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!
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 17, 2017 | Business
Lazada turns 5! With a record high 91% market share in the Philippine e-Commerce category, Lazada Philippines has plenty to celebrate for its 5th year anniversary. Since its recent acquisition by global e-Commerce giant, Alibaba.com, the country’s dominant online shopping and selling destination shows no sign of slowing down.
In just 5 short years, Lazada has been able to guard and grow e-commerce in the Philippines with commitment to its 3 main customer offerings: assortment, convenience, and topnotch service.
When it comes to variety, no other Philippine e-commerce platform comes close to Lazada, with 6.3 million items under a wide variety of categories including electronics, fashion, home & living, travel, toys, grocery items, and even pet goods.
Convenience and service are best in class with 24/7 access via website or mobile app, free shipping around Metro Manila and nationwide with a minimum purchase of P1,000, and free returns.
Lazada also innovated through a wide variety of payment options, including credit and debit cards, and the highly popular cash-on-delivery option.
Lazada’s upcoming anniversary, dubbed ‘Lazada’s 5th Birthday Surprise’, has been marked as the biggest shopping event of the season. From March 21-23, Lazada will be showering online shoppers with sitewide discounts of up to 90%, low denomination Peso Sales, and time based Flash Sales. There will also be exclusive offerings from its most popular brands, and raffle prizes like vacation packages and real world treats.
High five deals
Make your summer sizzle with hot deals such as the Delsey 4-wheel trolley for only P3,507; JBL on-ear headphones for only P699, and Nyx Lip Lingerie for only P490.
Also in the lineup are customer favorites such as the VR Box 3D Glasses for only P95, Keds sneakers for as low as P999 and assorted Nestle Dolce Gusto capsule packs with free Nestle Dolce Gusto Oblo machine for only P3,400.
Fierce flash sales
For a very limited time, Lazada will also be offering top items at markdown prices:
- The inflatable Banana Bed for only P199
- Nivea shower gels for only P68
- and a CKK Inspire mobile phone with a 5.0 mega pixel camera and dual sim capability for only P999.
Other fierce items include an Avision24” HD LED TV and a Matrix Air Conditioner at P4,999, and a car stereo Bluetooth player for only P699.
Birthday treats for all as Lazada turns 5
No birthday will be complete without giveaways!
- For lucky customers who shop from March 21-23, Lazada will be raffling off a trip to Taiwan for two from KKDay.
- Foodie customers also get free booky.ph subscriptions worth P1,500 with every minimum purchase.
- Finally, every minimum purchase of P1,000 becomes a true treat, because customers get a P10 discount on FamilyMart’s famous Twirl.
So mark your calendars, make your checklists, and make room for more stuff because Lazada’s 5th Birthday Surprise is going to be the main event on your March calendar!
Celebrate with Lazada by visiting Lazada.com.ph or downloading the Lazada mobile app for free today.
About Lazada Birthday 2017
Lazada Group operates Lazada, Southeast Asia’s number one online shopping and selling destination, with presence in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Launched in March 2012, Lazada is pioneering e-commerce in the region by providing customers with an effortless shopping experience with multiple payment methods including cash-on-delivery, extensive customer care and easy returns.
Lazada features a wide product offering in categories ranging from consumer electronics to household goods, toys, fashion and sports equipment.
Lazada offers brands and sellers a marketplace solution and an ecosystem of partners providing direct access to about 560 million consumers in six countries online.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 13, 2017 | Business
Cable Car, a cornerstone of the bar and restaurant industry in the Philippines since its founding in 1992, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. To mark this milestone, the establishment is opening new branches, revamping its menu, and planning exciting developments for the near future.
For the past 25 years, Cable Car has been a trusted name in the Philippines’ bar and restaurant industry. It opened its doors in 1992 as one of the pioneering restobars in Metro Manila. After a quarter of a century of serving millions of customers (approximately 250 to 300 per day) with delicious food and drink offerings, it has established a stellar reputation among several generations of Filipinos. The establishment is known for its San Francisco-style pub ambiance, beer pong nights, and popular dishes such as Cable Car Rice and Sisig Rice.
With its familiar, comfortable, and casual vibe, both Filipinos and tourists alike flock to Cable Car, which makes you feel at home from the moment you step inside. Over the years, it has remained a popular hangout spot, particularly for college students and young professionals looking to unwind, drink, relax, and socialize.
Cable Car is also a great option for families seeking a place to enjoy a meal together. It offers a full menu of hearty and flavorful dishes, many of which have a Filipino twist, making it perfect for a casual dinner during the week or on weekends. The story of Cable Car is one of remarkable growth and success, which has recently led to its expansion into franchising.
