by Ferry Bayu | Oct 19, 2026 | Business
GoBalik is making digital customer loyalty more accessible to Filipino small businesses, driven by the belief that these tools should not be reserved for big brands.
For many small businesses, attracting a customer is only the beginning. Giving that customer a reason to return can be just as important. Yet while established brands can invest in sophisticated loyalty programs, smaller merchants often have to find practical ways to build lasting customer relationships with more limited resources.
GoBalik, a Filipino-built digital loyalty platform, was founded around a simple belief: local businesses should have access to digital tools that help them encourage repeat visits, regardless of their size or budget.
“Local and small businesses should have access to digital tools like these, not just big brands,” said Ariel Josh Cariño, founder of GoBalik. “We want to make it easier for local businesses to give their customers a reason to come back.”
The platform helps merchants introduce digital loyalty programs through digital stamp cards and points-based rewards. Customers can access their loyalty cards through a mobile browser, without needing to download a separate application.
Accessibility is also reflected in GoBalik’s free Starter plan, which allows eligible businesses to begin using digital loyalty tools without a recurring subscription fee. Merchants can start with the features included in the plan and explore additional capabilities as their needs evolve.
Bringing Digital Loyalty Into Local Businesses
For smaller businesses, digital loyalty is not just about replacing paper stamp cards. It can also make rewards easier to manage and give customers a straightforward way to track their progress toward a reward.
Let’s Bean Coffee, a family-owned coffee business serving students at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, is one example of a local merchant using GoBalik to support its customer loyalty efforts.
In a video testimonial, the merchant shared that GoBalik helps with customer retention, makes loyalty progress easier to track, and makes it easier for customers to return and claim their rewards.
The experience illustrates how digital loyalty tools can support the everyday relationship between a local business and its customers. Rather than requiring merchants to build their own loyalty systems, GoBalik provides a platform they can use to manage rewards and customer engagement.
Growing Across the Philippines
Since beginning its beta rollout in April 2026, GoBalik has been building a network of registered merchants in different locations across the Philippines.
As of October 16, 2026, the platform’s internal dashboard recorded 354 registered merchants, 8,298 customers, and 21,856 visits. These figures provide a snapshot of the platform’s reach and activity as it continues developing tools for local businesses.
For Cariño, the goal extends beyond digitizing stamp cards. It is about making customer loyalty technology a practical option for Filipino micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that want to build stronger relationships with their customers.
By offering a free entry point and a shared platform for managing rewards, GoBalik aims to give smaller businesses an opportunity to explore digital customer engagement without the cost and complexity of developing their own systems.
The company’s guiding motto captures that mission: “We Bring Customers Back.”
About GoBalik
GoBalik is a Filipino-built digital loyalty platform designed to help businesses encourage repeat visits through digital stamp cards, points-based rewards, and merchant management tools. With a mission to make customer loyalty technology more accessible to Filipino MSMEs, GoBalik offers a free Starter plan alongside additional subscription options.
For more information, visit https://gobalik.com/.
About GoBalik Technologies OPC
GoBalik Technologies OPC is a Filipino technology company behind GoBalik, a digital loyalty platform that helps local businesses encourage repeat visits and build lasting customer relationships. Guided by the belief that digital business tools should be accessible to small businesses, GoBalik aims to make customer loyalty technology more accessible to Filipino MSMEs. Its motto is “We Bring Customers Back.”
Company website: https://gobalik.com/
Brand page: https://gobalik.com/brand
by Ferry Bayu | Oct 19, 2026 | Business
The largest maritime gathering in the country has drawn to a close. BEACON 2026, home of the Beaconer’s Job Fair, brought together manning agencies, ship managers, maritime schools, training centers, industry experts and government agencies on 29 and 30 September 2026 for two days of hiring, dialogue and partnership.
