Monthly Archives: August 2019

CIMB Bank Philippines (CIMB Bank PH) today announced that it has garnered 500,000 customers, approximately six months after opening its doors for business in the Philippines. The milestone was reached anchored on a strong proposition of co-creation and partnership between CIMB Bank and GCash.

The all-digital, mobile-first CIMB Bank PH, was launched in early 2019 with a goal of bringing a unique and differentiated banking proposition to Filipinos. Anchored on a DNA of strong strategic partnerships and solving customer pain points digitally, CIMB Bank PH had forged a partnership with GCash, to allow GCash’s customers direct, paperless and seamless access to savings account services, a product termed GSave. GCash is an epayments platform owned by Mynt, the revolutionary fintech startup of Globe Telecom, Ayala Corporation and Ant Financial, an affiliate of Jack Ma’s Alibaba Group.

Tengku Dato’ Sri Zafrul Aziz, Group CEO, CIMB Group, who was in Manila to celebrate this milestone said, “CIMB Bank PH is surely the fastest growing bank in ASEAN, a wonderful achievement, and a strong testament of things that can be achieved in the regime of digital-only banks. We are motivated by this and will continue to innovate for our customers. Well done to the teams.”

In line with this, CIMB Bank PH and GCash also announced that the GSave bank account will be exclusively offered only on the GCash platform. The companies also said they will be working together to make added suites of financial services products available to GCash customers in the future. These services will be announced in due course.

Zafrul added, “The partnership with GCash was central to us achieving this milestone. It is a live case study of bank-tech partnerships, a combination of banking expertise and technology platform plays, and the opportunities it allows both parties to access. I look forward to developing more propositions with GCash to further establish our mobile banking presence in the Philippines.”

Anthony Thomas, President and Chief Executive Officer of GCash affirmed its shared mission with CIMB Bank to increase accessibility of financial products and services for all Filipinos. “The acquisition of 500,000 users is a clear testament that the partnership between GCash and CIMB Bank through GSave is a success. We welcome this achievement and the deepening of our collaboration with CIMB Bank, and assure our users that we will continue to provide more innovative services to address the banking and financial needs of Filipinos who aspire for financially better lives for their families.”

The 500,000 GSave users are now enjoying the benefits of CIMB’s savings account, which is available as the Save Money feature on the GCash app. GSave offers an interest rate of 3 percent per annum, which is more than ten times higher than those interest rates offered by most Philippine banks.

Additionally, GSave does not require an initial deposit or maintaining balance, nor does it impose service charges for transactions—greatly reducing the barriers for ordinary Filipinos to open and maintain a savings account.

Over the last couple of years, the Philippines has been experiencing an alarming decrease in forest area. Due to rampant illegal logging and the lack of funds to better secure protected areas, the countries forests are going nude.

Each year, based on data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), around 47,000 hectares of forest cover is lost, which is equivalent to approximately 1.2 million hectares of deforested land in a hundred years. This translates to about 24 percent in deforestation rate, one of the fastest in the world.

These figures may sound too statistical, but they are a constant and stark reminder for Filipinos of the state of Philippine forests. This is also a wakeup call for everyone that while the government pursues efforts to create a greener country, a great amount of work is still up ahead, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

“Without strategic measures to combat this, Philippine forests will cease to exist in the next two decades — leaving the next generation without clean air to breath, fresh and lush sceneries to enjoy, and endemic flora and fauna will only exist in picture books,” WWF Philippines President and CEO Joel Palma said.

The severity of the situation calls for a pursuit of collaboration among all stakeholders — the state, organizations, companies, and even the common Filipino. For many, participating in drives for the environment may seem to measly an idea due to the gravity of work to be done, but even the slightest act can create a chain of events that could help the country bring its forests back to full life.

“We need to act now, and we need to act fast. We are at a critical time that loudly calls for action and the participation of everyone. Our fight for a greener Philippines is not won by one group alone. It needs to be a collaborative effort,” Palma added.

