Tag: Philippines

Manila, Philippines – Iconic local bookstore National Book Store has recently faced backlash from netizens after it suggested in a recent tweet a short name change called ‘Nash’, an allude to the rising popularity of ‘conyo’ lingo in the country, or the use of shortened mix of Tagalog and English words in daily conversations.

On September 19, the official Twitter account of NBS posted a tweet saying ‘Call me National, Nash for short’.

Following the tweet, a large majority of local netizens have criticised the proposed name change, with many saying they hope they don’t push said name change.

In addition, the tweet sparked complaints from various netizens complaining about NBS’ services, with some complaining about the store’s lack of school supply amenities, high price mark-up on books sold in physical stores, as well as the poor ventilation and display of several of the bookstore’s branches.

In a response given to Philstar Life, a spokesperson for National Book Store said that the brand’s commitment to providing customers with quality products and service remains unchanged no matter what they name the store.

“Regardless of how they call us – NBS, Natio, or Nash – we remain committed to providing an ideal shopping experience in all of our branches nationwide. We also wish to express our gratitude to all of our customers who returned to their back-to-school shopping at National Book Store, especially after 2 long years without face-to-face classes,” the spokesperson said.

The National Book Store was formally established in 1942 by Socorro Cancio-Ramos and José Ramos. It has 230 branches nationwide, and is the largest bookstore chain in the country.

Manila, Philippines – Inter-regional integrated communications agency COMCO Southeast Asia has recently announced the promotion and appointment of homegrown managers and talents to key deputy positions in the company.

AC Recio, who began his career as a digital and multimedia arts associate at COMCO SEA, has been elevated to becoming the agency’s partner / digital, social and content administrator pro tempore, and senior digital and multimedia arts manager. Meanwhile, Queenie Resmundo, who was former production and administration associate is now promoted to public relations and communications administrator pro tempore and brand communications manager. She will also become a lead in stakeholder relationship management through COMCO SEA’s MEXINAC (Media, Experts, Influencers, Activators and Communities) program. 

Another homegrown talent given a strategic role in the organization is Harvey Llamosa who has been with COMCO SEA since the Agency launched in 2016. He started at COMCO SEA as an executive projects associate and has been working closely with the company’s Regional Integration and Chief Executive Director Ferdinand Bondoy on various landmark executive and strategic initiatives. Today, Llamosa is not only the senior executive initiatives and communications manager at the agency but is also a partner and the chief of staff to the group chief executive director. 

Finally, Patricia Raña, one of the agency’s most trusted Corporate Services Unit members, has been promoted to special assistant to the comptroller and senior corporate services officer. Raña joined COMCO SEA in 2018 as a finance and administration associate. 

All four had been products of the Camp COMCO Mentorship Program – the intensive, and comprehensive talent incubation, industry linkage, and apprenticeship program of the Agency. The agency said each promotion is “nothing short of special” because the said members have been with COMCO SEA from the beginning. 

Chief Executive Director Ferdinand Bondoy said, “As a hands-on leader of COMCO Southeast Asia, I have had the great pleasure of training and working with our most valued apprentices and witnessing them turn into rock stars of the industry! And for them to obtain the positions and recognitions they have now as well as grow in their craft and in their life as a whole, is my greatest honor, the best award I have ever received.”

Manila, Philippines – The term ‘cancel culture’ or the term for boycotting public figures that are found to be problematic–is becoming more prevalent within the younger generations in the Philippines. Cancel culture remains linked to the call for accountability, and Milieu Insight has conducted a recent survey to learn more about the factors and perspectives that shape cancel culture locally.

According to the data, around 1 in 5 Filipinos have joined in a ‘cancel’ movement, with 66% saying they joined because they did not agree with the actions/opinions of the person or group, and 54% said they joined because he person or group is or was involved in a controversy.

Locally, cancel culture skews towards cancelling public figures due to cultural issues such as cultural appropriation (50%) and political stance (48%). Within the Southeast Asian region, respondents’ withdrawal of support tended to be racism (54%), sexual assault (50%) and physical violence (48%).

Meanwhile, around 31% of Southeast Asians said a person/group that was ‘cancelled’ can always or often be forgiven or given the opportunity to make a public appearance. This sentiment is shared by more Filipinos, with 41% being more agreeable to giving a cancelled entity a second chance – the highest rate among the different Southeast Asian countries.

Most local respondents describe cancel culture to be cruel (45%) and aggressive (35%) but those who have been part of a cancel movement tended to view it as normal (30% vs 17% overall), helpful (22% vs 8% overall), and progressive (16% vs 11% overall). This reflects their belief that cancelling is a useful tool to demand responsibility from public figures. In addition, the majority of Filipinos agreed that cancel movements are a fair punishment (76%) for wrongdoers to be held responsible, and 78% see them as effective in doing so.

