by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 4, 2022 | Business
IMMAP DigiCon VALLEY 2022 would like to thank its Co-Presenter Angkas. Platinum sponsors Manulife Philippines, Share Treats, and TikTok. Gold sponsors GrabAds, Investing in Women, an initiative of the Australian Government, Kroma Entertainment, Maya Philippines, McDonald’s, Meta, MetaverseGo!, and Smart. Silver Sponsors DigitalTurbine, Hepmil Philippines, and Metrobank.
IMMAP DigiCon VALLEY 2022 would also like to thank Platinum MediaPartners GMA New Media, Inc., Manila Broadcasting Company, andRappler. Gold Media Partners ABS-CBN, CNN Philippines, ManilaBulletin, One Mega Group Inc., Podcast Network Asia, The Asian Parent, and The New Channel. Silver Media Partners adobo magazine, BusinessWorld, Inquirer.net, Kroma Entertainment, Manila Times, and Philippines Star.
Finally, IMMAP DigiCon VALLEY 2022 would like to thank Event Partners CICP, Endeavor, Eventscape Manila, and Kickstart Ventures.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 2, 2022 | Business
On the first post-pandemic World Savings Day, more Pinoys recognize the value of saving money. More than two years after the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipinos raring for a restart actually improved their mindset towards saving money, according to a recent survey by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
This is a welcome development, considering that 34% of the population lost their source of income during the pandemic years, based on a survey conducted by the United Nations Development Programme. As a result, many have relied entirely on their savings account in order to survive the last two years.
According to the BSP’s Consumer Expectations Survey for the first quarter of 2022, the percentage of households with savings increased marginally to 31.1 percent from 30.2 percent in Q4 of 2021. The majority of the respondents cited the need for emergencies, health and medical expenses, retirement, education, and business capital and investment as reasons to save their money.
A big help in this increase in mindset and enthusiasm is the availability of more options to save money, aside from traditional banking institutions.
Cebuana Lhuillier makes life easier and dreams come true with Micro Savings
One of the most innovative means to save is through Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings. Launched in 2019 by Cebuana Lhuillier and its banking arm Cebuana Lhuillier Bank, this product has been at the forefront of bringing easy, accessible, reliable banking to the majority of Filipinos, with close to seven million micro savings account holders today.
Jean Henri Lhuillier, Cebuana Lhuillier CEO
“Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings empowered millions of Filipinos to embark on their very own financial journeys by giving them a reliable, accessible, and efficient way to save their money, which they can easily withdraw during times of need. The quick adaptation of our kababayans to micro-savings proved that the healthy mindset towards saving has always been there, as long as they are equipped with the right tools,” says Jean Henri Lhuillier, president and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.
Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings—which allows customers to open an account in any of over 3,000 Cebuna Lhuillier branches nationwide for as low as only P50—was introduced as a means to address the barriers to saving, including lack of accessibility, high maintaining balance, and the need for numerous documentary requirements to open an account.
With businesses and the rest of the country slowly getting back to normal, Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings remained a go-to product for many of our kababayans ready to resume their lives and dreams following two years of uncertainty.
James Tan, 18 years old, a working student from Laguna, easily managed to save with Micro Savings to buy his own bike.
James Tan, an 18-year-old working student from Sta. Rosa, Laguna, saving meant enjoying the added mobility, safety, and convenience of having his own bike, a useful tool for his daily commute between work and school.
“Gusto ko kasi magka-bike kasi sapamasahe pa lang, malakinamatitipid ko papuntasa school at satrabaho. So, young paunti-unti kong pag-iipon sa Cebuana, ginamit ko yun para mabili young pangarap kong bike. Hindi an ako nata-trapik o nale-late sa trabaho ngayon,” he shares.
(“I want to own a bike because I can save so much on fares commuting to school and work. So that’s why I saved with Cebuana enough to buy my own bike. Now I don’t get stuck in traffic and come to work late.”)
As a working student helping to support his family, James decided to continue his savings after buying the bike to also help augment the expenses from home.
