Monthly Archives: September 2020

Users can conveniently pay for their utility bills via ShopeePay, and on September 9, can enjoy all-day vouchers and discounts of up to 25% off.

MANILA, AUGUST 28, 2020 – Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, offers an easier and more convenient way to pay water and cable bills via its mobile wallet, ShopeePay. Shopee users can now easily pay for their Maynilad, Manila Water, Cignal, SkyCable bills, and more with just a few taps on their smartphones.

Shopee has observed an accelerated shift towards digital payments during the pandemic. According to Facebook and Bain & Co’s annual report, 22% of consumers now say that digital payment is their preferred way to pay, compared to 14% in 2019. As a response to this trend, Shopee is now providing users an option to skip the long lines at billing centers and pay their bills using the Shopee app.

Martin Yu, Associate Director, Shopee Philippines, said, “At Shopee, our goal is to empower consumers with more options and to make it even easier for them to shop and make payments online. Through ShopeePay, we aim to deliver a seamless experience, greater cost savings, security, and convenience to our users.”

Here’s a guide on how users can pay their utility bills online with Shopee:

Step 1: Go to the Load, Bills & eServices Product Module, then tap Postpaid Mobile, Landline & Internet, TV Cable, or Water.

Step 2: Select Biller and add necessary details, then tap Continue.

Step 3: Select the preferred payment method, then tap Confirm.

Step 4: Tap Pay Now. Once payment is successful, you will receive your order details.

ShopeePay Promos on 9.9 Super Shopping Day

On September 9, ShopeePay users can enjoy all-day discounts and flash vouchers of up to 25% off. They can also look forward to a coins cashback amounting to ₱250 for new ShopeePay users and ₱150 for current users if they pay their bills through ShopeePay.*

The Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day will run until September 9. It will feature exciting promos like free shipping with ₱0 minimum spend, daily flash deals for as low as ₱9, exclusive discounts of up to 90% off on leading brands, exciting prizes via in-app games, and many other exciting offers.

For more details on billers accepting payments via Shopee, check this link https://help.shopee.ph/s/article/Shopee-Biller-Guide-List. You can learn more about ShopeePay on this link https://shopee.ph/m/shopee-pay.

Download Shopee for free through the App Store or Google Play.

Keeping it eco-friendly and safe: The BYOB Store at the Mind Museum in BGC reopens with stricter health and safety protocols to ensure the well-being of both its staff and customers.

Filipinos looking for their favorite NutriAsia pantry essentials while also staying eco-friendly are in for a treat, as NutriAsia officially reopened their Bring Your Own Bote (BYOB) store at the Mind Museum in Bonifacio Global City on August 24, 2020.

In line with the needs of the new normal, NutriAsia modified and improved their popular refill service to ensure customers are safe and healthy.

1. Customers will order their desired NutriAsia products by filling out an online order and waiver form.

2. Once completed, they will receive a confirmation via e-mail which they need to show at the store.

3. Once they show the confirmation e-mail, their clean and dry bottles will be sterilized, refilled, and weighed.

4. After weighing, they can pay for their purchase online via GCash or BPI.

On top of the refilling service, customers without available reusable bottles can also buy a new 500 ml glass bottle for P20, which is sterilized beforehand ready to be refilled with their favorite NutriAsia products.

Floor markers are located outside the BYOB store to ensure customers observe social distancing. In addition, an alcohol dispenser has been placed in front of the store.

With the reopening of the BYOB store, Filipinos can continue to enjoy their #MasarapMasaya meals while helping the earth and building a sustainable zero-waste community, one refill at a time.

New normal: BYOB personnel now wear a PPE, mask, face shield and a hair cap (left photo). Meanwhile, all bottles undergo sterilization before getting refilled (right photo).

Teachers can simply add their own texts and images on virtual classroom slides

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we operate across the globe, which is especially evident in the educational sector. Pre-COVID-19, most of the schools in the Philippines followed a traditional face-to-face classroom arrangement, however, nowadays, educators around the country have had to find opportunities and urgent solutions to teach their students remotely. With the new school year, classes have commenced digitally, and Filipino educators have worked double time to upskill and equip themselves with the digital tools needed to offer their students a seamless and innovative learning environment. Despite the limited time and resources, many are still 110% committed to their vocation and are excited to prepare the next generation for the future, through good education.