Behind the crowd was a story the industry has waited years to see. For the first time, a Philippine maritime job fair ran end to end on a single digital platform. Appointed Specialized Technology Partner of BEACON just three days before the doors opened, Seaker System Technologies Inc. replaced paper forms, handwritten logbooks and manual queues with in app tickets, QR gate passes, instant CV submission and live analytics. The result was the most modern job fair the Philippine maritime sector has staged, and the fastest turnaround seafarers have experienced at an event of this scale.
From paper lines to QR gates
For decades, a maritime job fair meant the same routine. Seafarers arrived early with printed CVs, wrote the same personal details at every booth, and waited in line after line. Agencies went home with stacks of paper to encode by hand.
At BEACON 2026, that routine disappeared.
• One ticket, claimed in the Seaker App. Seafarers claimed a free ticket inside the Seaker App, which issued a personal Job Fair Gate Pass QR.
• Seconds at the gate. Six registration stations scanned each pass at the entrance. Because every profile was already complete, entry took moments instead of minutes.
• One scan per booth. Every participating manning agency received a SEAker Manning RMS account and a booth QR code. When a seafarer scanned it, their Seaker profile converted automatically into a formatted CV and landed in the agency’s system in just three seconds. No printing, no encoding, no lost paper.
One profile, entered once, delivered to every agency the seafarer chose. No repeated forms. No lost CVs. No encoding backlog after the event.
Three days to prepare, three seconds per CV
Seaker came on board as Specialized Technology Partner only three days before the event. In that window the team set up six registration stations, issued thousands of Gate Pass QRs and activated a SEAker Manning QR code for every participating agency.
What followed was the turnaround the event became known for. Seconds at the gate. Three seconds from a booth scan to a complete CV inside the agency’s system. And 7,453 people processed across two days without paper queues. Seafarers spent their time talking to employers, not filling out forms, and agencies left with applicant pipelines that were ready to work the next morning.
Secretary Cacdac applauds the technology
Among the distinguished guests was Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac. Observing applicants move from the gate to the agency booths without paper processing, Secretary Cacdac praised the fast turnaround of applicants and applauded the technology behind it.
The recognition carries weight. The DMW has made digitalization of OFW documentation and processes a priority, and BEACON 2026 showed what that direction looks like on the ground: a seafarer’s time respected, an agency’s pipeline organized, and a crowd of thousands managed with precision.
SEAker LIVE PULSE Analytics: the numbers behind the Beaconer’s Job Fair 2026
The two days of BEACON 2026 demonstrated how strong the demand for maritime employment remains among Filipino seafarers.
Seaker initially released 5,000 Job Fair Gate Pass QRs. Within three days of the announcement, every pass had been claimed. Responding to continued demand from seafarers who still wanted to take part, Seaker opened an additional 1,000 passes, which were again fully claimed. On Day 2, with long lines of seafarers still arriving, another 1,000 passeswere opened to accommodate the turnout.
The final count
According to SEAker LIVE PULSE Analytics, total attendance across both days reached 7,453 seafarers and visitors. Of these, 6,543 entered through SEAker Gate Pass QRs, while approximately 910 registered on site at the gate. Peak entry came between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM.
Who came through the gates
The 6,543 digitally recorded attendees spanned an extraordinary 158 different ranks.
Vessel experience was equally broad, with Seaker detecting experience across 58 different vessel types.
What the data tells the industry
The figures reveal more than attendance. Cadets and aspiring seafarers who have never been onboard together account for 2,611 attendees, roughly two in every five digital entrants. That is a clear signal of how many young Filipinos are waiting for their first berth, and a reminder that shipboard training capacity remains one of the industry’s most pressing questions.
At the same time, 1,365 Able Bodied Seamen, about one in five entrants, came looking for their next contract, alongside deep pools of cruise, general cargo and bulk experience. For manning agencies, this is a qualified pipeline measured in exact numbers rather than impressions.
Events no longer have to rely on estimates
What began with 5,000 QR passes became a two day gathering of 7,453 people. Beyond the numbers, LIVE PULSE showed something more important: maritime events no longer need to run on guesswork.
From QR issuance and actual gate scans to rank distribution, vessel experience, attendance patterns and live gate activity, Seaker turns an event crowd into maritime intelligence the moment it happens. Organizers see where to add capacity. Agencies see who is available. Policymakers see the real shape of the workforce.