Royce Jason Velez, a 36-year-old construction worker who saves using a Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings account to provide a better future for his family.
The need to provide a better future for their family is also why Royce Jayson Velez, a 36-year-old construction worker, decided to open a Micro Savings account. Earning an average of P400 per day, Royce and his wife needed to be creative in order to stretch his salary to last until the next payday. His micro savings carried the family during difficult times, and are now being allocated for the schooling of his children.
“Sabi ko sasarili ko, ipagpapatuloy ko ang ipon ko para magamit ng mga anak ko sa pag-aaral at balang araw, magkaroon sila ng magandang trabaho,” Velez shares.
(“I said to myself that I would continue saving so that I can send my children to school for them have good jobs in the future.”)
A former kasambahay, Carie Labro, 38 years old, was able to put up her own sari-sari store using Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings.
For Carie Labro, a 38-year-old former housekeeper, her micro savings paved the way for her micro-entrepreneurship. When her kids started asking for more time to spend with her, Carie decided to take a leap of faith and resign from her post as a housekeeper so she could be more present for her growing kids.
With the PHP10,000 she initially saved in her Micro Savings account, Labroopened a small store which she now maintains as her main source of income. Like Velez, she has vigilantly kept up with her micro-savings. She now saves part of her earnings in her account as an emergency fund for her and her kids.
Taking advantage of the renewed interest in saving, Cebuana Lhuillier Bank continues to push for accessibility and convenience for their breakthrough product. The two-time Asian Banking & Finance Award winner for Rural Bank of the Year has adopted an innovative approach by adapting more tech features for micro-savings.
“The success of Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings encouraged us to further push the envelope in bringing convenience, accessibility, reliability, and efficient banking to our clients. The change in how people access financial services nowadays served as our push towards digitalization,” said Cebuana Lhuillier Bank President Dennis Valdes.
Aside from Cebuana Lhuillier branches, micro-savings account holders can also withdraw cash anytime, anywhere in over 21,000+ BancNet ATMs nationwide, purchase online thru UnionPay merchants worldwide, enjoy 24/7 unlimited banking access with the eCebuana app, and make cashless payments in over 350,000 UnionPay and BancNet accredited stores nationwide.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 4, 2022 | Business
Manila, Philippines – Despite the global pandemic, the Philippines is poised to be one of five ASEAN countries to become tech powerhouses in the next fifteen years, according to the Center for Economics Business Research (CEBR).
Angkas CEO George Royeca, believes the country is ready for a big leap forward in the tech and startup sectors. These industries and their continuous growth in recent years will be the primary focus of this year’s IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022, which will be co-presented by Angkas, the leading motorcycle taxi, and delivery platform. “While the pandemic has been the worst global crisis of the millennium undeniably opened new avenues for rapid growth in the country, particularly in the tech sector. Overnight, e-commerce, online payments, e-wallets, telemedicine, online gig employment, digital banks as well as delivery and logistics services experienced exponential growth which then had to be supported by faster internet speeds,” points out Royeca.
“The pandemic and the restricted mobility it necessitated primed the market in terms of tech literacy and a willingness to adopt tech-based solutions. There are products and services the market is ready for now that would not have been viable pre-pandemic, and that might have otherwise taken another 5-10 years for the country to be ready for,” adds Royeca. “We have had, and continue to have an ideal and unprecedented climate for both developing and funding tech startups. The kind of businesses that offer innovative products and services we couldn’t have even imagined pre-pandemic,” he concludes.
The road less trafficked
Angkas was itself an innovation, far more unconventional than it seems on the surface. Motorcycle taxis were already in wide use for public transport all over the region at the time of Angkas’ inception in 2015. Despite the crippling traffic in Metro Manila and its staggering economic cost, motorcycle taxis were not a solution being considered by anyone at the time, because motorcycles had an appalling safety record.
The Metro Manila Accident Recording and Analysis System (MMARAS) Traffic Accident report for 2015 indicated that motorcycle accidents comprised 39.6% of all vehicular accidents and 33.6% of all fatal accidents in Metro Manila. In each case, they were by far the single largest contributors. Filipino motorcycle riders were regarded as too undisciplined for such a service to be reasonably safe.