Canva for Education is a free product offering for educational institutions catering to K-12. It offers thousands of templates and a library of “premium” royalty-free images, as well as features intended to facilitate simultaneous collaboration between students and teachers in the classroom or remotely.

Yani Hornilla-Donato, Canva Philippines’ Country Manager, explained empowering Filipino educators was core to the organization’s goal for 2020.

“Our mission is to bring Canva for Education to every K-12 teacher and student in the country, becoming their creativity and productivity partner of choice during this unprecedented time. We will continue to reach out to schools and teachers across the country as we roll out Canva for Education, providing as much support as we possibly can to make their experience easy,” said Hornilla-Donato.

Canva Philippines partnered with the Office of the Vice President (OVP) as it rolled out Bayanihan e-Skwela, an online educational platform empowering teachers and parents as children shifted to distance learning. Canva curated templates for some episodes, created posters, and provided the OVP access to the Canva library. In its effort to expand its reach, Canva Philippines also partnered with the Knowledge Channel Foundation and trained teachers in selected schools across the South Cotabato region on how to best use the platform for all their virtual classroom needs.

With its intuitive user-friendly features and a wide variety of classroom templates relevant to specific learning goals, Canva for Education serves as every teacher’s ‘one-stop-shop’ for creating learning materials for their classes and collaborating in the classroom.

Sarah Mae Columnas, a teacher from Mansasa National High School in Bohol explained even though the current environment still provides a level of uncertainty, Canva for Education supports, enables and empowers teachers to be more creative and innovative, whether they’re in the classroom, or teaching remotely.

“Being equipped with the right tools to teach 21st century learners is the responsibility of every teacher across the country, as this is our sworn obligation to uphold our nation’s goals and create a better future for our next generations.

“I encouraged one of my colleagues to use Canva for Education as well and walked her through the process. We have come to realize that it is truly a gift to Filipino teachers,” furthered Ms Columnas.

One of the biggest changes educators face today is the need to migrate everything they use in their classroom to a digital setting. In addition to that, teachers also acknowledge the challenge of adding variety to their teaching repertoire and curriculum, to ensure their lessons remain just as engaging as a physical setting.

Michelle Brabante, School Director of Minido Preschool in Marinduque said she uses Canva for Education to create video lessons for her students, by using the platform’s talking presentations feature.

“The students really respond well to our talking presentations; it makes them happy, they feel more connected to us as educators and they’re certainly more engaged with the content we go through,” said Ms Brabante.

In an effort to further empower teachers with the resources needed to heighten engagement with students in a virtual world, Canva for Education has developed a range of Classroom Kits, inspired by real-life physical classroom set-ups. These themed kits come with templates, illustrations, and photos collection that will inspire Filipino teachers to bring more life and energy to their learning materials as classes resume remotely.

Canva for Education also includes an all-new collaboration space, a review workflow, access to content from Google Drive, Dropbox, Folders, version history and SSO with Clever and Google.

“Canva for Education has helped our team enormously in terms of collaboration. We like working together, and we love that Canva for Education allows us to do our tasks as a team,” added Brabante.

Canva for Education also includes add-ons such as education-specific content, the ability to create captivating videos, plus every ingredient to bring designs to life with Giphys, over 2 million images, 800k icons and illustrations, 700+ fonts, YouTube integrations and QR codes.

Ryan Alvin Torrejos, teacher from German European School Manila explained how Canva for Education has helped him now and will continue to be an invaluable tool for the future.

“I know I will still be using Canva for Education for many years to come, even when students are allowed back into their physical classrooms.“I cannot rate Canva for Education highly enough, and am always recommending it to all my co-teachers, and all the other teachers I know,” said Mr Torrejos.

