by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 27, 2017 | Business
Charter Ping An recently turned over a check for 46 million pesos to Grand Sierra Pines Hotel, less than a month after BTG Holdings, Inc., owner of the boutique hotel in Baguio, completed its insurance claim documents.
In a simple ceremony held at the AXA Philippines head office, Mr. Ray Florence Reyes (middle), President and CEO of BTG Holdings, received the check with his father, Mr. Cesar Reyes (2nd from right) and brother Mr. Jay Reyes (2nd from left) from Mr. Noel Que, Senior Management Advisor and Business Development of Charter Ping-An (leftmost) and Mr. Peili Zhang, Chief Technical Officer of Charter Ping An.
As first-time clients of Charter Ping An, BTG Holdings was pleased with the quick delivery of the check that will be used to repair property damages from Typhoon Lawin.
Axa acquires Charter Ping An
Charter Ping-An was acquired in April 2016 by AXA Philippines, the number one global insurance brand for the 8th consecutive year according to Interbrand.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 14, 2017 | Business
Your graduates deserve a special gift for their diligence and hard work to make it to this momentous occasion. After so many years he or she has finally made it!
In purchasing that perfect gift why not use your Citi Credit Card and enjoy exclusive deals with PayLite through our partner merchants – Western Appliances, TechnoMarine, and MyDiamond.
Discount at Western Appliances
Get up to 20% off on selected items at Western Appliances, and 0% Citi PayLite for up to 12 months from March 15 to May 15, 2017.
Discount at Technomarine
Meanwhile, enjoy a 20% discount on selected timepiece models from TechnoMarine, and 0% Citi PayLite for up to 12 months from April 24 to July 24, 2017.
Lastly, take your pick among select fine jewelry pieces and get 30% off and 0% Citi PayLite for up to 12 months also from April 24 to July 24, 2017 at MyDiamond. This generous offer is valid at participating branches.
For more information on these special offers, log on to www.citibank.com.ph or call the 24-hour CitiPhone Hotline at 995-999.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 7, 2017 | Business
It’s official! One of Philippine television’s most beautiful faces, Liza Soberano, is head-over-heels in love with diamonds. In fact, she, along with MyDiamond, excitedly joins the world in celebrating Diamond Month this April. Who can blame her? No one can resist the dazzling brilliance of this exquisite crystal-clear gem.
April is the month of the diamond
April is especially dedicated to diamonds and is celebrated worldwide. Those born in this month are lucky enough to have this beautiful crystal as their birthstone. No other gemstone is quite as mesmerizing and stunning as the diamond.
It is also believed to bring balance, clarity, and abundance and symbolizes eternal love because it is as strong as it is beautiful.When turned into jewelry, it provides its wearer better relationships and increases inner strength. No wonder it remains to be the most sought-after gemstone in the world.
Diamonds, worn as rings, necklaces, bracelets and as fashion statements, exude elegance and sophistication. Liza Soberano expresses fondness for MyDiamond’s exquisite creations that she feels are elegantly designed and finely crafted lifestyle pieces.
Each MyDiamond jewelry piece is delicately made by internationally-trained craftsmen using diamonds of top-tier cut, clarity, color, and carat weight.
MyDiamond makes April more special
To make diamond month even more special, MyDiamond offers exclusive discounts to all its loyal customers. From now until April 16, 2017, all members of the MyDiamond Privileged Program can get additional 5% on top of their usual member discounts. Non-members, on the other hand, can also avail of up to 45% discount for all purchases of jewelry with diamonds, and up to 50% off for purchases of 1 carat and higher until April 30, 2017.
Celebrate Diamond month with Liza Soberano and MyDiamond with your own piece of brilliant diamond jewelry. Visit a MyDiamond concept store at:
- Ayala Center Cebu
- Shangri-La Plaza Mall
- SM Megamall
- Robinsons Place Manila
- Festival Supermall
- Glorietta 4
- Greenbelt 3
- Gateway Mall
- SM Mall of Asia
- SM Aura Premier
- Lucky Chinatown Mall
- SM Lanang Premier Davao
- Diamantaire in Shangri-La Plaza
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 31, 2017 | Business
Lazada Philippines pulls ahead of the e-commerce game with a 3-wheeled cart and a cow named Luz.
E-commerce giant, Lazada Philippines, makes a game-changing move by putting up a mobile pop-up store in the form of a 3-wheeled cart pulled by a cow named Luz. Just in time for the summer season, the mobile pop-up store will be offering over 7,107 tag-init essentials such as floaties, shades, tsinelas, and the ever-popular, t-shirt-at-shorts-na-pang-swimming combo.
Inanc Balci
Lazada CEO and Co-founder, Inanc Balci, stated in an interview “This is a business move we have been planning for years. It is something our competitors would have never foreseen, and I know it will help us pull even further ahead in the game. As I told the cow Luz, we will take it one step at a time.”
