Talk

W&R, National University of Singapore to host PH digitalization forum

For six years now, the Philippines has topped global rankings for both social media and internet usage. According to wearesocial, there were 89 million social media users in the Philippines in January 2021. This is equivalent to 80.7 percent of the total country’s population in January 2021. Despite being called the social media capital of the world, multiple reports and studies indicate that the Philippines still lags behind its Asia-Pacific neighbors and the rest of the world in terms of digital transformation: The Philippines ranked 59th out of 79 countries in the 2020 Global Connectivity Index (GCI) report by Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. The ranking suggests the country remains a “starter” when it comes to digital transformation. At 16.76 Mbps, the country’s mobile broadband speed is much lower than the global average of 32.01 Mbps. These are according to monthly comparisons of internet speeds from around the world by Ookla in its Speedtest Global Index. The Pew Research Cente

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GCash honors overseas Filipino workers with new financial solutions

“Mga bagong bayani.” Around 10 million Filipinos live and work overseas-- seafarers, nurses, caregivers, hotel staff, construction workers, oil field personnel, and many more-- help drive the Philippine economy through remittances they send back home. Considered the world’s fourth-largest recipient of remittances next to India, China, and Mexico, OFW remittances account for about 9% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). However, given the ongoing pandemic, our modern-day heroes find themselves stricken by employment challenges. This is why financial literacy is crucial to secure their future and retirement. GCash, the country’s number one mobile wallet in the Philippines, seeks to impart knowledge on responsible remittance spending, and income management through the Globe GoLearn Program. GCash has lined up lessons on financial literacy to assist OFWs in goal planning and guide them in their journey towards financial stability. “We, at GCash, want to thank you for everythi

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Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day sold 45 million items within first 99 minutes

Shopee saw great excitement for 9.9 Super Shopping Day, signaling a robust start to the year-end shopping season. Over 45 million items were sold within the first 99 minutes. Shoppers saved more with 60 million vouchers claimed in the first two hours of September 9 at the Mega Midnight Sale. With the widest variety of products from local sellers as well as trusted brand partners, shoppers found all they needed on Shopee. Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “We are extremely heartened by the strong enthusiasm for 9.9 Super Shopping Day. As many communities still grapple with the ongoing pandemic, we are humbled to play a part in providing shoppers more value, choices, and entertainment from the convenience of their homes, while helping more sellers and brands connect with their customers. We have even more exciting deals and activities lined up for this year-end shopping season, and we look forward to helping more businesses capture new growth opportunities and bringing jo

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Huawei aims to accelerate digitalization with new partnerships, products in PH

HUAWEI has reaffirmed its commitment to enabling Filipinos to enjoy a seamless AI life supported by an intelligently connected ecosystem at the recently held Huawei Development Day Philippines 2021. The tech leader also shared its aggressive roadmap in forging strategic partnerships with key industry players, which led to the availability of 96 percent of top local apps in HUAWEI’s very own AppGallery.  HUAWEI’s roster of partners covers essential industries from banking and e-commerce to lifestyle and entertainment. Some of the key partners represented at the HDD are mobile e-wallet GCash, telehealth platform KonsultaMD and online radio and entertainment channel WishFM.  “We are grateful for the trust and confidence our partners vest upon us. As Huawei aggressively expands its mobile services and product portfolio, it is fitting that we partner with top brands and companies here in the Philippines. Through these strategic partnerships, we get to hyperlocalize our efforts in catering

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UBX CEO talks democratizing insurance through embedded experiences

In the latest iteration of Union Bank of the Philippines’ (UnionBank) E-TalkTales, UBX President and CEO John Januszczak, Coherent CEO John Brisco, and Chubb Deputy Regional President for Asia Pacific Glen Browne discussed the ongoing insurance crisis in the Philippines and how UBX’s insurance platform Assured is helping address this crisis through embedded experiences powered by innovation and co-creation. Januszczak highlighted three possible factors that are keeping a lot of Filipinos from availing of insurance products. First, he said that it's not easy for most to have even a basic understanding of how valuable insurance can be for them, which is why it's important for providers to make it easier to discover. "You have to make it easier for the consumers to discover the value of insurance. And insurance is obvious when it is hyper-personalized and offered in a hyper-relevant context." Another problem that is contributing to the insurance gap in the country is that insurance prod

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Get ready to shop 'til you drop at Shopee Aug 30 Payday Sale

