PLDT, Smart donate learning tools to DepEd Samar
PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. turned over 10 units of desktop computers to the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division of Samar to provide additional learning resources to the Alternative Learning System (ALS) teachers and students in the Municipality of Gandara, Samar.
ALS Samar is among PLDT and Smart’s partner schools implementing the Central Visayan Institute Foundation — Dynamic Learning Program (CVIF-DLP), a crisis-resilient teaching pedagogy that aims to enhance learners’ academic performance by encouraging independent learning among students through learning activity sheets.
These desktop computers were pre-loaded with DLP learning activity sheets and will be deployed to Minda Community Learning Center in Barangay Minda, covering two school districts in Gandara.
Enstack nationwide tour
Enstack, the pioneering SME superapp, has organized a series of on-ground events in key cities and provinces across the country, including Cebu, Albay, Baguio, Davao, Rizal, Bataan, Batangas, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Aurora, and La Union.
With a mission to streamline the digital transformation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Enstack offers a seamless platform for building branded web stores in just a few steps, enabling businesses to start selling faster and without the hassle of paperwork or complex setup processes.
The tour aims to empower SMEs to embrace digital transformation through a series of expert-led workshops and personalized mentoring sessions conducted by the Enstack team. These highly informative sessions provide actionable insights leveraging Enstack’s robust platform and unlocking the potential of branded Web Stores equipped with cashless payment options and shipping solutions.
In Davao, Cebu, and Bicol, the tour garnered an overwhelming response from the local business community, with over 2,000 SMEs attending the 3-day workshops allowing entrepreneurs to learn and adopt skills to digitize their businesses through the Enstack app.
New bond tenors
ATRAM Trust Corp. introduced new bond tenors available via the ATRAM Prime App.
With the goal of empowering Filipinos to capitalize on the potential of fixed-income investments, ATRAM Prime offers new tenors of retail treasury bonds that provide safe, stable, and reliable investment opportunities.
ATRAM Prime provides the perfect products through its diverse range of investment options that have demonstrated resilience even during unstable times.
Unlike equities, fixed-income investments, such as bonds, present an opportunity for investors to capitalize on regular interest payments and historically lower levels of volatility. By taking advantage of the new bond tenors available on ATRAM Prime, investors can have a diversified portfolio that offers both stability and growth potential.
Compared to the inherent nature of stocks, fixed-income investments traditionally exhibit lower volatility, providing a sense of security and safety. With ATRAM Prime, investors can easily liquidate their investments at any time, ensuring they are not bound by lengthy commitments and can adapt their portfolios to changing market conditions.
Figaro Group goes digital
Figaro Coffee Group Inc. recently partnered with Union Bank of the Philippines to help digitize customer payments in its retail restaurants nationwide.
The partnership was formalized through a contract signing last May 25 at the Figaro Coffee Cafe at Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City.
Under the partnership, UnionBank shall provide a QRPh code to Figaro Group, which it can use to collect payments from customers in its more than 150 retail restaurants, expanding its available payment channels. UnionBank shall also provide training to Figaro Group’s restaurant personnel to familiarize them with the use of QRPh.
With QRPh, customers can now use the “Scan to Pay” feature of the UnionBank Online app or their favorite online banking app or e-wallet in different Figaro Coffee, Angel’s Pizza, Cafe Portofino, Tien Ma’s and AP Express branches nationwide, enabling more convenient and more secure transactions.
NexPage launched in PH
NexPage, the world’s first nonfiction, translated book summary mobile application (app), has launched in the Philippines to provide Filipinos greater accessibility to books, knowledge, and learning opportunities.
Having content already in Bahasa Indonesia, NexPage also plans to launch content in Tagalog in the near future, reaching out to more Filipinos who may prefer to read in their native language.
NexPage offers a wide range of content, appealing to different audience segments. There are over 20 categories of book titles, including Business Management, Technology, Finance, International Bestsellers, Personal Development, Health & Wellness, Parenting, and Science, just to name a few.
Every week, NexPage also releases a free read of the week, where non-paying users can also gain knowledge and insights via this free read. Paid subscribers have unlimited access to all content and can also favorite titles to their personal library in the app.
NexPage’s subscription premiums in the Philippines are currently priced at P149 for the monthly membership and P1490 for the yearly membership.
Kia PH expands
Kia Philippines has opened its third dealership in Batangas.
This new dealership located in Batangas City showcases Kia’s new and dynamic look and is strategically located within the largest transportation terminal in the province of Batangas. Kia Batangas City promises to deliver the Kia experience that the brand is known for worldwide. Its showroom was designed to provide an experience for visitors.With a range of Kia vehicles on display, customers can explore the latest models and make informed decisions.
Prime Legacy Motors Inc. leads Kia Batangas City which is a member of the ALC Group of Companies founded by the late ambassador Antonio Cabangon Chua.