Recognizing the dedication of the educators in the Philippines, Canva Philippines in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), has also held webinars for Filipino teachers to share with them the gift of Canva for Education. The webinars were so well received, Canva launched a Facebook Community for Filipino Teachers that serves as a space for professional support and training for teachers to learn and adapt to the modalities of virtual teaching. With the request and feedback of Filipino teachers in the group, Canva for Education also released localized illustrations, assets, templates, and photos in August in line with the celebration of Buwan ng Wika.

If you are a K-12 teacher in the Philippines, you may visit https://www.canva.com/education/ to sign-up for your free Canva for Education account.

Savor the scrumptious flavor of Above Sea Level’s signature squid sisig with the Crispy Sizzling Pusit. Above Sea Level is located at the upper ground floor of SM City

It’s only September, and yet Christmas is in the air! Nothing marks the start of the holiday season in the Philippines better than Christmas music and food celebration.

With holiday fast approaching, SM Malls in Marilao and San Jose Del Monte celebrate the new month with unique food festival.

Literally giant, Above Sea Level’s signature squid on stick will definitely satiate your taste buds as each butterfly squid is cooked to perfection and skewered on sticks for that authentic fresh sea food snack feel. Above Sea Level is located at the upper ground floor of SM City San Jose Del Monte.

Foodies will be delighted as astounding range of comfort food and emerging dining concepts will be featured on food fest pop-up from September 1 to 30. Participating tenants will also offer exciting special promos as well as dine-in deals from September 7 to 20 so foodies can indulge in their cravings and satiate their taste buds from their favorite restaurants and food stalls.

Take your celebrachon to the next level with exclusive bundles from Lechon Haus available in group of four and six. Lechon Haus is located at the lower ground floor of SM City San Jose Del Monte.

Shoppers can start their gustatory journey at SM City Marilao with their local favorites at SM Food Court, The Lost Bread, Remilly’s Yema Cake, Bread Talk and Razon’s of Guagua. Don’t pass up on international chains like Starbucks and Burger King; and specialty restaurants such as Samgyeopmasarap, Mister Kebab, Classic Savory, David’s Tea House and Ramen Kuroda. Your favorite feel-good meals from Pancake House and Goldilocks are also available in ready-to-cook packs so you can enjoy the meals at the comfort of your home.

Give in to your urge and satisfy your sweet cravings as Remilly’s Yema Cake offers a wide selection of premium flavors including mango, ube, chocolate, mocha, pastillas and the best seller original yema at sizeable portions and affordable price. Remily’s is located at the ground floor of SM City Marilao.

At SM City San Jose Del Monte, foodies can also immersed in a culinary adventure as the mall celebrates the diverse flavors and exciting fusion of Filipino cuisine through variety of food offerings from Lechon Haus, Giligans, and Above Sea Level. These local favorites serve best Filipino dishes from Lechon Sinigang, kare-kareng gulay, crispy pata to crispy sizzling pusit. Shoppers can likewise savor the rich aroma of coffee and spend those lazy afternoons over a cup of coffee or two at Famous Belgian Waffles.

Offering diverse Filipino cuisine and international fare, SM City Marilao Foodcourt adds fun themes and transforms its dining area into elegantly embellished space to keep patrons safe while navigating the new normal.

All restaurants are open for take-out and dine-in in a limited capacity. SM City Marilao is open from 10:00 am to 8:00pm while SM City San Jose Del Monte adjusted mall hours is 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Thrill your taste buds; satisfy your palate and food cravings with SM’s Food Festival at SM City Marilao and SM City San Jose Del Monte. For updates, check-out SM City Marilao, SM City San Jose Del Monte on Facebook or follow @smcitymarilao and @smcitysanjose on instagram.

SM City Baliwag introduces Farm Ready concept store for aspiring farmers that offers high-quality vegetable seedlings and products that provides essentials in vegetable farming.

The Pandemic have somehow unleashed something within us. Whether it is a hobby or a talent, many of us definitely have found activities to get busy with at the onset of what they called “the new normal”. Some turned into baking, other practiced their selling skills online, while self-proclaimed “plantitos” and “plantitas” decided to turn their world into something green and luscious during the lockdown period.

