devices.
An additional example is Virtual Accounts, which essentially provide separate ledger records or alias bank accounts, primarily used to categorise incoming cashflows and transactions. Virtual Accounts are accessible for corporations to manage and inexpensive to maintain and operate. They provide a unique identifier number, or Virtual Account number, for customers to use when making payments to a business. Virtual Accounts assist with liquidity management, reconciliation, and reporting as payments are sent to a single bank account. In addition, as there are fewer bank accounts to manage, security is enhanced, and fraud prevention is boosted. BDO Unibank Relationship Managers work with clients to understand their incoming flows, payment segregation needs, and reconciliation requirements, to develop an optimised Virtual Account solution for their business.
Managing the tempo of technology change
The fundamental issues hindering technology adoption will take time to address. It is also essential to ensure innovation improves the lives of people and communities and does not create new inequalities. Moreover, because technology creates a risk of leaving people behind and a digital divide, the pace of change and transformation to fully digital interactions for buying consumer goods, business-to-business transactions, and access to government services must happen concurrently with the continued provision of traditional cash and human-based financial services. Innovation, therefore, needs to be human-centric and considered, moving at a pace that balances embracing change while respecting today’s preferences and technology limitations.
by Ferry Bayu | Sep 6, 2023 | Business
1cloudstar Recognized as Official AWS Direct Connect Delivery Partner
[Singapore, 6 September 2023] 1cloudstar proudly announces its recent recognition as an official AWS Direct Connect Delivery Partner, marking a significant milestone in its journey as a leading cloud solutions provider.
“We are beyond excited about this achievement,” said [Mike Li, Managing Director], “This is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing top-tier cloud connectivity solutions. Being an AWS Direct Connect Delivery Partner not only underscores our expertise but also our dedication to offering seamless, high-performance, and secure connections to the cloud.
“This partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) empowers 1cloudstar to provide enhanced connectivity options. Businesses can now benefit from optimized cloud experiences, characterized by reduced latency and bolstered reliability.
Achieving this partnership status required 1cloudstar to meet AWS’s rigorous standards, a challenge the team embraced and conquered with dedication and expertise. “Our team has always been at the forefront of cloud innovation. This recognition further solidifies our position as industry leaders,” added [Rachel Beh, Director Of Sales And Business Development, ASEAN].
1cloudstar extends its heartfelt gratitude to its clients, partners, and dedicated team members. Their collective efforts and trust have been instrumental in reaching this pivotal moment.
As 1cloudstar embarks on this new chapter, clients can anticipate even more cutting-edge solutions, especially for those aiming to enhance their hybrid cloud architecture or the performance of mission-critical applications.
For more updates on 1cloudstar’s journey and offerings, stay connected. The future looks bright as 1cloudstar continues its mission of delivering excellence in cloud connectivity.
1CLOUDSTAR is one of the most innovative Cloud Consulting and Managed Service providers in Asia. Since the explosion and adoption around Cloud Computing, 1CLOUDSTAR has delivered migration and consulting services to a range of Multi National and Enterprise organisations across Asia that are moving into the Cloud based environment whether it be public, hybrid or private.
We’re dedicated to helping businesses and society evolve with cloud technology to realize digital transformation and unleash their full potential. To that end, we’ve built a professional technical team with 100+ cloud certifications and experience in serving 2,000+ businesses and counting. Our core competencies include Cloud Migration, Cloud Connectivity Managed Services Provider, Data Solution, DB Freedom, Cloud Training, DevOps, Serverless Computing, and Containers.
For more information, please visit https://www.1cloudstar.com
Li Leng
+65 9812 8284
li*********@********ar.com
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