Angkas’ innovation was in actually believing that with training, motivation, and support, Filipinos could be the backbone of a safe and professionalized app-enabled motorcycle taxi service. “We shoulder the training of all rider applicants, then we carefully select only the top 30%. We also hold regular company events that serve as refreshers, and venues for more training in soft skills, and even things like anti-sexual harassment education,” explains Royeca. “The result is that after literally millions of rides booked, our safety record is 99.997%,” he concludes.
Sense of purpose, grit resilience
“I think the number one thing that potential startups should begin with is seeing the bigger picture: are you solving a real problem?” asks Royeca. “Any business venture is always going have a money-making aspect, but in this day and age, it is businesses that have an innate sense of purpose and that offer real solutions to real problems that are embraced by the public,” Royeca points out.
Royeca had specific advice to would-be startups on failure: “Don’t be afraid of failure or adversity, these build grit. As long as you are imbued with a sense of purpose, you will overcome failure and adversity and come out stronger, and with more grit.”
In Angkas’ short history, they were ordered to cease operations twice, their rider pool was capped, and just when they seemed in the clear, the pandemic hit. Showing true resilience, it was then that Angkas launched a courier and buying assistant service, allowing more people to do errands and business safely from home. Angkas also formed a partnership with the Red Cross to assist with the delivery and administration of COVID-19 test kits. When it became reasonably safe to do so, Angkas also offered free rides to medical frontliners.
Co-creation Breeds Innovation
Community building begins when everyone contributes to the welfare of everyone, and that is exactly what resonated with Angkas to sign up and be a co-presenter for this year’s IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022, one of the most anticipated digital conferences in the industry which gathers professionals from marketing, advertising, and digital sectors to hear and learn from world-renowned and celebrated local keynote speakers.
Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP) is an organization that works toward educating and providing the necessary digital tools for advertising and integrated marketing professionals to make better communication decisions. One such effort is the yearly DigiCon.
Royeca explains, “When you have a business that serves many, it is impossible to innovate without co-creation. Angkas would not have been possible without the coming together of technology innovations, government regulators, customers, and of course our rider partners, to create a “winnovation”, an innovation in which everyone has a stake, and in which everybody wins.”
From L to R: Brian Go (Angkas Chief Marketing Officer), Denise Haak (IMMAP DigiCon Co-Chair), Janelle Barretto (IMMAP DigiCon Ways & Means Head), and Trish Elamparo-Esteban (IMMAP DigiCon Co-Chair).
After two years of purely virtual connections, this year’s IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022 will finally bring back face-to-face networking through the DigiCon After-Hours, which will be held during the evenings across the city, promising to provide cocktails and entertainment and allow delegates to physically reconnect with other industry players.
“I think what Angkas is excited about is this live interaction; a lot of the best collaborations and partnerships happen because of these more spontaneous, in-person things, and human interaction is what makes all the creativity and innovation grow more,” muses Royeca.
As co-presenter for this year’s IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022, Angkas hopes that this can be a great model to induce new SMEs in the tech and startup sector, while also introducing a community mindset that can hopefully solve daily problems for Filipinos.
DigiCon Valley 2022 is happening on October 10-14 from 9 AM to 1 PM PST using the ViVYD platform, with all new tracks that tackle the different stages of innovation: Launchpad, Hypergrowth, Breakthrough, and Enterprise.
This year’s prestigious keynote speakers include one of the most influential women in the world and Huffington Post founder, Arianna Huffington; Rappler Founder and the first Filipino Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Maria Ressa; internationally acclaimed marketing expert and academic, Mark Ritson; co-founder of Character ventures and Design Sprint inventor, Jake Knapp; and Global CMO of Dole Sunshine Company, Rupen Desai.
Buy tickets now and learn more about IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022 at www.digicon.com.ph and follow their social pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022 is co-presented by Angkas, and would like to thank Platinum Sponsors: Manulife Philippines, Share Treats, and TikTok; Gold Sponsors: Investing in Women, an initiative of the Australian Government, Grab Ads, Kroma Entertainment, McDonald’s Philippines and Meta Philippines; and Silver Sponsors: Digital Turbine, Hepmil Philippines, and Metrobank.
