by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 16, 2020 | Business
The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines once again proves its commitment towards the continuous improvement of its management systems by successfully maintaining its ISO 9001:2015 certification.
The audit performed by the Certification International Philippines, Inc. showed that the quality management systems in place at TPB have seen remarkable improvements and discovered no non-conformities in the organization’s existing processes on design, development, and provision of Philippine tourism marketing and promotions versus the ISO standards. An attached agency of the Department of Tourism, TPB exists to market and promote the Philippines domestically and internationally as a world-class tourism and MICE destination.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 11, 2020 | Business
Leading global bathroom and kitchen solutions brand GROHE recently awarded its first batch of students who have completed the International Certification module at the GROHE Dual Tech, a training facility made possible through the partnership between GROHE and Don Bosco Youth Center. A total of 42 graduating students passed the International Certificate on GROHE Standards assessment exams, validating their technical competence in plumbing. GROHE also inaugurated the newly constructed public restroom in St. John Bosco Parish, Tondo.
The photo shows the first batch of internationally certified students with:
- (Top row, center, L-R) GROHE vice president training & management development Timo Kurz, GROHE management board member Michael Mager, and global product manager Manfred Kuehn; Don Bosco Tondo Rector Rev. Fr. Gaudencio Carandang Jr., SDB, Don Bosco Mondo e.V deputy director corporate cooperation Dr. Susanne Franke, Lixil Philippines general manager Alpha Ang, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) director Rev. Fr. Manuel H. Nicolas, SDB
- (2nd row, center, L-R) German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (G-PCCI) Dual Training and Education director Tobias Petersen, and STEAG State Power Inc. CEO Bodo Goerlich
- (3rd row, center, L-R) Wilcon Depot senior executive and vice president Rosemarie Ong, PCCI president Bing Limjoco, Salesian Society of St. John Bosco-FIN Province Planning and Development officer Rona Aurea Palma, (Bottom row, outer left) Lixil Philippines marketing manager Emily Besavilla
- (Bottom row, center, L-R) K+12 project coordinator Andreas Dernbach, Lixil Philippines assistant country manager Joralyn Ong
- (Bottom row, outer right) GROHE brand manager Arian Zaragoza
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jul 7, 2019 | Business
In this age of sharing and social media, lifestyle aspirations are driving consumer preferences in the real estate industry.
This is according to Tina Bautista, head of Property24, one of the most powerful online enablers for property buyers and sellers. Bautista cites, in particular, upper mid and luxury properties expected to be in high demand in 2019.
The Philippines continues to lead the world in social media usage, spending the most amount of time online, about four hours and 12 minutes a day. The number of social media users in the country grew by 13 percent, with more than 9 million users added since January 2018. Social media penetration is at 71 percent, which is above the worldwide average of 45 percent. As for mobile phone social media use, 67 percent of online Filipinos access social media on their phone, making social media an influential force. This is according to the latest digital report released by We Are Social and Hootsuite.
Property24, with Bautista at the helm, keeps a close tab on consumer digital behavior and trends in the real estate industry. Bautista has many years of experience working in the e-commerce industry. Before joining Property24, she led the overall online product strategy and channel expansion of Samsung, as online business demand management lead; served as vice president for the regional head of commercial planning for Ensogo Inc.; regional assistant brand manager for the low tier laundry detergent of Procter & Gamble Int’l Operations Pte Ltd, Singapore, and lead broadband planner for the product design and creation division of Globe Telecom.
Bautista, who has 12 years of experience in successfully creating strategies for online products and studying online consumer consumption, foresees a shift in buyer preferences, especially in the real estate industry, over the next five years.
“The major shift that may happen over the next five years is that technology will enable more than just searching and communication between property buyers and sellers. Technology will be able to change even how properties are bought and rented or financed by banks. We see this happening in more advanced markets. Generally as well, because of consumer preferences, we can also expect property developers to cater to emerging technology needs, such as high speed internet connectivity, online delivery and receiving hubs and smart home technologies,” Bautista says.
In the real estate industry, the speed of transactions and the expectations of potential property buyers are increasing rapidly, as the amount of information and influence that they receive online also grows. That is why Bautista advises companies to adapt swiftly to these developments.
“In our case, we are constantly working with our Product and Engineering teams, including enhancing our chat and contact form features, to make communication easier and faster between buyers and sellers. We also fine tune our search algorithms and filters to be able to reflect better user behavior and preferences,” she says.
Property24’s willingness to adapt has paved the way for it to become one of the strongest and most influential online platforms in the country today.
“Buyers today have many options and resources at their fingertips,” says Bautista. “It’s best for them to compare across all of these to be able to make the best decision. At the same time, they also have to exercise caution and judgment to ensure they are transacting with trusted brokers and agents.”
The influence of social media and online marketing has made a significant impact on the real estate market. Brand identity is the most effective way to gain a competitive edge in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Image and perception on social media and branding of property developers are the key factors for property buyers and investors.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jul 3, 2019 | Business
Liverpool FC has announced that AXA, the world’s leading insurance brand, has been appointed Principal Partner and the club’s new Official Training Kit Partner for the 2019/20 season.
To launch the new partnership, Liverpool FC and New Balance have revealed the new collection of training apparel, which will feature AXA branding throughout the range.