Its very first branch – Cable Car Makati – opened its doors in 1992 and was followed by Cable Car Tomas Morato and Cable Car BGC located at the Fort Strip. The latest Metro Manila branch is Cable Car Ortigas, and the very first Cable Car franchise – Cable Car Iloilo – opened in July 2016. Cable Car will also mark the opening of an exciting franchise in Pampanga this year, quickly followed by another in Alabang.
This year, Cable Car is celebrating its 25th year of existence and has much in store to mark this huge milestone. These include a menu revamp to include more special dishes, branches opening 24 hours a day, a food delivery service, and a Big Open Grounds Concert Event with a host of exciting activities this November.
With its sumptuous cuisine, refreshing tipples, and top-quality service, Cable Car aims to continue to provide its guests with an unparalleled and unique experience that they can only get at Cable Car – a home away from home.
Check out their Facebook page now!
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Dec 10, 2016 | Business
High priced items could be appliances you need at home or gadgets you need for work or school. Or it may even be a gadget you’ve wanted for a long time. As Christmas fast approaches we find ourselves looking longingly at those high priced items at the store windows.
If you have the cash or if you have a credit card (with space, of course) then it isn’t a problem. For card holders most card companies even have schemes at this time of year where not only can they pay in installment but they also have something called deferred payment … this means that they are not required to pay anything for these purchases until 2 to 3 months from date of purchase.
However, studies have shown that less than 10% of the buying public in the Philippines own credit cards. So how will the remaining 90+% be able to afford these high priced items then?
Get those high priced items with Home Credit
I’m sure as you’ve walked around appliance and gadget stores like SM Department Store, Robinson’s Appliance Center, Samsung Store, etc. you would have seen signs saying “buy on credit without a credit card, 30 minute approval” or words to that effect. Chances are, this was Home Credit.
Home Credit allows you to purchase up to three (3) items in one transaction. What do they ask for? Just a government ID for starters. Then a down payment – in the bloggers conference held last November we were told that the minimum deposit is 20% of the cost of the items to purchase but when I went to two appliance stores they both told me that they require 30% down payment.
Example, assuming that the item is 10,000: P10,000 x 30% = P3,000 is your down payment.
How do we pay?
You get to choose your payment scheme. Usually it would be 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, or 24 months. Keep in mind that the shorter the payment period, the better. If nothing else, it means you can get a loan sooner if you choose a shorter number of terms. 🙂
Let’s say you decided to get the 6 month payment scheme. That means your payments will look like this:
- P3,300
- P1,400
- P1,400
- P1,400
- P1,400
- P1,400
Do they have a processing fee?
Home Credit shares a processing fee of 3% of the total purchase cost. I don’t think the store adds on more than that but do let me know if they do so I can update this post.
Cash is, of course, king, but sometimes we need a little help and Home Credit has our back. Bring home that high priced item you’ve always wanted for yourself and for your loved ones. Use Home Credit and make it a very Merry Christmas for one and all.
ZERO PERCENT INTEREST – that is their goal. And as you can see in the breakdown, P1,400 a month is no longer heavy on the budget … especially if it means you can finally get that TV for dad or that oven for mom or that phone you’ve always wanted.
Think about it. All you are paying for is the cost of the item divided into the number of payments you chose + 3% processing fee. That’s it! Next question would be … where d you make payments? Payments can be made at any Bayad Center branch. Easy peasy!
For more information about Home Credit you may visit the website at www.homecredit.ph or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/homecreditph.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 23, 2016 | Business
Colgate-Palmolive Philippines celebrates 90 years of operations in the country, providing generations of Filipinos with quality brands for oral care, personal care and home care such as Colgate, Palmolive, Tender Care, Gard, Axion and Ajax.
The Palmolive Company Philippines was established in 1926 with an office in the Binondo district of Manila with just five employees. Products sold during those days included Pompeia cosmetics, Octagon laundry powder and Crystal White laundry bar.
It merged with Peet Brothers the following year and with Colgate Company in 1928. Popular products such as Colgate Ribbon dental cream and Cashmere Bouquet toiletries were added to the product range along with Palmolive soaps, pushing accelerated growth for the next few years. Products at that time were delivered to stores by carabao or horse-drawn carts.
Photo taken from www.gov.ph
In 1941, during World War II, invading soldiers sealed the office and looted the warehouse. Loyal employees were instructed by their imprisoned manager to preserve company records. Two employees managed to enter the office but couldn’t escape with the ledgers.
They ended up manually copying all entries, word for word, for over a week. With records intact, the company was able to collect all receivables from insurance after the war and resume business.
Soon after, Ajax powder cleanser was introduced to the market and, in 1949, the company was incorporated as Colgate-Palmolive Philippines, Inc.