Click here for more information on the summer mobile pop-up store.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 19, 2017 | Business
The country’s leading foreign bank continues its aggressive bid to be the number one digital bank in the country with the launch of new digital partnerships, products, and services.
Citi Philippines latest digital innovation comes in the form of online credit card application and approval program, a first in the Philippines.
David Stoughton, Director for Credit Payment Products
David Stoughton, Director for Credit Payment Products, briefed members of the media this morning, and said their clients can expect to get credit approval online, after they complete the simplified application form and submit digitized copies of required documents.
“We were one of the first banks to launch an online presence and also one of the pioneers in attracting customers through our website,” recalled Stoughton.
“At that time, we were only capturing the information online when they apply, but the processing still takes place offline including the credit review. With this latest service, we are excited to break new ground for the industry and deliver another innovation for the Filipino consumer.”
Apply online and get a digitized reward too!
With the digitized application and approval process, a client will know in minutes if he or she is qualified for a Citi credit card. “This is a game changer as we continue to look at our products and services, and accelerate digitization to deliver remarkable client experiences,” said Stoughton.
Citi also digitized its rewards – clients who prefer to submit applications through promotion booths in shopping centers or travel exhibits because of attractive turn-in gifts will be pleased to discover they won’t be missing out just because they will do it online.
From now until April 30, complete an application online and receive an electronic voucher you can redeem for an Auntie Anne’s pretzel and iced tea. Upon approval, clients who are getting their first Citi credit card and make a purchase of P20,000 or more within 60 days are also eligible to get a Fitbit Charge 2 fitness wristband.
Groundbreaking partnerships with leading digital retailers
Citi also recently unveiled another strategic digital partnership, this time with Amazon. The Philippines will come next after Thailand where credit card holders can now use their Rewards Points to pay for purchases at Amazon.com.
On average, Citi announced a new digital innovation or partnership fortnightly in the last 12 months across Asia. During 2016, Citi announced strategic partnerships in leading digital ecosystems across the region. Some of these included Alipay and WeChat in China and Line in Thailand and Taiwan. The bank also formed digital credit card partnerships with the likes of Airbnb and Uber in various countries. The bank’s social media followers in Asia grew from 3million to over 10million during 2016.
In the Philippines, its regional digital partners include:
- Booky, an offline restaurant finder;
- Zennya, the world’s first spa on-demand app;
- Lazada, the leading online shopping mall in the country;
- and Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing platform, to name a few.
In the country, Citi’s ongoing promotions with leading travel sites including:
- Asiatravel (grab 12% off on hotel bookings until June 30, 2017);
- Agoda (get 10% off on hotel accommodations year-long);
- Expedia (enjoy 8% off until October 2017);
- and Airbnb (on first stay, get P1,800 off until November 15, 2017).
Beyond travel, expect to also enjoy exclusive discounts when shopping online with Citi credit cards.
Banking on a Digital Future
“Our Consumer Bank business in Asia draws some 20 million visits to our online properties every month and between 90 to 95% of all transactions already happens outside a branch,” Stoughton.
He added that regional figures show one out of every four new credit card accounts acquired comes from digital sources and over 50% of clients are actively using digital banking channels, up from 30% three years ago.
Over the past five years, traffic in Citi branches across Asia has declined 50% as digital transactions grew over 100%. While digital banking is not completely replacing the branch experience, the nature of branch interactions is changing, and Citi’s strategy is now aimed at a combination of bricks and clicks.
“In our drive to digital, we have also become the credit card brand that online and mobile retailers prefer. This initiative presents a bright outlook in a country which greatly embraces the growth of online shopping and lifestyle,” added Stoughton.
Over the last year, Citi launched the newly-refreshed Citi Mobile App in Asia featuring easy-to-use functionality and interfaces such as Snapshot and Touch ID which has seen over 2m million downloads to-date. The bank also was the first to launch Voice Biometrics across the region which has since received more than 700,000 sign-ups from customers with over 1m clients consenting.
“We are focused on becoming the world’s leading digital bank, and we will continue to leverage on our global network for strategic partnerships even as we develop and deliver digital products and services,” said Stoughton.
About Citi
Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions.
Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.
Additional information may be found at:
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 18, 2017 | Business
Lazada’s 5th Birthday Sale is fast approaching and starting March 21, 2017, deals of up to 90% across all product categories will be available. The 3-day sale is a testament to how massive Lazada has expanded to in a span of five years. Now with 6.3 million products and about 35,000 brands supplied by more than 8,500 sellers, it’s no wonder why Lazada is the country’s leading one-stop online selling and shopping destination.