Farm Ready caters different kinds of plants excellent for farming may it be at a large or limited space. There are ready-to-plant 25-30 days old seedlings ready to be transplanted, including grafted seedlings. Vegetable seedlings around 40-45 days old in single small pots are also available. Ready-to-harvest fruiting plants 60-65 days old are also found here including tomato, eggplant, hot pepper, papaya and more.

Green thumbed or not yet, your own dream garden is within hand as SM City Baliwag introduces Farm Ready concept store for aspiring farmers that offers high-quality vegetable seedlings and products that provides essentials in vegetable farming.

Hand garden tool, specialty tools and garden products are available in Ace Hardware.

A go to place for newbies to advanced farmers, Farm Ready caters different kinds of plants excellent for farming may it be at a large or limited space. There are ready-to-plant 25-30 days old seedlings ready to be transplanted, including grafted seedlings. Vegetable seedlings around 40-45 days old in single small pots are also available. Ready-to-harvest fruiting plants 60-65 days old are also found here including tomato, eggplant, hot pepper, papaya and more.

Aspiring or advance farmers may choose from variety of vegetable seeds available at Ace Hardware.Farm Ready also sells bright-colored flower seedlings, vegetable seeds for beginners along with herbs. Let your healthy journey begin and visit them now at the entrance 2 of SM City Baliwag.

Faux flowers and succulents at The SM Store is perfect for home, office and gift for fellow plant parents.

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  Robinsons Bank, one of the fastest growing commercial banks in the country, continues to gain global recognition this 2020 for its innovative products and services.

  RBank has won the title for the “Best Commercial Bank – Philippines 2020” and the “Fastest Growing Commercial Bank – Philippines 2020” from the International Business Magazine (IBM) and the Global Business Outlook (GBO), respectively.

  In 2019, RBank’s revenue grew by 28 percent from its 2018 performance, registering a total of P8.1

  billion, driven by a 17-percent expansion in its gross loan portfolio. RBank’s total net income in 2019 roseto P719.4 million, marking a 127-percent increase.

  During the first half of 2020, RBank’s profit grew to P 628.32 million, almost four times the P 158.36

  million it earned in the same period last year. This is strongly driven by the gains in trading and securities which offset the higher provision for credit losses.

  Both IBM and GBO seek to recognize companies that show great potential in “innovation and creativity, and a drive to create value”.

  Furthermore, Robinsons Bank’s GO!Salary Loan Online and the Mobile Credit Investigation Application (MoCA) for GO!Motorsiklo Loans both earned the title “Most Innovative Digital Transformation Initiative — Philippines 2020” in the recently concluded The Global Economics Awards 2020. MoCA was also awarded as the “Best Automated Loan Process — Philippines 2020” by the International Business Magazine.

  In addition to this, RBank Sign Up, one of RBank’s newest products, was named as the “Most Innovative Retail Bank Product – Philippines 2020” by the International Business Magazine.

  In these changing times, digital transformation and innovation is now more timely than ever. RBank

  continues to focus on these strategies to ensure that it meets the customers’ needs and to be able to

  provide them with an easy and convenient banking experience.

  Creating Innovative Solutions in a Digital World

  RBank is one of the few banks in the Philippines that offers loans specifically for motorcycles. Through the GO!Motorsiklo Loan, RBank aims to bridge the gap between financing opportunities for Filipinos in the lower-income bracket. Partnering with accredited motorcycle dealers, the Bank is hopeful that it can provide easy-to-pay financing options to the underserved market.

  However, the challenge that comes along with loan applications is the credit investigation. Both clients and the Bank see that the credit investigation process is lengthy. That is why RBank’s GO!Motorsiklo Loan has implemented its Mobile Credit Investigation Application (MoCA) so that it can process loan applications faster.

  With the implementation of MoCA, manpower scheduling improved, client information was made secure, credit reports were generated faster, credit checks were completed immediately, and more importantly, customers were better satisfied, further saving thousands of pesos in man hours under previous manual processing.

  Improving customer experience through innovation

  Robinsons Bank’s GO!Salary Loan online is the quickest and most effective way to get a much needed financial boost. Offered to employees of companies under the salary loan program, the GO!Salary Loan is a multipurpose loan facility that’s collateral-free and paid through salary deduction, allowing financial flexibility for clients.