A special thanks to IMMAP’s event partners: Creators and Influencers of the Philippines (CICP), Endeavor, and Kickstart Ventures.
Be an IMMAP Member today! To know more about IMMAP, please visit: www.immap.com.ph or contact us at: co*****@*******om.ph or
SMS/Viber (0917) 6310206 / (0918) 577 2357.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 3, 2022 | Business
The highly-anticipated “Quezon City Investors Summit: Future Ready” will promote Quezon City as an ideal destination for investors and businesses as they continue to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
QC Mayor Joy Belmonte
“The summit will put the spotlight on Quezon City as a top business destination for local and international investors. We hope to attract many investors who can help further stimulate the economy and provide employment for QCitizens,” Mayor Belmonte said.
Scheduled on Oct. 7 at Novotel Manila at the Araneta City, the event will engage investors, business leaders, business associations, chambers of commerce, foreign dignitaries, and Quezon City government officials in discussions on key areas for investments, public-private partnerships, and opportunities for expansion and growth.
Margarita Santos, head of the Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD) of Quezon City
“Quezon City is future-ready, ready for investors, ready to build a better and more prosperous city so that our QCitizens will be able to enjoy the resulting benefits,” said Margarita Santos, head of the Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD) of Quezon City.
Aside from its strategic location, Quezon City also has the homegrown QC E-Services platform that makes business processes such as permit and license applications easy for investors, according to Santos.
“The LGU has automated and digitized 95 percent of the city’s services through its QC E-Services platform. This means potential investors can apply for business permits online,” said Santos, adding that “the permit will even be delivered to the applicant’s business or home address free of charge.”
As a matter of principle, the Quezon City government constantly consults and coordinates with the business sector, which has enabled both sectors to build a relationship of mutual respect and support. “This continued dialogue with the private sector helps all stakeholders to address various challenges and issues, and to think up ways to create a free, fair, and fertile business environment,” Perry Dominguez, head of the Local Economic Investment Promotions Office, points out.
The local government is known as an ardent supporter of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), providing them with incentives from tax breaks, and tax payment extensions to changing the validity of business permits and licenses to help businesses, especially during the pandemic.
Soon, Quezon City will launch its Start-Up QC program to further strengthen and develop the city’s start-up business ecosystem. “This program is calibrated to provide financial gains to innovative, creative, and promising business models that can help provide solutions and recommendations to social issues and challenges,” Jay Gatmaitan, Investment Affairs Office head, explained.
The city’s commitment to good governance saw results when the Quezon City government received its second straight unqualified opinion from the Commission on Audit for its annual audit report for the year 2021. An unqualified opinion is the highest audit rating that can be rendered by COA to a government agency.
Recognized for its quality public service, Quezon City has increased its social services budget over the past three years, enabling the local government to provide livelihood opportunities and create more jobs, support education, and provide permanent housing, better healthcare, and social safety nets, among others.
Earlier, Margie Santos, head of the summit’s organizing committee, said this gathering of business leaders aims to build investor confidence in Quezon City; generate investments and public-private partnerships and make Quezon City the top-of-mind preferred investment destination.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Sep 26, 2022 | Business
Mr. Loyal Cheng, TCL Philippines CEO
TCL Electronics, one of the dominant players in the global TV industry and a leading consumer electronics, held its grand media launch introducing its new C series 98-inch TV and its new split-type air conditioner FreshIN series.
“Still moving forward with TCL’s mission of providing customers with world-class and innovative technologies that focus on giving a simpler, faster, and smarter way of living.” TCL Philippines Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Loyal Cheng delivered his opening speech to start off the grand event.
Meet The New TCL FreshIN Split Type Air Conditioner
To start the evening, TCL introduced its first main highlight of the event by unveiling the all-new FreshIN air conditioner presented by its Product Manager of air conditioners, Mr.Bert Cheung.