7,453 total attendees
6,543 SEAker Gate Pass attendees
910 on site registrations
158 ranks
58 vessel types
One live maritime pulse
This is what happens when technology does more than register people. It helps the industry understand the maritime community as it moves, connects and searches for opportunity.
Looking ahead
Seaker served as the Specialized Technology Partner of BEACON 2026, and the partnership continues into 2027. The model proven at BEACON 2026, paperless entry, instant CV delivery and live analytics, is now ready for every maritime event, school and agency in the country.
SEAker LIVE PULSE Analytics. Turning maritime participation into actionable intelligence.
About Seaker System Technologies, Inc.
SEAker System Technologies Inc. is the Philippine maritime super app, founded in 2015 and launched in 2016. Trusted by more than 155,000 users, Seaker connects seafarers, cadets, maritime schools, training centers and manning agencies through six verticals: Manning RMS, SEAker School, SEAker Training, SEAker Shelter, SEAker Media and SEAker Mobile. Its mission is to become the trusted digital infrastructure powering the future of the global maritime workforce.
by Ferry Bayu | Oct 16, 2026 | Business
MANILA, Philippines — BRAND CON 2026 has named BNI Taguig Region as its Co-Presenter, bringing together a network of more than 600 member companies across 10 chapters and a shared mission to help Filipino businesses grow through stronger brands. The partnership connects BNI’s strength in business relationships and referrals with BRAND CON’s advocacy for strategic brand building, helping entrepreneurs and SMEs move beyond referrals to become recognizable, trusted, and preferred by customers. Beyond the five-day congress, the collaboration envisions year-round learning, mentoring, and knowledge-sharing opportunities that make brand-building expertise more accessible to business owners. Carrying the theme “Empowering Brand Builders,” BRAND CON 2026 runs November 24–28 at Newport World Resorts in Pasay City, featuring internationally recognized branding strategist Laura Ries, the RIES Positioning Masterclass, and the Brand Festival. Learn more at www.brand-con.com.
Strategic partnership combines BNI’s business referral network with BRAND CON’s mission to empower Filipino SMEs through stronger brand-building capabilities.
BRAND CON 2026 has officially welcomed BNI Taguig Region as a Co-Presenter of this year’s five-day brand-building congress, strengthening its mission to empower Filipino entrepreneurs and SMEs through greater access to brand-building education, mentorship, and professional networks.
The partnership was formalized during BNI Taguig Region’s Monthly Leadership Team Round Table Meeting, attended by the presidents and leadership teams of all 10 chapters in the region.
With more than 600 member companies, BNI Taguig Region brings an established community of entrepreneurs and business leaders to BRAND CON’s growing advocacy of advancing brand-building excellence in the Philippines.
Helping Businesses Grow Beyond Referrals
At the heart of the partnership is a shared belief that sustainable business growth requires both strong professional relationships and strong brands.
While BNI helps businesses expand through trusted relationships and referrals, BRAND CON advocates for the strategic discipline of building brands that customers recognize, trust, prefer, and ultimately choose.
“BNI has built an extraordinary community that helps businesses grow through relationships and referrals. At BRAND CON, we believe that strong brands enable businesses to grow beyond referrals by becoming the preferred choice of customers,” said Bingo Soriano, Founder of BRAND CON.
“This partnership brings these two powerful drivers of business growth together. Our shared goal is to help Filipino entrepreneurs build not just bigger businesses, but stronger and more sustainable brands,” Soriano added.
The collaboration recognizes that even businesses with excellent products, services, and referral networks face an increasingly competitive marketplace. Building a strong brand requires clarity of positioning, meaningful differentiation, and consistent delivery of a compelling value proposition.
These are among the critical capabilities that BRAND CON seeks to develop among Filipino entrepreneurs, business owners, marketing professionals, and future brand leaders.