  The GO!Salary Loan online addressed the pain points of corporate clients and its employees. It

  eliminated the rigorous paperwork, the burden of filling out forms and preparing physical documents for the clients, and even the submission of the loan application.

  Additionally, since the innovation makes use of an end-to-end digital process, loan applicants can skip the visit to a physical RBank branch to sign loan documents since it can be completed electronically through ePN. As an added security feature, clients are also provided a One-Time-Password (OTP) so they can access and accept forms and initiate the process of their loan release online.

  As every step of the loan application process was embedded into the digitalization of the GO!Salary Loan, RBank achieved a reduction in the approval processing time from 1 to 2 weeks down to 1 to 2 working days after the online endorsement of the HR Group, thus remarkably reinventing the landscape of the GO! Salary Loan product.

  Furthermore, the innovation reduced man-hours, and maximized productivity. It also reduced risk factors and increased efficiency in the loan approval process. This also allowed for new business opportunities for RBank, since with this new digital application, even companies with branches in far areas of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, may now be served through this digital innovation.

  Reshaping banking for the ‘new normal’

  The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the banking industry, making digital banking no longer an option but a necessity. With this challenge, RBank sought to push digitalization further, and with urgency, to address these rapidly changing needs of the Filipino people and continue to provide them with their needed financial services during the critical time.

  RBank launched the RBank Sign Up, an online application platform that promises an all-digital process of opening an account with Robinson Bank, last April. RBank Sign Up allows anyone to open a Simple Savings Deposit Account, Regular ATM Savings Account, and a Payroll Account.

  With RBank Sign Up, clients who wish to open an account with RBank can do so with just a mobile

  phone, internet connection, and one (1) valid Identification Card. The application enables a real-time ID detection and a facial recognition feature that allows the instant completion of the application process. Clients will be able to receive their account details within a few minutes of opening the account.

  Robinsons Bank continues to chart its path towards digitization with the goal of creating products and

  services that will enhance the customer experience to provide easier and more convenient banking

  services to clients.

For health and value-conscious consumers, Lysol, with its “Disinfect to Protect Mission,” continuous its efforts to aid in breaking the chain of infection, by making its products widely available to more people. Thus, Lysol is delighted to take part in Shopee’s 9.9 Sale where you can buy their disinfectant spray at low, discounted prices!

Get up to 20% off storewide on September 9, 2020, and get up to 30% off storewide on September 2 and September 9, 2020, from 12 am to 9am, during Shopee’s Midnight Flash Deals. Meanwhile, use storewide vouchers to get P50 off with a minimum spend of P499 and P100 off with a minimum spend of P999. Additionally, shoppers can get free GWP reusable face masks x2 for a minimum spend of P1299!

As if that weren’t enough, get P99 off with a minimum spend of P899 through this exclusive Shopee voucher offer, by simply using the unique code LYSOLPR01 upon check out. Remember that shoppers have to manually key in the voucher code upon check out and users can only apply 1 voucher at a time.

No doubt, as we all do our share in fighting the virus, keeping our household surfaces properly disinfected using Lysol is one of the best ways we can prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Lab tests conducted by Microbac Laboratories, Inc., in compliance with European EN 14476 and US EPA ASTM 1052/1053 international standards, showed that Lysol products are effective in inactivating the virus strain which causes Covid-19 pandemic—demonstrating reduction of infectious virus in 5 minutes.

So, mark your calendars and get your Lysol disinfectant sprays at low, discounted prices during the Shopee 9.9 Sale! Log on to the official Lysol Shopee page through this link

• Total revenue amounted to RMB103.24 billion, representing an increase of 7.9% year-over-year (“YoY”), beating market consensus;

• Gross profit was approximately RMB15.26 billion, up 22.3 YoY;

• Profit for the period was approximately RMB6.65 billion, up 29.3% YoY, beating market consensus;

• Non-IFRS adjusted net profit was approximately RMB5.67 billion, down 0.7% YoY, beating market consensus;

• Earnings per share was RMB0.279.