We’ve nearly reached the end of the month, which only means one thing—it’s almost time for payday this 30th! First, prioritize buying essentials, paying off bills, and setting some savings aside. But it’s also important to indulge yourself a little from time to time. You’ve worked diligently, and this payday it’s time to go all out and enjoy some of your hard-earned money. Aside from Shopee’s payday sales every akinse, you can now maximize your money’s worth at the upsized Aug 30 Payday Sale. You can also use ShopeePay to make the most out of your paycheck with exclusive discounts, cashback, and ₱1 Deals. From gadget upgrades to new makeup and everything in between, check out these luxuries, big and small, that’ll definitely bring you joy this 30th: Can’t start the day without a warm, energizing boost of caffeine? Upgrade your usual instant coffee with B Coffee Co. White Cup Bundle Pack. Each bundle pack includes 100% arabica in three roasting profiles: light-medium roast, medium ro

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UnionBank first to join Visa FinTech Fast Track Program as BIN sponsor in PH

Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) has announced that the company is the first partner in the country to join Visa’s FinTech Fast Track program as a BIN sponsor. This means that UnionBank can work with fintech providers to help them gain access to the same global payment technology, expertise and revenue opportunities as they would if they were a direct card issuer with Visa. Partnering with UnionBank also provides fintechs the solutions and expertise they need to launch their programs with speed and efficiency. “At Visa, we are focused on engaging and building strategic partnerships with FinTechs through our existing programs. We’re extremely pleased to have UnionBank join us as the first Visa Fintech Fast Track program partner and BIN sponsor in the Philippines," said Dan Wolbert, Visa Country Manager for the Philippines. "We will collaborate with UnionBank to identify Fintechs that can create relevant payment programs to reach out to the underserved segments and leverage

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Yield Guild Games raises $4.6M from a16z to accelerate play-to-earn gaming

Yield Guild Games (YGG), a decentralized gaming guild of players and investors who generate yield from NFT-based games, announced Friday it has raised a $4.6M investment led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). The round, which was finalized prior to the YGG token sale on July 27, was joined by Kingsway Capital, Infinity Ventures Crypto, Atelier Ventures, and gaming entrepreneur Gabriel Leydon.  The funding will be used to continue YGG’s investment in digital assets in games and virtual worlds across the play-to-earn ecosystem, while expanding its global community of over 48,000 gamers, with more than half of the members residing in the Philippines. As a provider of scholarships to the game Axie Infinity, YGG’s player base can borrow its yield-generating in-game assets under a revenue-sharing model, so they can begin earning an income from playing NFT games without having to invest any money upfront. To date, YGG has 4,700 scholars, over 2500 of whom are Filipinos, in

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Huawei Developer Day 2021 happening on August 20

Global tech leader Huawei is set to present its most recent feats in the Philippine market across its many verticals on August 20 at the HUAWEI Developer Day. The tech giant is also expected to provide updates on how it is building and growing its ecosystem in the Philippines vis-a-vis the local rollout of the recently launched HarmonyOS and how it is projected to further the smart lifestyle of Filipino Huawei fans. Another highlight of the upcoming e-conference is the showcase of the Petal Search Nearby -- the latest update to the Petal Search which optimizes its suggestions and searches related to location. On the enterprise front, Huawei will be sharing how the Huawei Cloud is accelerating the digital transformation of Philippine enterprises. This is Huawei Philippines’ third installment of its annual developer’s day to reaffirm its commitment to making the lives of Filipinos through technology. “We at Huawei have always had the best interest of our customers as the bedrock of eve

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realme still no. 1 spot in PH for Q2 2021, now the fastest to sell 100M units globally

realme Philippines continues to dominate the local smartphone industry as it claims the no. 1 spot in the market once again, according to international research firms IDC, Canalys, and Counterpoint Research in their respective Q2 2021 reports. With this milestone, the fast-growing tech and lifestyle brand has now managed to hold the top spot for two consecutive quarters—an impressive feat the brand attained in less than three years. The brand first held this position in Q3 of 2020, just less than two years since its entry into the Philippine market in November 2018. According to Canalys, realme accounted for 26 percent of the local market share, besting four other smartphone brands in the category. It also reported a 51 percent year-over-year growth for the brand during this quarter. The brand also ranked first in a separate report by Counterpoint Research, with a 21 percent market share. Similarly, realme also showed leadership in e-commerce channels. “realme continued to lead the

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