The New Balance collection includes warm up jackets, hoodies and sweatshirts, amongst other products, and is available in both adult and children’s sizes. Designed in grey and red pepper and just like the 2019/20 home kit, each product has been inscribed with Bob Paisley’s iconic signature on the inside, paying homage to the Reds’ most successful manager in the year in which he would have turned 100.
The Reds will begin training in the new AXA training kit this summer ahead of the 2019/20 season.
Billy Hogan, Liverpool Football Club Managing Director
Billy Hogan, Managing Director and Chief Commercial Officer, Liverpool FC, said: “We’re delighted to be expanding our partnership with AXA to see them become a Principal Partner and new Official Training Kit Partner.”
“As a world-leader in its industry, AXA shares our ambitions and values, and we’ve already shared a lot of success since our partnership began in 2018. We look forward to building on our special relationship and continuing to bring to life fantastic experiences for our fans around the world.”
AXA will also continue working closely with the club’s men’s and women’s teams, managers, coaches and health professionals to support the shared goal of promoting healthy well-being and lifestyle. This is in line with AXA’s global tagline ‘Know You Can’ which symbolize AXA’s new promise to its customers, being an encouraging partner to help them feel more confident in achieving their goals and go further.
Thomas Buberl, AXA CEO
Thomas Buberl, Chief Executive Officer at AXA added: “We’re excited by this new important step in our partnership with Liverpool Football Club that started in 2018. Featuring the AXA logo on the Liverpool FC training kit is a great symbol of our strong ambition to strengthen the AXA brand consideration globally.”
“By building on our similar values and vision with Liverpool FC, we will also be able to bring to life our new brand promise to our customers on self-belief with the tagline: ‘Know You Can’.”
The training kit range is available to purchase in store and online at http://store.liverpoolfc.com/.
In the photo are: AXA Asia CEO Gordon Watson (center) with (L-R) CEO of Liverpool Football Club Peter Moore, Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, AXA brand director Paul Bennett and Liverpool chief commercial director Billy Hogan
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 11, 2019 | Business
Leading mobile money platform, GCash, is looking for partners in Mindanao for its GCash for Good project – a pioneering corporate social responsibility program that enables Filipinos to donate to non-government organizations (NGOs) that champion worthy advocacies from education, environment to animal welfare among others.
This was announced yesterday by GCash VP for Corporate Communications Reyner Villaseñor in a press launch held in Park Inn Hotel in Davao City who said that GCash for Good is another big step to further develop the GCash app into a more socially relevant and sustainable platform that help addresses issues across different levels of society.
GCash, operated by operated by Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), is well-equipped to become a springboard for donations to non-government organizations that champion various advocacies, thanks to its scale and innovative digital platform. Thus, the GCash executive is calling on all NGOs in Davao City and nearby cities and provinces to join the GCash for Good as their partners in spreading good to all.
GCash VP for Corporate Communications Reyner Villaseñor
“With GCash for Good, GCash users can use the GCash app to donate to various groups to create an impact on society. This allows GCash to be a more inclusive and open platform that will help create better opportunities for millions of Filipinos. I am calling on all our NGO friends in Davao region and in the whole of Mindanao to join us as we spread the power of good through GCash,” Villaseñor said.
For interested NGOs, some regulatory requirements need to be completed before becoming official GCash for Good partners to ensure the organizations are legitimate and the money donated cannot be abused.
The GCash for Good program currently involves 35 NGOs, which are included in the initial batch after completing their documentation requirements both from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and Mynt before the program was launched. The program has already been launched in Manila and Cebu.
During the GCash for Good launch in Davao City, Villaseñor also disclosed that that people now prefer to donate online, as this removes the hassle of having to go through long queues and processes, giving them more time to focus on their daily lives.
He quoted a study by 2017 Global Trends in Giving which shows that 54 percent of individuals prefer to donate online, while the total volume of donations made online grew by a strong 12.1 percent.
Various researches also show a growing trend in micro-donations and crowdfunding, with sites like Patreon and Kofi gaining massive support. According to Tech’s Good, micro-donations range between $0.25 and $10. This kind of donations, although small at a time, can make a huge difference once added up.
“With innovative mobile money technology like GCash, people who want to do good are now empowered with a more efficient experience. Any amount will create huge opportunities for organizations that forward different issues. With GCash for Good, users will also have direct access to where their donations go. It showcases a more transparent ad user-friendly interface for anyone to access,” Villaseñor stressed.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 4, 2019 | Business
Maxicare, the country’s leading healthcare provider, recently partnered with Lalamove, the leading delivery app, to make quality healthcare more accessible to Lalamove partner drivers. Through the partnership, over 25,000 Lalamove partner drivers can avail of discounted healthcare cards such as MyMaxicare Lite, Maxicare PRIMA, and Maxicare E-Ready.
Partner drivers may avail of discounted Maxicare healthcare cards at Lalamove offices in Makati, Alabang, Quezon City, and Cebu. Photo shows (L-R) Lalamove strategic partnerships manager Akiko Sumulong, managing director Dannah Majarocon, together with Maxicare president and CEO Christian Argos, and chief consumer officer Rodelee Uy.
For more information, visit www.maxicare.com.ph.
Liverpool FC has announced that AXA, the world’s leading insurance brand, has been appointed Principal Partner and the club’s new Official Training Kit Partner for the 2019/20 season.
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