• Total revenue was approximately RMB53.54 billion, up 3.1% YoY and 7.7% quarter-on-quarter (“QoQ”);

• Gross profit was approximately RMB7.70 billion, up 6.1% YoY and 1.9% QoQ;

• Profit for the period was approximately RMB4.49 billion, up 129.8% YoY and 108% QoQ;

• Non-IFRS adjusted net profit was approximately RMB3.37 billion, down 7.2% YoY, but increased by 46.6% QoQ;

• Earnings per share was RMB0.189.

Fortinet Delivers the Most Complete SASE Platform on the Market

Fortinet Enhances SASE and ZTNA Offerings with Cloud Delivery Enhanced Capabilities

• The best of scalability, performance, and security compared to any cloud security vendor.

• A broad and integrated suite of cloud security solutions providing true Zero-Trust security, unlike other ZTNA providers who leave many unprotected gaps in the attack surface.

• A one-of-a-kind ZTNA solution that includes continuous security innovation at scale, leveraging Fortinet’s market-leading R&D talent to deliver security substance “under the hood.” 

• The most partner-friendly ZTNA offering in the market that remains true to Fortinet’s ongoing commitment to its value-add services partners. 

• Fully integrated security and networking, including Fortinet’s industry-leading SD-WAN, furthering the company’s Security-driven Networking approach.

POC Board of Directors and General Body approve powerhouse esports organization’s NSA application

Sept. 1, 2020 – The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has accredited the Philippine Esports Organization (PESO) as an associate member, making it the official Nationals Sports Association (NSA) for esports in the Philippines.

In a landmark decision by the POC, the mother organization of all NSAs, PESO’s recognition as an associate member makes it the official governing body for Philippine esports. Among its tasks would include organizing events, promulgation of rules of the sport, promotion and growth of the sport via grassroots programs and other activities, and the recruitment of National players and coaches.

Aside from having fulfilled all the requirements of the POC for applicant NSAs, PESO’s approval was built on its long-standing experience in esports, having conducted National Qualifiers to the World Championships since 2012. PESO also has WADA approved Anti-Doping protocols, as mandated by the International Esports Federation (IESF). PESO has been a member in good standing under the IESF since 2012.

PESO has been at the forefront of Philippine esports since 2012, having produced numerous medalists in the IESF World Championships

The IESF is the only esports organization in the world that fulfills all criteria set by the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF). Founded in 2008, IESF is the oldest and largest esports organization in the world, counting 75 members from all continents. The IESF has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Asian Esports Federation (AESF), World Esports Consortium (WESCO), and the International University Sports Federation (FISU). Of IESF’s 75 members, 36 are already accepted by their respective National Olympic Committees.

“I entrust PESO on their endeavors of uplifting the Philippines through Esports globally,” said POC Chairman Stephen Hontiveros in a statement. “And I congratulate them on being an associate member of the Philippine Olympic Committee!”

Brian Lim, PESO President, said: “We are grateful to the POC in their recognition of PESO and Esports. This would help us bring in more support to our fellow Filipinos who are competing globally and bringing glory to the Philippines.”

Jane Jimenez Basas, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart, had this to say about PESO’s accreditation by the POC: “We thank the POC for recognizing PESO as an Associate Member. Our goal is to continue leading the way to bring glory to Philippine esports. After supporting Team Sibol in the 2019 SEA Games, Smart reaffirms its commitment to the esports industry by looking for the next members of Team Sibol who will represent the Philippines in the IESF World Championships. “

PESO’s first major event for 2020 is the Philippine Qualifiers for the IESF World Championships to be held in Israel this December. The search for the newest members of Team Sibol starts this September 2020. Details on the Philippine Qualifiers for the 12^th IESF World Championship will be announced through the PESO Facebook Page. TV5 and Cignal, who have been strong advocates of esports on Philippine airwaves, will air the Philippines Qualifiers on One Sports and One Sports Plus. Smart Communications is a proud sponsor of Team Sibol, the Philippine National Esports Team.

For more info on the Philippine Esports Organization (PESO), visit the following links:

1. Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/philesports/

2. Website (under construction): https://www.esports.com.ph