A Partnership That Goes Beyond the Congress
The partnership was made possible through the leadership of BNI Taguig Region Executive Director Judee Quiazon, together with Cris Mananquil, Chief Executive Producer of Backstage Manila, BRAND CON’s official event partner and also a proud member of BNI Taguig Region.
Under Quiazon’s leadership, the region’s 10 chapters provide a strong platform for extending BRAND CON’s advocacy to an active community of entrepreneurs and SMEs.
“Our mission at BNI is to help our members build successful businesses through meaningful relationships. This partnership with BRAND CON gives our members another valuable opportunity to strengthen their businesses by learning how to build brands that are more differentiated, relevant, and competitive,” said Quiazon. More importantly, both organizations envision a collaboration that extends beyond participation in the annual BRAND CON congress.
The partnership opens opportunities for year-round brand-building education, practical learning sessions, mentoring, and knowledge-sharing initiatives that could help BNI Taguig members develop stronger brands and more competitive businesses.
The long-term vision is to make brand-building knowledge and strategic frameworks more accessible to entrepreneurs who may not otherwise have the resources to engage professional brand consultants.
Empowering Brand Builders at BRAND CON 2026
Carrying the theme “Empowering Brand Builders,” BRAND CON 2026 will take place on November 24–28, 2026, at Newport World Resorts in Pasay City.
The five-day event will bring together entrepreneurs, SME owners, corporate marketing professionals, business leaders, students, and the next generation of brand builders.
Among its major highlights is the RIES Positioning Masterclass led by internationally recognized branding strategist Laura Ries, alongside sessions featuring Filipino entrepreneurs, business leaders, and marketing practitioners sharing real-world brand-building experiences.
The event will also feature the Brand Festival, providing additional opportunities for learning, networking, and engagement among the country’s brand-building community.
For BRAND CON, the partnership with BNI Taguig Region represents another step toward its broader ambition of making brand-building excellence more accessible to Filipino businesses.
As Soriano emphasized, “Our mission is not simply to organize an annual conference. It is to help build a community of Filipino brand builders who understand that a strong brand is one of the most valuable long-term assets any business can create.”
For event details, program updates, and registration, visit www.brand-con.com.
Sealing the Co-Presenter partnership between BRAND CON 2026 and BNI Taguig Region are seated (from left) Bingo Soriano, BRAND CON Founder; Judee Quiazon, Executive Director of BNI Taguig Region; and Cris Mananquil, Chief Executive Producer of Backstage Manila, together with the presidents and leadership teams of the BNI Taguig region.
This press release has also been published on VRITIMES.
by Ferry Bayu | Oct 16, 2026 | Business
Cebuana Lhuillier has long recognized that its people drive its mission of financial inclusion every day. To further strengthen this culture of recognition, the company introduced the ORO Regional Awards 2026, its first regional recognition platform covering all nine regions and bringing the Gold Standard of Excellence closer to the Ka-Cebuanas who embody it.
Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier, highlighted the importance of recognizing employees across the organization: “ORO marks an important step in our longstanding recognition tradition, bringing recognition closer to our nine regions and honoring the Ka-Cebuanas whose dedication and hard work contribute to our success every day.”
Named after the Spanish word for gold, ORO represents excellence built over time through dedication, hard work, perseverance, loyalty, and meaningful contributions. The program brings recognition closer to Ka-Cebuanas across all nine regions, celebrating the people whose efforts drive the company’s performance and make a difference in the communities they serve.
The pilot run of ORO Regional Awards 2026 covers all nine regions, recognizing Ka-Cebuanas across categories ranging from 10- and 15-year service milestones to the Regional Manager (RM) Cup. The RM Cup underscores the Regional Manager’s role not just as a leader, but as a mentor who inspires excellence, nurtures talent, and recognizes the people who bring out the best in their teams.
It celebrates leadership that sees potential, encourages growth, and brings out the best in people. Other categories include special performance awards, individual achievements, branch and area distinctions, customer experience, community impact, and overall regional performance.