A Fresh Indoor Experience
The TCL FreshIN Series is the latest premium addition to the TCL smart home ecosystem.
Different from conventional AC that circulates air inside the house, TCL FreshIN Series features an all-around fresh air system that transports the fresh air from the outdoors to the indoors, helping increase the oxygen and humidity level to offer users an unprecedented intimate experience of health and care.
With the patented blue wing fresh air module generating micro-positive pressure, fresh air is imported from outdoors through QuadruPuri Filters and Heat Exchange, which creates a clean and healthy indoor environment with sufficient oxygen and comfortable temperature, regardless of the outdoor environment.
Air purification has now become a priority to consumers and the FreshIN series features a highly efficient system using QuadruPuri Filters: the fresh air will pass through 4 different layers (a preliminary filter, a silver ion antibacterial layer, a HEPA high-efficiency filter, and a high- density filter). The FreshIN series includes premium key features, such as its “FreshIN+” that will let you know when fresh air enters your room with a blue light.
Premium Cooling Air Conditioning
FreshIN models feature a high-powered Air Engine that can deliver up to 60 metric cubic meters, ensuring the best air quality for its users. FreshIN series is also equipped with a Temperature Balancing feature that intelligently adjusts and controls temperature fluctuations by warming up or cooling down the fresh air drawn by ±0.5°C from the desired temperature to ensure maximum comfort.
Convenience and Interconnectivity
Connected with the TCL Home App, the FreshIN series is compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa, which gives users control of the Air Conditioner 24/7 with a smartphone or TCL TV with simple voice commands.
Pricing and Availability
The TCL FreshIN is currently available in 1.0HP and 1.5HP. Suggested Retail Price (SRP) starts at Php60,995 for 1.0HP and Php66,995 for 1.5HP. Consumers can also get a chance to win this new Air Conditioner just by joining TCL Philippines’ new TikTok Challenge #FreshInChallenge that will run from September 26 to October 7.
Meet The New TCL 98-inch C735
TCL also has officially launched its latest innovation, 98-inch C735 4K QLED TV presented by Product Evangelist for TV, Ms. Jean Ann Barra.
Stunning Imagery in Big TVs
Thanks to TCL’s innovation and production capabilities, most TCL C and P series now include a 75-inch model. Expanding and solidifying TCL’s stand amidst increasing competition in Philippine Market, and the biggest TCL TV to date, the 98-inch model for C735.
Immersive Experience with Smoother and Crisper Visuals
To provide users with a convenient game experience, C735 also has an exclusive game mode function. With Game Master, C735 optimizes the display in video game use. It allows all-in-one optimization, for example, to turn on functions such as VRR/ALLM with one key.
Not only that, but through the TCL Game Bar, C735 offers users real-time display statistics, aiming aid, toolbox functions, as well as the quick setting dashboard that helps users achieve the ultimate gaming experience.
With Dolby Vision IQ, C735 enhances the demonstration of Dolby exclusive contents, by displaying a greater number of colors, increasing contrast, and boosting brightness levels
C735 also supports both 120Hz Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation (MEMC) as well-as HDMI 2.1 to deliver the best possible smooth imagery and audio for both TV and multimedia. The 98C735 can adjust to the content to produce smoother, sharper, and crisper motion even for sports and action-packed scenes with the help of 120Hz MEMC.
A Cinema Audio Experience at Home with ONKYO Sound and Dolby Atmos
Because it is all about immersion, TCL 98C735 TVs feature ONKYO sound with Dolby Atmos.
Acoustically designed for sound clarity and precision, ONKYO speakers a cinematic Dolby Atmos audio experience at home: whether it’s intimate dialogue or a complex soundscape, every detail comes alive in rich clarity and depth, for a crystal-clear sound.
Pricing
The Beastly 98-inch C735 Will be Retailed at PHP349,995 Suggested Retail Price (SRP)
TCL Philippines Brand Endorser
Chito Miranda
For the last highlight of the grand media event, TCL welcomed a very special guest, Mr. Chito Miranda, the lead vocalist of the popular Pinoy band Parokya ni Edgar. Mr. Chito shared messages and testimonials about his experience with TCL products with the audience.