Mastercard, MinDA partner for digitalization
Mastercard and the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) have forged a strategic partnership with Mastercard to accelerate digitalization in the region.
The partnership for Mindanao is the first Philippine region-level collaboration of its kind for Mastercard in Southeast Asia.
“The collaboration will help the region bring better citizen experiences across the region’s local governments and attached agencies, improve financial literacy and participation, as well as improve the efficiency of digital payments and disbursements for MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) in agriculture and tourism, in the region dubbed as the “breadbasket of the Philippines,” said Maria Belen Acosta, secretary of MinDA.
As part of this digital partnership, Mastercard will collaborate with MinDA on priority areas including, but not limited to, MSME digitization, sustainable tourism, and cybersecurity augmentation. This will enable growth opportunities in Mindanao where a quarter of the Philippines’ total population lives.
The Mastercard — Mindanao Digital Partnership will commence with Mindanao first as a “pivot region” that can become a model for national partnerships.
Alibaba Netpreneur Masterclass launch
Alibaba Global Initiatives (AGI), a professional training arm of the eWTP initiative, part of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group (AIDC), announced the launch of the first global edition of its Alibaba Netpreneur Masterclass (previously known as “Alibaba Netpreneur Training”) to drive success for more business leaders in the digital era.
Applications are now open to all entrepreneurs in the Philippines who are interested in gaining insights into the digital economy.
Scheduled to run from July 27 to August 24, the Alibaba Netpreneur Masterclass Global Edition 2023 builds upon AGI’s mission to equip entrepreneurs and business leaders around the world with tangible knowledge and insights to thrive in the digital economy. It will comprise a series of online classes to support participants across different sectors. In the Philippines, the program is rolled out with support from Gobi Partners, the Gobi-Core Philippine Fund and JCI Manila, as well as Lazada.
Since its introduction in 2019, the Alibaba Netpreneur Masterclass program has successfully trained more than 2,000 entrepreneurs in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.
The Alibaba Netpreneur Masterclass Global Edition 2023 will be conducted online in English by certified trainers and business leaders who have had experience leading their own digital businesses to success. Participants will also have the chance to engage with their trainers beyond online lectures through interactive question-and-answer sessions.
Applications for this program are open until July 14.
SB Finance offers personal loans to foodpanda merchants
SB Finance, the consumer finance arm of Security Bank Corp., has inked a partnership with leading online food and grocery platform foodpanda to offer personal loans to more than 15,000 of its partner merchants.
Through its zukí¬ mobile app, SB Finance is extending loans ranging from P30,000 up to P2 million to foodpanda partner merchants to help expand their market share through affordable and accessible loan products.
“We at SB Finance understand the value provided by last-mile services such as foodpanda as they support MSMEs reach and growth. It was only logical for SB Finance to add value via accessible and affordable credit access to foodpanda’s partner merchants creating a positive cycle for the entire ecosystem, ” said Mikal Rallonza, Head of Sales and Distribution for Consumer Finance.
Making crypto more accessible
Union Bank of the Philippines has partnered with Web 3.0 and digital assets services provider Coins.ph for a joint initiative that will help make crypto and other emerging asset classes more accessible to the open market.
UnionBank and Coins.ph made the partnership official through a memorandum of agreement signing ceremony that was held at the UnionBank Plaza in Pasig City last May 30.
As part of the agreement, Coins.ph will offer preferential rates of its services to clients of UnionBank, specifically in the payments and remittance industries. The partnership covers four key services offered by Coins.ph which are: simple buying, selling, and conversion; spot trading; crypto wallet and custody features; and cash in and cash out.
Through its partnership with Coins.ph, UnionBank will be able to help its clients future-proof themselves especially amid the continuous rise in usage of crypto and crypto-enabled technologies. This is also one way to democratize accessibility of cryptocurrencies and further scale and promote adoption of the technology.
MUJI launches coffee counter
MUJI, most known for its minimalist Japanese lifestyle essentials, has opened its newest in-store café at the Shangri-La Plaza.
This expansion is part of the premier lifestyle destination’s goal to enhance the Shang experience of every mall guest.
MUJI is offering limited edition matcha drinks that are all inspired by its best-selling Matcha Iced Latte: Ichigo Matcha Latte for a refreshing blend of the slight sweetness of matcha and the fruity taste of strawberry, Dark Matcha Latte for a matcha drink with a shot of espresso, and Caramel Matcha Latte for those who want their matcha-espresso drinks sweetened with caramel sauce. These drinks can be enjoyed either hot or cold to accommodate every craving.
MUJI ensures that the coffee beans and tea leaves are certified by the Rainforest Alliance, an international non-government organization that fights against deforestation and climate change. The brand also offers Benguet coffee beans to support local farmers.