Jose Miguel Jimenez, Senior Vice President and Branch Sales Group Head, emphasized the importance of recognizing employees where the company’s mission is carried out every day: “ORO brings recognition closer to where our mission comes to life every day—in our branches and the communities we serve. It is here that our people make a direct impact, making it important to celebrate their contributions where they happen.”
Beginning in 2027, ORO will also serve as the pathway to the Brillo Awards, Cebuana Lhuillier’s national stage for excellence established in 2009. This gives outstanding regional performers the opportunity to advance to the national level, making regional achievements an important part of the company’s broader recognition program.
Through ORO, Cebuana Lhuillier continues to strengthen its culture of recognition and commitment to employee engagement. By celebrating achievements across its nine regions, the company affirms that the Gold Standard of Excellence is built through the people whose dedication, consistent performance, and meaningful contributions drive its success and advance its mission of financial inclusion.
by Ferry Bayu | Oct 14, 2026 | Business
Cebuana Lhuillier, through its parent company PJ Lhuillier, Inc., has been named one of only 10 global finalists for the Award for Diversity and Inclusion at the Investors in People Awards 2026, making it the only Philippine organization recognized in the category. The Investors in People Awards recognize achievements in people practices, making the distinction a significant international recognition of Cebuana Lhuillier’s four-year journey toward building a more inclusive workplace.
“An organization can only truly serve a community with different backgrounds when it first understands and values the individuality within its own people. Our journey toward greater inclusion is about creating an environment where every Ka-Cebuana can bring their experiences, talents, and perspectives to the table and know that they have a meaningful role to play,” said Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier.
At the heart of that achievement is Cebuana Lhuillier’s belief that inclusion must begin from within. With more than 12,700 Ka-Cebuanas serving approximately 30 million customers nationwide, the company has made creating a workplace where people feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute an integral part of its culture and employee experience.
Cebuana Lhuillier’s inclusion journey has evolved through initiatives that progressively created more opportunities for its people to listen, understand one another, share their experiences, and see the value of their individual contributions. Intertwined opened conversations around diversity and mutual respect, while iBelong gave employees a platform to share their stories and perspectives. Last year, Amazing Cebuana brought those conversations closer to the people by celebrating the different experiences and contributions of Ka-Cebuanas, while this year, Tatak Cebuana, Proud Ka-Cebuana: Work That Impacts Lives builds on that foundation by connecting employees’ individual contributions to the work they do and the lives they impact. Together, these milestones have helped move inclusion from a conversation into an increasingly embedded part of Cebuana Lhuillier’s culture.
Employee participation has helped strengthen this culture, with more than 250 Tatak Cebuana influencers championing inclusion and bringing these conversations into everyday experiences across the company.
“Over the years, we have seen how these efforts can bring our people closer together and create a workplace where everyone feels they have a place. What makes this journey meaningful is that inclusion is no longer just something we talk about. It is something our people are helping shape and live out every day. This recognition is a reflection of that collective effort,” said Jo-Ann Tacorda, First Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Cebuana Lhuillier.
This growing culture of inclusion also supports a more engaged employee experience, strengthening how Ka-Cebuanas connect with one another and, ultimately, with the customers and communities they serve.
For Cebuana Lhuillier, an inclusive workplace is integral to its purpose of serving Filipinos from all walks of life. Being named a global finalist recognizes the progress made so far and marks another milestone in building a culture where every Ka-Cebuana can belong, contribute, and make an impact.
by Ferry Bayu | Oct 14, 2026 | Business
A teacher from Surigao City receives ₱10,000 to help pay household bills, while five others receive ₱500 GCash rewards.
MANILA, Philippines — October 12, 2026 — Ginto Privilege Club (GPC) has confirmed six winners from its first Ginhawa Support Draw, held live on October 1, 2026, at 8:00 PM Philippine time.
The draw awarded a total of ₱12,500 in prizes, including a ₱10,000 main reward and five ₱500 GCash bonus rewards, marking an important milestone for GPC’s new one-off Pack model.
₱10,000 Ginhawa Support Helps Winner Cover Household Bills
Teacher Wyzyn Patosa from Surigao City was named the main winner of GPC’s first Ginhawa Support Draw.