On March 16, Lazada hosted an event in the BGC office for its blogger affiliates. During the 2-hour gathering, the Lazada Affiliate team released 10 great deals which will be available during the sale from March 21 to 23. Here’s the list of 10 deals which you shouldn’t miss!
| Product |
SRP |
Campaign Price |
| Asus ZenFone Selfie 32GB with FREE Back Cover |
P11,995.00 |
*P6,695.00 |
| Ace 32″ Slim LED TV Black LED-808 DN4 |
P7,299.00 |
P4,999.00 |
| Zeus M-110 Lightning Chain Bolt Gaming Mouse |
P899.00 |
*P95.00 |
| Keds Sneakers |
from P999 |
| Jansport Superbreak Backpacks |
from P1,099 |
| 6 LED Solar Power Camping Lantern Light Hiking Flashlight |
P699.00 |
P149.00 |
| Nitecore Extend BMX#20 Folding Steel Bike |
P7,999.00 |
*P2,999.00 |
| Fast Inflatable Camping Banana Bed |
P999.00 |
*P199.00 |
| Delsey 4-wheels Extendo 3 Cabin Slim Trolley Case 55cm |
P11,150.00 |
P3,345.00 |
| Eureka EWA 0.6HP Window Type Air Conditioner |
P7,499.00 |
P5,799.00 |
*Flash sale price:
- Asus Zenfone Selfie – Mar. 21, 8AM
- Zeus Mouse – Mar. 21, 12MN
- Nitecore Bike – Mar. 21, 12 MN
- Inflatable Sofa – Mar. 23, 10AM
Nestle Dolce Gusto Mini-me
Apart from the release of top deals, Lazada has also in display some products going on sale starting March 21. Some highlights include the Nescafe Dolce Gusto Mine-Me which comes for free if you purchase 10 boxes of assorted coffee capsules. All 10 boxes plus the free Dolce Gusto Mini-Me will be available for only P4,250.
Another deal presented during the event is the ADATA HD720 1TB Hard Drive which will be on sale for only P2,799. What makes this hard drive perfect, especially for people who are always on the go, is that it’s waterproof, dustproof and also shockproof.
During the event, the ADATA HD720 was presented inside a bowl filled with water and was also subjected to a drop test. This hard drive is tough enough to endure a 1.8-meter drop or to be underwater in 6-feet deep water for 2 hours!
Lazada bestsellers like the ACE 32″ LED TV and the Sparc Vibe P80 Soundbar are also displayed. The ACE 32″ LED TV will be available for only P4,999 during the sale while the Sparc Vibe P80 is scheduled to go on flash sale for only P1,699 on March 23 at 6AM.
Affiliates receive the Box of Joy
Before the event ended, Lazada’s affiliate bloggers are treated to a Box of Joy filled with products coming from brand partners L’Oreal, Nestle, Colgate, Olay, Dove, Pond’s, Palmolive, JBL, ACE, Pantene, Nivea, Tender Care, Tresemme, Maybelline and merchant partners Sophie and Basty and Anything Under The Sun.
The Lazada Birthday Sale runs from March 21 to 23 so mark your calendars and don’t miss the chance to get your hands on really good deals. Also, don’t forget to watch out for the flash sale which features products with crazy discounts!
Charter Ping-An was acquired in April 2016 by AXA Philippines, the number one global insurance brand for the 8th consecutive year according to Interbrand.
Your graduates deserve a special gift for their diligence and hard work to make it to this momentous occasion. After so many years he or she has finally made it!
Lastly, take your pick among select fine jewelry pieces and get 30% off and 0% Citi PayLite for up to 12 months also from April 24 to July 24, 2017 at 
April is especially dedicated to diamonds and is celebrated worldwide. Those born in this month are lucky enough to have this beautiful crystal as their birthstone. No other gemstone is quite as mesmerizing and stunning as the diamond.
To make diamond month even more special, MyDiamond offers exclusive discounts to all its loyal customers. From now until April 16, 2017, all members of the MyDiamond Privileged Program can get additional 5% on top of their usual member discounts. Non-members, on the other hand, can also avail of up to 45% discount for all purchases of jewelry with diamonds, and up to 50% off for purchases of 1 carat and higher until April 30, 2017.
Citi also recently unveiled another strategic digital partnership, this time with 
“Our Consumer Bank business in Asia draws some 20 million visits to our online properties every month and between 90 to 95% of all transactions already happens outside a branch,” Stoughton.
Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions.
On March 16, Lazada hosted an event in the BGC office for its blogger affiliates. During the 2-hour gathering, the Lazada Affiliate team released 10 great deals which will be available during the sale from March 21 to 23. Here’s the list of 10 deals which you shouldn’t miss!
Another deal presented during the event is the ADATA HD720 1TB Hard Drive which will be on sale for only P2,799. What makes this hard drive perfect, especially for people who are always on the go, is that it’s waterproof, dustproof and also shockproof.
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