While the company may have begun by importing products from the US, growing demand for its brands prompted it to inaugurate a manufacturing plant in Makati in 1951 and to establish a provincial warehouse in Cebu in 1959.
Marketing Highlights
Colgate-Palmolive Philippines was the first company to advertise in color in 1966 when local TV advertising switched from black-and-white to color.
The Palmolive Naturals soap “I can feel it” tagline from the 1987 TV commercial, which featured Alice Dixson and her iconic shoulder shrug choreography, was adopted globally in 1991 and eventually won a Pilak Award in 2002, representing the best Philippine ads of the last 50 years.
In 2007, Colgate’s nationwide Super Mega Brushing campaign earned it a Guinness World Record for most number of children brushing their teeth at the same time. A total of 41,000 students participated in Manila, Cebu and Davao.
The Palmolive Naturals “Bounce” music video, which featured three of the country’s biggest stars: Julia Barretto, Janella Salvador and Liza Soberano, was hailed as one of the top 10 performing ads on YouTube in 2015.
Community Engagement
One of the core values of the company is caring for the communities where it is present. The Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program has been supporting oral health education across the country through free dental screenings and tooth-brushing drills, distribution of oral care kits, and integrating oral health education materials with Kinder and 1st Grade school curricula.
This is made possible by the company’s partnership with the Department of Education for nearly 2 decades.
Through its collaboration with the Philippine Association of Dental Colleges since 2001, the company has sponsored various symposia on dental health as well as provided more than 200 scholarship grants to dentistry students nationwide.
Colgate has also been an exclusive partner of the Philippine Dental Association’s annual Kabarangay sa Dental Health Program, raising oral health awareness all over the country through free dental check-ups and product sampling.
As part of its 90th year activities, Colgate-Palmolive collaborated with Puregold to support Operation Smile Philippines, an NGO focused on providing free surgeries to indigent children afflicted with cleft lips/palates; as well as Robinsons Supermarket to help raise funds for World Vision Philippines, an NGO that provides assistance to impoverished children.
Colgate continues to be the Oral Care brand most recommended by Dentists* and Palmolive remains to be the #1 Personal Care brand, in the Philippines**.
* IPSOS Dentist Recommendation Survey 2016
** Kantar Brand Footprint 2016
About Colgate-Palmolive Philippines:
Colgate-Palmolive Philippines is a company focused on the distribution of household products and personal care products, such as body cleansing, hair care and oral hygiene products (including toothpaste, toothbrushes and professional oral care products sold by dentists). Currently, the company carries the following brands which are available nationwide: Colgate, Palmolive, Tender Care, Gard, Axion and Ajax..
Our three fundamental values — Caring, Global Teamwork and Continuous Improvement — are part of everything we do. They are the foundation for our business strategy and are reflected in every aspect of our work life.
Colgate-Palmolive celebrates 90 years of operations in the country on October 26, 2016. The company’s corporate office is located in McKinley Hill, Taguig.
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.
“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.
In just 5 short years, Lazada has been able to guard and grow e-commerce in the Philippines with commitment to its 3 main customer offerings: assortment, convenience, and topnotch service.
Make your summer sizzle with hot deals such as the Delsey 4-wheel trolley for only P3,507; JBL on-ear headphones for only P699, and Nyx Lip Lingerie for only P490.
No birthday will be complete without giveaways!
Lazada Group operates Lazada, Southeast Asia’s number one online shopping and selling destination, with presence in 
Launched in March 2012, Lazada is pioneering e-commerce in the region by providing customers with an effortless shopping experience with multiple payment methods including cash-on-delivery, extensive customer care and easy returns.
You get to choose your payment scheme. Usually it would be 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, or 24 months. Keep in mind that the shorter the payment period, the better. If nothing else, it means you can get a loan sooner if you choose a shorter number of terms. 🙂
Colgate-Palmolive Philippines celebrates 90 years of operations in the country, providing generations of Filipinos with quality brands for oral care, personal care and home care such as Colgate, Palmolive, Tender Care, Gard, Axion and Ajax.
One of the core values of the company is caring for the communities where it is present. The Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program has been supporting oral health education across the country through free dental screenings and tooth-brushing drills, distribution of oral care kits, and integrating oral health education materials with Kinder and 1st Grade school curricula.
As part of its 90th year activities, Colgate-Palmolive collaborated with Puregold to support Operation Smile Philippines, an NGO focused on providing free surgeries to indigent children afflicted with cleft lips/palates; as well as Robinsons Supermarket to help raise funds for World Vision Philippines, an NGO that provides assistance to impoverished children.
You must be logged in to post a comment.