As the evening’s event draws to a close, Ms. Angeli, Brand Manager of TCL Philippines, delivered the closing remarks for the grand media launch’s culmination together with a teaser of a big Filipino celebrity as the up-and-coming TCL Philippines’ newest Brand Endorser.
Watch the whole event here: https://www.facebook.com/TCLPhilippines/videos/1250227795796304/
About TCL Electronics
TCL Electronics is a fast-growing consumer electronics company and a leading player in the global TV industry. Founded in 1981, it now operates in over 160 markets globally. TCL specializes in the research, development, and manufacturing of consumer electronics products ranging from TVs, to audio, and smart home appliances.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Aug 30, 2022 | Business
Nate and Andy Slamans
After Andy Slamans began experiencing success selling on Amazon almost a decade ago, he encouraged his nephew, Nate, to give it a try. Eventually, they combined their diverse talents and without outside loans or investors, built an incredibly lucrative, 8-figure Amazon business that’s still growing in leaps and bounds. When Andy, a gregarious, risk-taking, people-pleaser, and Nate, a forward-thinking, formally educated financial planner, partnered – the Dream Team was born!
Family means everything to Nate & Andy, and as a result, they don’t just stop at their own success. They’re an Amazon think-tank, sharing their knowledge, providing coaching, and offering services to other entrepreneurs.
Through trial and tribulation, Andy & Nate realized early on that FBA sellers could be losing as much as 3% of their total monthly revenue from a variety of issues including unpaid Amazon reimbursements and negative customer reviews. In fact, early on in their careers, Nate combed through Andy’s account and uncovered thousands of dollars in reimbursements that Andy was owed. As a result, their brainchild, AMZPro, was born. Andy was Nate’s first client and the rest is history, so if you want to boost your profits while avoiding the common pitfalls as Andy did, then it’s time to talk to THE Amazon experts.
AMZPro, is a professional FBA account management service, for FBA sellers just like you. With a client-centered approach, AMZPro will help you sell with confidence and free up your time so you can focus on your business without worrying about back-end reimbursement management. Nate & Andy invite you to be a part of their team and let your personal AMZPro representative optimize your account health & get you the money you deserve.
“Leave the minutia of account management to us, while you focus on building your business. We’ll take a deep dive into your account and deliver the results you deserve.
Our team of experts will comprehensively monitor & manage your account for:
- Reimbursements from Amazon that you are owed
- Negative feedback that needs to be removed
- Prevention of Suspended Listings
- Shipment Reconciliation
- Account Health
- Unfulfilled Inventory
- Vital Operation Reviews
You’ll receive a detailed weekly report with all the important data, so you’ll know exactly what we achieved on your behalf with full transparency.”
AMZPro will make your life easier and put money in your pocket – all for a commission-free, low monthly fee. Not only do they manage your current account; AMZPRO automatically goes back 18 months and thoroughly reviews your data for maximum recovery & profitability. You’ll get what you deserve while ensuring your Amazon essentials are in excellent condition.
From their early days of packing and shipping in their own homes to multi-million-dollar sellers, Nate and Andy know what it’s like to build success from the ground up. They understand that no one has all the skills, knowledge, and time to do everything on their own. Seeking the right help from the right people can be extremely valuable to minimizing problems, maximizing processes, and increasing profits.
You can also learn more by visiting Amazing Freedom, the mother company of AMZPro, and by becoming an Insider today!
Angkas CEO George Royeca, believes the country is ready for a big leap forward in the tech and startup sectors. These industries and their continuous growth in recent years will be the primary focus of this year’s IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022, which will be co-presented by Angkas, the leading motorcycle taxi, and delivery platform. “While the pandemic has been the worst global crisis of the millennium undeniably opened new avenues for rapid growth in the country, particularly in the tech sector. Overnight, e-commerce, online payments, e-wallets, telemedicine, online gig employment, digital banks as well as delivery and logistics services experienced exponential growth which then had to be supported by faster internet speeds,” points out Royeca.
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