GCash, operated by Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), recognizes the power of its platform to create a huge impact for the environment. Placing itself at the forefront of developing financial sustainability mechanisms that aim to strengthen forest conservation efforts within its growing user base of 20 million, GCash recently introduced GCash for Good.

Acting as its corporate social responsibility arm, GCash for Good has collaborated with World Wildlife Fund for Nature, Forest Foundation Philippines, Bantay Kalikasan, as well as Haribon Foundation to pursue their shared vision of establishing a greener Philippines.

“Through these collaborations with non-government organizations, international organizations, and various merchants, we look forward to fulfilling our vision of greening the Philippines through our platform, as this initiative shall create a significant impact not only to the environment but also in the daily lives of each Filipino,” Mynt President Anthony Thomas said.

With GCash for Good, Filipinos from all walks of life, especially the youth sector, now have the power to create a positive change for the environment and stay socially relevant. Through GCash for Good, GCash has made it possible for registered GCash users to conveniently send donations to their chosen organization.

The platform enables Filipinos to reach out further while also creating better opportunities for the society, as it eliminates the hassle of having to endure long processes of donating through banks and institutions and allows people to focus more on what truly matters to them.

Various research has shown that there is a growing trend in crowdfunding as well as micro-donations. Such kind of initiative, while it may generate a minimal amount at a given period, would still go a long way and make a significant impact once it gets added up.

“For every person who would like to make a difference, it’s also important to recognize that working together, aiming for the common goal hand-in-hand, can result in an even greater impact. With GCash for Good, doing something for a cause becomes accessible and easier for all Filipinos,” Thomas said.

Head on to an early holiday shopping spree as SM City Baliwag throws the biggest 3-DAY SALE happening on August 30, 31 and September 1.

Shop loud and proud as the Sale mania starts at a payday Friday, August 30 until Sunday, September 1. It is a shop-and-play experience as the 3-Day Sale not only brings big savings but also serves as a great avenue for fun as exciting prizes awaits to be unlocked during the Sale.

Be the first to bring home the awesome deals, as great discounts of up to 70% off applies to countless items mall-wide. Check out the latest finds from The SM Store, SM Hypermarket, Ace Hardware, Watson’s, SM Appliance Center, Surplus and Miniso.

Purchases not only brings winning savings but could also bring great opportunity to drive home a brand new SUZUKI SWIFT GL CVT! For every minimum purchase of P1, 000 receipt, shoppers are entitled to one E-raffle entry. Double your chances of winning by securing additional coupons on the Saturday and Sunday.

While shopping, also check out awesome dining selections at affordable prices perfect for all groups.

You may also score premium items at great discounts as big as 70% off at SM Center Pulilan Madness Sale happening from August 23 – 26.

Get your calendars and mark August 30-September 1. Mall opens at 10am-10pm on Friday and Sunday, and 9am-10pm on Saturday. Dig the best deals only at SM City Baliwag’s 3 Day Sale blowout! For mall events and updates, checkout SM City Baliwag on Facebook or follow @smcitybaliwag on Instagram.

From left: Cristiano Ronaldo, Global Football Icon; Chris Feng, Chief Executive Officer at Shopee

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, announces its partnership with global football icon Cristiano Ronaldo as its newest brand ambassador. Cristiano Ronaldo will work with Shopee in a wide range of initiatives to engage and inspire people in the region, starting with Shopee’s signature annual shopping event, 9.9 Super Shopping Day.

Chris Feng, Chief Executive Officer at Shopee, said, “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest athletes of our time. He is an inspiration to many, and his dedication to football matches the deep commitment we have towards our users. Together with Cristiano Ronaldo, we look forward to creating a lasting positive impact for our region.”

Cristiano Ronaldo said, “I am proud to be Shopee’s brand ambassador as we share the same ambition to be the best in our fields. I am always improving my game for my fans and my team, just as Shopee innovates to benefit their users in this region. I am excited by this partnership, and I look forward to creating more special moments for my fans together with Shopee.”