Around 51% of Filipinos also say that cancel culture happens too often, significantly higher than those who say it happens just as often as it should (42%).

In the recent Philippines’ national elections, people cancelled not only public figures but also their friends and family due to different political beliefs. It is no surprise then that the majority of Filipinos act cautiously both online (92%) and offline (91%) because they are worried about being cancelled themselves.

Manila, Philippines – Technology organisation True Digital in the Philippines has announced the launch of its ‘True Creators Studio’, a new studio services, influencer, and multi-channel network (MCN) business, during an event at Yes Please in BGC with Influencer Council of the Philippines (CICP), which aims to bring together industry professionals and talents.

‘True Creators Studio’ offers to become the content creators’ ultimate playground for producing quality and engaging content. It also announced the launch of its website www.truecreators.studio where both brands and creators alike can book services easily. 

Moreover, through the True Creators Studio, brands can also conceptualise and create customised videos for their marketing campaigns, website, or social media content, internal communications, and virtual events, amongst others. 

“The launch of True Creators bolsters True Digital Philippines’ presence in the country, adding to the already existing digital solutions business for enterprise clients,” said True Digital.

Manila, Philippines – BillEase, a consumer finance app in the Philippines, has closed an up to US$ 20m debt facility arranged by Helicap Securities, a Singapore-based financial technology company providing private debt investment opportunities for accredited and institutional investors, bringing the total raised by the lending platform to US$55m in debt and equity.

BillEase said that it is well positioned to further expand the reach of its financial services in a market where low-cost credit is not accessible enough for many consumers. The Philippines is amongst the emerging markets with low credit card penetration but has a tech-savvy and digitally-forward population, creating more growth opportunities and capturing a largely underserved market for the company.

Earlier this year, BillEase raised US$11m in a Series B round led by BurdaPrincipal Investments, the growth capital arm of German media and tech company Hubert Burda Media. Centauri – a joint investment vehicle of MDI Ventures and KB Investment, 33 Capital, and Raisin DS CEO Tamaz Georgadze also joined the round. While in March, BillEase also raised US$20m in secured debt from the UK-based Lendable, an emerging market credit provider, to further accelerate the growth of its lending products.

Georg Steiger, CEO and co-founder of BillEase, commented that they are delighted to have secured a new facility which will further grow and expand their loan portfolio, demonstrating the confidence private investors have in their sustained growth trajectory and profitability.

“Being able to collateralise our loan book allows us to access funding to continue serving our fast-growing, underserved customer base. Our new funding comes at the right time as we develop and launch new products and continue to see strong growth. At the same time maintaining profitability means we can be a sustainable and long-term partner for consumers and merchants,” Steiger said.

Meanwhile, Zhiwei Tan, executive director of Helicap Securities, said that they are excited to support BillEase’s growth with this debt facility, and they are impressed by the company’s growth over the past 3 years and its mission to further financial inclusion in the Philippines. 

“The rising acceptance of digital payments is changing the landscape of consumer lending and we are seeing BillEase as one of the few companies that can leverage and scale with the use of their AI-driven credit engine which allows them to offer consumer-centric, responsible financial products and highly personalized digital experience,” added Tan.

This year, BillEase has also launched its in-store QR payment to tap into payment transactions that usually happen offline as well as payment links which are now highly used in social commerce, allowing the company to offer an omnichannel shopping and payment experience for both customers and its merchants.

Manila, Philippines – Prominent Filipino businessman Fernando Zobel de Ayala has resigned from all business positions under the publicly-listed holding company Ayala Group. The companies that he will be resigning from include Ayala Corporation, Ayala Land, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), and Globe Telecom.

In multiple filings made by all aforementioned companies at the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), all stated that Zobel rendered his resignation over medical concerns, and said he will be focusing on his recovery.

Zobel held the following positions at these companies namely the vice-chairman of the board of directors, president and CEO at Ayala Corporation; chairman of the board of directors at Ayala Land and BPI; as well as co-vice chairman of the board of directors at Globe Telecom.

As part of the announcement, Ayala Corporation has appointed Cezar P. Consing as their acting president and CEO for the meantime.

Fernando Zobel de Ayala overtook the president and CEO role from Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala in April 2021.

Established in 1834, Ayala Corporation is one of the largest corporations in the Philippines and with a massive portfolio of diverse business interests, including investments in retail, education, real estate, and banking, as well as telecommunications, water infrastructure, renewable energy, and electronics.

