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Watsons, partners team up on International Coastal Cleanup Day

As a company that cares for the planet, leading health, wellness, and beauty retailer Watsons is always looking for opportunities to make a positive impact on its customers and the communities. The environment is a big concern for everyone. In line with this, Watsons Philippines partnered with CORA (Communities Organized for Resource Allocation), a non-profit organization dedicated to creating sustainable programs to help solve global issues, including climate change and plastic pollution, for a coastal cleanup activity in the Las Pinas-Paranaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA). The activity, which is in support of the International Coastal Cleanup Day, brought together Watsons employees and suppliers to collaborate for ocean cleanup. It hoped to raise awareness and inspire the volunteers to make changes in their lifestyles. For instance, because some of the collected waste during the activity was plastic bottles, the volunteers noted how important it was to bring a re

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UnionBank holds inaugural “The Future of Banking is with U” 2022 Innovation Festival

Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), the country's pioneer in digital banking and the region’s digital trailblazer, recently launched “The Future of Banking is with U”, the 2022 UnionBank Innovation Festival at the UnionBank Innovation Campus complex in San Pedro, Laguna. The inaugural three-day event is the first of annual gatherings celebrating banking technology and Filipino ingenuity slated from September 7 to 9, 2022. Among those who graced the opening ceremony were UnionBank Chief Technology & Operations Officer and Chief Transformation Officer Henry R. Aguda, Huawei Philippines Enterprise Business President Alex Luan Mingming, and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary David Almirol Jr., who each delivered a message. Joining them was UnionBank Board of Director Manuel D. Escueta. "What started as a dream is now a reality. Today is a testimony that we can achieve anything we set our minds to," said Aguda about the event in his welcom

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UnionBank supports BSP and DILG's 'Paleng-QRPH' initiative

Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) threw its support to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) "Paleng-QRPH", a joint program of the two government agencies, recently launched at the Malcolm Square in Baguio City. In an effort to contribute to the strengthening of the country's digital payments ecosystem, BSP and DILG collaborated to create “Paleng-QRPH.” This aims to promote cashless transactions in public markets and local transportation. Targeted are not only customers and passengers, but more so the market vendors and drivers of public utility vehicles such as tricycles, by making the cashless payment more accessible to them as they transact with customers on a day-to-day basis. UnionBank enables QRPH transactions via person-to-person and person-to-merchant. The Bank utilizes its superior digital capabilities to simplify the digital payments process between individuals. In the process, UnionBank allows users t

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Young Filipinos begin their inspiring digital journey with Huawei AP Seeds for the Future

Huawei launched Asia Pacific Seeds for the Future 2022 last Friday (August 19). The program brings together 120 outstanding students from 16 countries across the Asia Pacific region for a 9-day digital boot camp in Thailand, including 10 students from the Philippines. From August 19 to 27, ten Filipino delegates who are ready to demonstrate their talent and abilities will join the journey this year. The opening ceremony was attended by local government officials and representatives of multiple international organizations. They highlighted the important role multiparty collaboration plays in creating a solid foundation for the region's digital talent ecosystem. Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi stressed that digital talent will be the driving force in the construction of a Digital ASEAN: “The private sector can play a pioneering role in realizing this vision. In this regard, I commend Huawei Asia Pacific’s initiative Seeds for the Future Program. This project undersco

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Shopee and DTI partner for 3rd ASEAN Online Sale

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, launched its third ASEAN Online Sale Day in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Bureau of International Trade Relations (BITR) last August 8 to 10. This annual sale celebrated the 55th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by showcasing different local and regional products on Shopee’s platform. Over the last three years, the ASEAN Online Sale has consistently offered users a wide range of quality products from across the region to offer users an enjoyable online shopping experience. Shopee’s continued partnership with the DTI for the third iteration of the ASEAN Online Sale is a testament to both organizations’ commitment to make quality products even more accessible for users all over the Philippines. Throughout the duration of the sale, Filipinos were able to conveniently shop for their favorite Southeast Asian products on Shopee. Marievic M. B

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SM Green Finds at SM Store – making shopping easier and greener