Cristiano Ronaldo joins Shopee’s 9.9 Super Shopping Day

Shopee’s announcement of Cristiano Ronaldo as its latest brand ambassador is in line with the return of its signature annual shopping event, 9.9 Super Shopping Day. Cristiano Ronaldo will join a series of initiatives as Shopee brings users and fans across the region closer to the global football icon:

⦁ Cristiano Ronaldo stars in Shopee’s newest 9.9 TVC: Cristiano Ronaldo will be at the center of Shopee’s new television commercial premiering on August 16, which will air in all seven Shopee markets in the region.

⦁ Watch Cristiano Ronaldo live only on Shopee: In a first for Southeast Asia and Taiwan, fans will be able to get up close and personal with Cristiano Ronaldo via a range of exclusive content available only on Shopee Live. More information will be announced on Shopee’s app and social media platforms at a later date.

Catch the premiere of Shopee’s television commercial with Cristiano Ronaldo on August 16.

Find out more about Cristiano Ronaldo and 9.9 Super Shopping Day at http://shopee.ph/ShopeexRonaldo.

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

With today’s fast-paced lifestyle, many Filipinos are left with little time to do small but important errands, such as paying utility bills or sending money to loved ones. However, thanks to the wonders of financial technology or “fintech,” it is now possible to accomplish such everyday tasks with ease, immediacy, and convenience.

Digital solutions platform Posible revolutionizes the way ordinary Filipinos live their daily lives. Through mobile communications and digital technology, more people can easily avail of financial transactions such as bills payment, money remittance, buying prepaid load, and withdrawing cash without even stepping far from home.

Not only does Posible make life easier for customers, it also offers additional livelihood for small to medium entrepreneurs. From bakeries and pawnshops to Internet cafes and laundry shops—any enterprise can earn additional income by becoming a Posible operator.

Posible’s network of Android-based digital devices empower friendly neighborhood stores to accept and accomplish various financial transactions. Whether as a main service offering or a complementary side business, Posible offers opportunities for entrepreneurs to expand their products and services and cater to the needs of unbanked and underbanked Filipinos.

All these fintech innovations power local communities to the future of digital finances. More features and services, such as buying tickets, mobile app pins, and even microinsurance will be made possible soon on the Posible platform. Posible devices are also equipped with a magnetic stripe, as well as QR code reader, making it adaptive to developments in digital financial transactions.

Now, paying bills, sending money, and other digital financial solutions are even more accessible with Posible!

This August, Jollikids can make fun galactic journeys to the farthest reaches of the universe as they play and prepare for blast off with their colorful spacecrafts from Jollibee’s latest set of Jolly Kiddie Meal toys, the Jolly Space Adventure!

With the newest set of connectible toys from the country’s leading fast-food chain, aspiring space explorers can imagine taking off for outer space to form their own galactic team with Jollibee and Friends riding their own spaceships.

Jollikids can patrol the ever-expanding universe with Jollibee as they move his spacecraft forward to watch the blasters move back and forth. They can also attach Hetty’s rocket and help her move onwards to see her glider launch its projectile!

Jollikids can zoom away from black holes by moving Popo’s spaceship forward to activate his spinning rocket. They can also help Yum see in the pitch-black darkness of space by moving his spacecraft forward to turn its lights on, and help Twirlie collect floating space rocks by moving her rover forward to close and open its claws.

Collect and connect all five Jolly Kiddie Meal toys with every purchase of a Yumburger (P80), Yumburger Meal with Drink (P100), Jolly Spaghetti (P95), Jolly Spaghetti Meal with Drink (P105), 1-piece Burger Steak (P95), 1-piece Burger Steak Meal with Drink (P105), 1-piece Chickenjoy with rice (P120), or 1-piece Chickenjoy Meal with Drink (P135), each coming with its own Jolly Joy Box.

Let your little space explorers experience light years of fun playtime with Jollibee and Friends as their adventure buddies! Help them form their own Jolly Space Adventure galactic team by connecting all the newest Jolly Kiddie Meal toys, available until August 31, 2019 only. Hurry and start collecting all five spaceships today by visiting the Jollibee branch nearest you!