Manila, Philippines – Advanced Media Broadcasting System (AMBS), the broadcast media company owned by Filipino billionaire businessman and former politician Manny Villar, has renamed its upcoming television channel AMBS 2 to AllTV. 

The rebranding also echoes the naming of other business endeavours by the Villar Group, including AllDay Supermarket and AllHome furniture store.

The new AllTV channel is set to officially launch this September 22, airing on the former frequency of ABS-CBN’s free TV channel. Willie Revillame, a game show host formerly affiliated with GMA, transfers to AMBS alongside his flagship game show Wowowin.

Furthermore, former ABS-CBN talents Toni Gonzaga and husband Paul Soriano also signed contracts with AMBS, according to reports from PEP and The Manila Times.

AMBS was granted by the national government a 25-year legislative franchise extension in 2019. The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) then granted AMBS the former ABS-CBN broadcasting frequencies in January this year.

Manila, Philippines – As part of realme Philippines’ new strategy, the consumer electronics company has formally announced its partnership with FUSE, the PR agency under Omnicom Media Group – Philippines, to be its new PR agency of record. This partnership aims to further strengthen the brand’s top position in the local market. 

The adjustment to the PR agency will be supporting realme and narzo as two independent brands moving forward. With this, another agency will be reaching out to media partners for all narzo Philippines concerns. 

“We ask for everyone’s full cooperation with the changes so that we may have a smooth transition for all parties involved. For any clarifications and concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the concerned agencies,” said realme Philippines, in a formal statement.

Manila, Philippines – Preview.ph, the local fashion magazine under digital lifestyle network Summit Media, has honoured fifty local personalities that are considered ‘movers and shakers’ of the Filipino local fashion scene.

Among the awardees who attended the event were celebrities Marian Rivera, Catriona Gray, James Reid, Kylie Verzosa, Vice Ganda, Michelle Dy, and Pia Wurtzbach

The recognitions were announced during Preview.ph’s latest event ‘#PreviewBall2022’ in a bid to usher into a new era of fashion and art defined by inclusivity, diversity, and creativity.

https://youtu.be/82IsDNxFWxg
Preview.ph brand manifesto

Marj Ramos-Clemente, editor-in-chief at Preview.ph, said, “We’re constantly pressured by the society to fit a certain mold. We’re expected to adhere by such standards if we wish to be accepted. Admittedly, even the fashion world tends to feel intimidating or alienating sometimes. But fashion should be for everyone.”

She further explains that for a brand like them that reaches younger audiences, they need to be aware that conveying the message of kindness and inclusivity to their audience is no longer just a privilege but rather a responsibility.

Preview.ph’s launch of first-ever video magazine cover, featuring Filipina actress Belle Mariano

“[Fashion] is not supposed to make you feel small, or make you feel like you don’t belong. It should do the exact opposite. In this often cruel world, fashion should be your friend. Fashion should help you celebrate your uniqueness and individuality,” Ramos-Clemente said.

She added, “It’s okay to just be yourself and own all those little quirks and nuances. It’s okay to create your own destiny and not follow the path that everyone else seemingly set up for you.”

Preview.ph also released its first-ever video magazine cover featuring Filipina actress Belle Mariano, and takes viewers on a behind the scenes look of conceptualising the magazine cover itself. The new video magazine cover format will also be advertised across social media platforms and digital billboards.

Manila, Philippines – Global digital payments company Visa has appointed Jeff Navarro as its new country manager for the Philippines and Guam. He succeeds previous country manager Dan Wolbert, who has moved to a new role for Visa North America.

Navarro was previously the regional vice president for the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indochina at Western Union. He also served as the president and chairman of the board at Western Union Processing Services Inc. Prior to joining Western Union, he has also worked with SMART Communications and Shell across sales, brand, and business development roles.

Speaking on his appointment, he said, “It is a great pleasure for me to join Visa, a global leader in payments and money movement, areas which are near and dear to my heart. I am excited and honoured to have the opportunity to lead a team of seasoned professionals, who share the drive and passion to further widen financial inclusion for all Filipinos.” 

He added, “I look forward to working closely with our clients, fintechs, the regulator, and all stakeholders to grow digital payments in the country, and enable individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive.”

Meanwhile, Tareq Muhmood, Visa’s Group Country Manager for Regional Southeast Asia, said, “I am delighted to have Jeff lead our team in the Philippines and Guam as the country manager. Jeff’s regional experience and in-depth knowledge of the financial services industry will be an asset for Visa and will serve him well in leading our team.”

He added, “Jeff and the team will drive our business agenda with clients, consumers, and regulators in the Philippines and Guam, in line with our purpose to uplift everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.”