For the evolving eco-conscious Filipino consumer, using everyday products that are natural, cruelty-free and locally-made is a step towards greener living. SM is also making intentional green choices that benefit the environment in the long run which includes supporting local craftsmen, recycling, and reducing energy consumption. With the SM Green Finds program, the group offers Filipino consumers greener choices by making them easier to find around their stores. Recently launched at SM Store Mall of Asia, the SM Green Finds Pop-Up offers to make green living as easy and effortless as possible for Filipinos. From locally-made products from artisans, clean beauty, green technology, and multifunctional homeware, the Green Finds badge will make it easier for customers to spot products that will inspire them to make greener choices.  “We have an assortment of products and our specialty brands that cater to all types of Filipino consumers. With the SM Green Finds, we are able to bring a

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Make Bayad part of your complete shopping experience at Shopwise

As the pioneer and trusted brand for bills payment services in the Philippines, Bayad takes on a more proactive approach in amplifying its “Pay Anywhere” stance, offering a whole suite of financial products and solutions. Despite the massive shift to digital payments during this time of pandemic, Bayad equally ensures the availability of its physical touchpoints to cater to Filipinos who still depend on cash transactions. Aside from its Bayad Centers, Bayad has continued to partner with several industries to offer the convenience of over-the-counter transactions. In line with this, Bayad has intensified its partnership with Robinsons Retail Holding, Inc. as it recently relaunched its supermarket brand, Shopwise, establishing its name into an International Grocery Shopping Center, that offers a wider selection of imported and local products. The said partnership then enables the perks of having to pay bills at Shopwise Business Centers, making the shopping experience a one stop shop

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GoTyme Bank invests in security measures through state-of-the-art technology ahead of launch

GoTyme Bank, a partnership between the Gokongwei Group and Singapore-based digital banking group Tyme, is optimizing its tech and security measures ahead of its launch. In 2021, the bank received its license to operate in line with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ goal of digitizing 50% of all payments and having 70% of Filipino adults into the banked population by 2023. Amid incidences of phishing, malware, ransomware, fraud, identity theft, and social engineering in the banking industry, GoTyme Bank has heavily invested in the best cyber security controls to strengthen its defenses. Social engineering is the act of deceiving individuals in order to manipulate them to disclose confidential or personal information, such as one-time pins (OTP) or passcodes. “Without good cybersecurity you can’t have trust,” explains Chris Bennett, Chief Technology Officer at GoTyme Bank. “We make use of the best security controls throughout the lifecycle.” As a cloud-first and cloud-only company, GoT

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Shopee expands presence in Mindanao with seller onboarding initiatives and new hubs

As part of its continuous efforts to bring a fun and seamless online shopping experience to more Filipinos across the country, Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, expands its serviceable areas through the establishment of new Shopee Xpress hubs across Mindanao. Through these new hubs in Davao City, Davao Del Sur, Davao Del Norte, and other areas, local sellers are provided with greater opportunities to expand their business through e-commerce and compete at a national level. For Davao to Davao purchases, both shoppers and sellers can now enjoy shorter delivery times. Shopee also partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to hold its first Shopee University Roadshow in Davao City. The masterclass educated Davao-based sellers on how to grow their businesses with e-commerce and onboarded new sellers to improve the overall online selling experience for Filipinos. Shopee also held another live seller engagement event in Davao City, Shopee Ku

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PAL Mabuhay Miles, SM Advantage Card launch 'Shop To Fly, Fly To Shop' campaign

Philippine Airlines' Mabuhay Miles has announced a momentous partnership with SM Advantage Card (SMAC) that will make traveling and shopping more rewarding. PAL Mabuhay Miles and SMAC, two of the country's most enduring customer loyalty programs, recently launched "Shop To Fly, Fly To Shop." Through the new lifestyle program, PAL's frequent flyers can convert their Mabuhay Miles to SMAC points. SM loyal shoppers, meanwhile, can convert their SMAC points to Mabuhay Miles. The partnership agreement between PAL Mabuhay Miles and SMAC was signed during an exclusive media launch held at the C Lounge, Conrad Manila in Pasay City. Key executives who led the signing of the agreement include PAL President and COO Stanley Ng, PAL Senior Vice President and General Counsel Atty. Carlos Luis Fernandez, SM Food Retail Group Executive Director Herson Sy, and Digital Advantage Corporation COO Kevin Hartigan-Go. With the "Shop To Fly, Fly To Shop" campaign, every 500 Mabuhay Miles Points can be co

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