BPI BanKo loan disbursements reach P18 billion for more than 140,000 microentrepreneurs
BPI Direct BanKo (BanKo), the microfinance arm of Bank of the Philippines Islands (BPI), disbursed P18 billion in loan releases to more than 140,000 since 2016. This is as BPI continues to actively support the thriving self-employed microenterprise (SEME) segment in the country.
Its total disbursed loans for the full year of 2020 amounted to P6.7 billion benefiting more than 100,000 micro-businesses. Its total loan count grew by 6 percent or almost 60,000 from the same period in 2019.
Rodolfo Mabiasen Jr., BanKo head of financial inclusion and microfinance loans, said more than 11,000 clients availed of its new loan programs to save businesses that were affected by the lockdown. This includes 10,710 clients who applied for the restructured loan program, while 748 availed of the rehabilitation fund program until end-December.
Mabiasen said the bank will continue to promote its PondoKo savings to encourage SEMEs to save, and to educate them about using the BanKo mobile app to conveniently monitor their finances and conduct transactions such as transferring money and paying bills.
Globe At Home now gives 24/7 health protection for the family
Globe At Home now extends #ExtraCareAtHome with FREE medical consultation access through the KonsultaMD Family Plan.
Existing customers get unlimited 24/7 access to licensed Filipino doctors through voice or video consultations, and will be able to receive e-prescriptions or e-lab requests via SMS or email as needed for 6 months. All of these from the comfort of their own homes.
“As we strive to provide Filipino homes with reliable internet connectivity, we also take extra care of our customers through relevant offers that go beyond connection. Now Globe At Home gives families free access to healthcare through KonsultaMD,” said Darius Delgado, VP and Head of Broadband Business at Globe.
All current subscribers of Globe At Home can enjoy this extra care benefit. They just need to go to the Globe At Home app to get the free voucher and register to KonsultaMD.
New appointments at Novotel Manila Araneta City
Novotel Manila Araneta City has announced the appointment of Maria Manlulu-Garcia as the very first female general manager for international brand Accor in the country, and of Darwin Labayandoy as resident manager.
Prior to her appointment as the hotel’s general manager, Garcia has been in the hotel industry since 1992, beginning her career as front office agent and rose from the ranks to become rooms directorat the Ramada hotel, Portland, Oregon, USA in 1995.
She was awarded as the Manager of the Year by the Philippine Association of HR Managers in the Hospitality Industry through the Mabuhay Awards in 2008 while with Sofitel Philippine Plaza as executive assistant manager of rooms. She served as general manager of Pico De Loro Country Club and Pico Sands Hotel, Batangas, Philippines and re-joined Accor at Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua, Indonesia prior to joining Novotel Manila Araneta City as executive assistant manager and as resident manager in 2016 and hotel manager in 2019.
Labayandoy has 25 years of professional experience in the hospitality industry. Prior to joining Novotel Manila Araneta City, he held key positions at Dusit Hotel Nikko and Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, with expertise in rooms division operations.
Labayandoy has undergone the Accor’s National Talent Program (NTP) finishing the program in 2019. He was previously director of room at Novotel Manila.
Private homeowners petition for better internet service of their choice
Residents of over 2000 households from private communities in Bacoor City have appealed through separate petitions filed by Cerritos Heights and Lessandra heights homeowners to Bacoor City Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla, and before enforcing authorities against their respective property administrations for preventing homeowners from choosing internet service providers outside of that provided by the private subdivision.
The residents said they have had to bear with “poor service and equally inefficient customer support” of the present provider for the past 10 years. They are appealing for the intervention of the local government, the National Telecommunications Commission, the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, the Philippine Competition Commission, and private telecommunications providers Globe Telecom, PLDT, Converge, and others to help facilitate the installation of fiber internet and landline facilities in their area.
In response to the Cerritos petition, Mayor Mercado-Revilla said that she “would like to formally intervene for the appellants and request that you allow other telecommunication companies to provide telephone and internet services to the above-mentioned subdivisions and give the residents the right to choose which internet service provider will best suit their needs.”
In a separate statement, Globe Telecom announced their ongoing network upgrades to 4G LTE will be available for faster broadband services to consumers in Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, and Pampanga starting next month.
Globe Telecom, Converge, and PLDT are among the existing internet connectivity providers available in Bacoor City, Cavite.
Mayor Mercado-Revilla added that “With the current COVID-19 pandemic which limits face-to-face interactions in essential activities of human, most jobs, businesses and even education is now being done online at our homes, thus, the need arises not only for more connections but also for a more reliable connectivity.”