After completing the required eligibility and identity verification, Wyzyn received the ₱10,000 prize through GCash on October 5, 2026.
Wyzyn shared that the reward would help pay the family’s electricity and water bills, providing welcome financial relief for everyday household expenses.
“Malaking tulong po ang ₱10,000 Ginhawa Support prize sa amin, lalo na sa pagbabayad ng aming kuryente at tubig. Maraming salamat po sa Ginto Privilege Club!” Wyzyn said.
Alongside the main winner, five other participants each received a ₱500 GCash bonus reward:
Maria Ira P. – Surigao del Norte/Caraga
Rosalie P. – Sta. Ana/Pampanga
Josefa P. – Tuguegarao City/ Cagayan
Ferdinand R. – Surigao del Norte/Caraga
Jennifer L. – Catanauan/Quezon
GPC Highlights Transparency and Prize Delivery
“Our first draw is an important milestone for GPC, but what matters most is seeing our winners receive their prizes,” said Kristine Henderson, Co-Founder and CEO of Ginto Privilege Club.
“We want every participant to feel confident that our draws are transparent, our winners are properly verified and our prizes are delivered as promised.”
All six winners completed GPC’s verification requirements before their prizes were confirmed.
Winners were not required to pay any fees to claim their rewards.
To support transparency and public confidence, GPC maintains a dedicated Winner Proof page featuring confirmed winners, available prize delivery records and updates on reward fulfilment.
GPC also conducts its winner announcements through Facebook Live, allowing viewers to watch the computerized winner selection process.
GPC Continues Weekly Draws with ₱30,000 Smartphone Upgrade and Upcoming ₱10,000 Prize
On October 8, 2026, GPC held its second promotional draw, naming Ferdinand Rodriguez of Surigao City as the verified winner of the ₱30,000 Smartphone Upgrade Reward.
The prize provides store credit towards an eligible smartphone purchase. Ferdinand is currently completing the merchant selection and redemption process.
The next GPC draw, ₱10,000 You Win–You Pick, is scheduled for October 15, 2026, at 12:30 PM Philippine time, offering six prizes: one ₱10,000 main reward and five ₱500 GCash Bonus Rewards.
The main winner can choose from eligible prize options including groceries, food, beauty, or everyday essentials, depending on what matters most to them.
Entries close at 11:30 AM Philippine time on October 15.
The five ₱500 Bonus Rewards are available to eligible Sulit and Ginto Pack participants, subject to the official draw mechanics.
GPC offers three one-off Packs:
Try Pack – ₱49: 7 days of Partner Deals access and 1 free draw entry.
Sulit Pack – ₱149: 14 days of Partner Deals access, 6 free draw entries and eligibility for the ₱500 Bonus Reward.
Ginto Pack – ₱349: 30 days of Partner Deals access, 20 free draw entries and eligibility for the ₱500 Bonus Reward.
Participants may purchase multiple GPC Packs, with no limit on the number of Packs purchased, subject to the official draw mechanics.
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) can also purchase GPC Packs for their loved ones in the Philippines, allowing eligible family members to participate in upcoming draws. Purchases must be registered using the Philippine recipient’s name and contact details.
Each Pack is a one-time purchase with no membership, subscription, automatic renewal or referral requirement.
For more information:
Buy a GPC Pack
View Current Draw and Official Mechanics
View Confirmed Winners and Prize Records
GPC Draws are open to eligible Philippine residents aged 18 and above. Official mechanics, eligibility requirements, entry cut-offs and winner verification conditions apply.
About Ginto Privilege Club
Founded in September 2025, Ginto Privilege Club (GPC) is a consumer platform serving the Philippine market through one-off GPC Packs, access to Partner Deals and scheduled promotional draws.
GPC aims to provide accessible rewards and practical lifestyle benefits through clearly published Pack inclusions, transparent draw mechanics and verified prize fulfilment.
GPC operates without memberships, subscriptions, referral commissions or multi-level marketing structures.
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