Tag: Philippines

Manila, Philippines — TikTok, the popular short-form video platform, recently launched its online marketplace, TikTok Shop, in the Philippines. Through this brand new e-commerce platform, TikTok Shop aims to open up more business opportunities for brands and small- to medium-sized enterprises. All these, whilst providing a fresh new shopping experience for users and opportunities for local content creators alike.

TikTok Shop in the Philippines aims to provide local businesses with a new avenue for reaching out to customers. It also aims to make purchasing possible and more accessible for Filipinos without leaving the mobile entertainment platform. At TikTok Shop in the Philippines, users can purchase items from various categories of products including fashion, home and living, beauty and personal care.

Meanwhile, merchants will be able to enjoy zero commission fees on the platform for selected products whilst payment service fees are capped at one per cent to payment service partners. TikTok Shop products can be purchased through product anchors embedded in short videos, live streams, and the TikTok Product Showcase tab of a merchant’s TikTok page, making it easy for users to be entertained and yet shop at the same time.

Last June 15 to 21, TikTok Shop held its maiden mid-year sale in the Philippines, highlighted by super deals and users enjoyed up to discounts and subsidised shipping and first-time buyers received coupons and discounts.

Celebrities and top content creators joined the very first sale, including actress Glaiza De Castro, TV host Macoy Dubs, and content creator Alfea, who did key live sessions and short video posts via TikTok Shop.

Kimberly Duyag, CEO of local cloth and garment brand KILY.PH, shared her experience, “Many sellers have been surprised by the platform’s support, especially the free shipping vouchers and discount promotion. Plus it also enables merchants, brands and creators to showcase and sell their products directly on TikTok via feed, content or live stream.”

The week-long mid-year sales campaign saw TikTok Shop Philippines gain a 33% growth in its daily gross merchandise value. The e-commerce platform’s number of daily orders likewise jumped by 29%, while the volume of live stream climbed 36% compared to the previous week.

Manila, Philippines — Lalamove in the Philippines showed its gratitude to its ‘Lalamove Star Driver’ from November 2021 to April 2022. The company surprised the riders in their respective homes, carrying their reward package as a thank you for their outstanding performance. Together with their Panalomove Partners, Lalamove paid tribute to their hardworking Partner Drivers in Metro Manila, Pampanga, and Cebu.

With the theme ‘Partner Juan Fun Day’, it was Lalamove’s turn to #LalamoveTheDistance for their Star Drivers. At the same time, they also wanted to get to know their families, right in line with this year’s Father’s Day celebration.

Also participating in this celebration were the Panalomove Partners who continue to support Lalamove and our partner drivers, such as GCash, FamilyMart, Unioil, Lalamall, Caltex, and McDonald’s, among others.

The whole initiative was documented through a live stream and can be watched on Lalamove’s Youtube channel. Through the program, Lalamove wanted to recognize its partner drivers who have served as economic frontliners in this pandemic that helped identify Lalamove as a reliable on-demand delivery app in the Philippines.

Dannah Majarocon, MD of Lalamove Philippines, said, “Because of your stories, we continue to strive to provide Winning Benefits to make sure you still win in revenue. It makes us proud to see our Star Drivers, Star Driver Awardees, and Bida Best Partners’ hard work pay off.”

On the significance of the initiative, Alfred, senior driver operations manager of Lalamove Philippines, shared, “No other prize can match Lalamove’s sincere gratitude to you. I hope we have given you pleasure and honour in our little way. We hope that we gave you some happiness and honour in our simple way.”

Manila, Philippines — The Philippines’ fully integrated telco company, PLDT, and its mobile unit Smart Communications continue to champion gender equality in the workplace. In a recent campaign, the group showcased how women thrive, amid rapid technological changes in the telecommunications industry.

Now in its second year, the group’s “Yes, She Can” campaign highlighted the important role of women in the workplace, through digital activities and webisodes featuring female employees of various roles and persona.

Gina P. Ordonez, chief people officer of PLDT and Smart, shared, “We celebrate women and the many hats they wear everyday—as hardworking people in the organization, mothers, wives, daughters and talented individuals.”

Ordonez added, “We will continue to provide female employees with opportunities to pursue their passion and purpose, and to achieve success in the organization.“

As an equal opportunity employer, gender equality is high on the agenda of the group’s Environment, Social and Governance initiatives. This is evident in its leadership team, where 58% of direct reports to the CEO, 40% of executives, and 23% of board members are women.

PLDT and Smart’s commitment to gender equality may also be seen in the partnerships that the group has built throughout the years. Via a collaboration with the Philippine Eagle Foundation, PLDT has helped bridge the digital divide in upland communities of Arakan, North Cotabato, by equipping women with technological tools and skills. In partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress, the group also works with Solidarity with Orphans and Widows, a community in Payatas Quezon City, for livelihood opportunities.

Additionally, in 2021, PLDT and Smart became the first Philippine telcos that signed up as members of the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment, in an effort to achieve large-scale organizational transformation through evidence-based strategies and best practices in the workplace.

Melissa V. Vergel de Dios, chief sustainability officer of PLDT, said, “At PLDT and Smart, women are taking their rightful place at the table, proving that in our organization, one’s worth is not defined by gender, but by capability. This is a source of encouragement and inspiration for us all—in the workplace, and in the communities we serve.”

Manila, Philippines – Independent local news portal Rappler has announced that they have received an order from the nation’s Securities and Exchange Commission to shut down the organisation, according to its CEO Maria Ressa.

Ressa announced the news during her speech at the East-West Center international media conference in Hawaii, according to a report from CNN Philippines.

“In an order dated June 28, our Securities and Exchange Commission affirmed its earlier decision to revoke the certificates of incorporation of Rappler Inc. and Rappler Holding Corporation. We were notified by our lawyers of this ruling that effectively confirmed the shutdown of Rappler,” the online statement said.

The company also added, “We are entitled to appeal this decision and will do so, especially since the proceedings were highly irregular.”

In a full 12-page statement released by SEC, it stated that the order is made due the organisation’s “violation of constitutional and statutory restrictions on foreign ownership in mass media.”

“The Company Registration and Monitoring Department is hereby directed to effect the revocation of the Certificates of Incorporation of Rappler, Inc. and Rappler Holdings Corp. in the records and system of the Commission,” SEC said.

This was not the first time Rappler has been ordered by SEC to shut down its operations. In 2018, Rappler was ordered to shut down for the same reason. According to SEC, Rappler violated the constitutional and statutory foreign equity restrictions in mass media when it issued Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDRs) that granted Omidyar Network, a foreign entity, control over the media organisation.

Rappler is the latest news organisation that has been hit with closure orders. Recently, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has ordered the closure of several websites, including independent news organisations such as Bulatlat and Pinoy Weekly, that are allegedly linked to terrorist organisations Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

Closure of news organisations have been more rampant in the Philippines in recent years, especially those that have been critical of the outgoing government led by President Rodrigo Duterte. The biggest of which is the closure of media conglomerate ABS-CBN on June 30, 2020, where they have been told to go off air in free television.

Manila, Philippines — Home Credit Philippines (HCPH), a consumer finance company, has launched the ‘Para sa Life’ campaign that shares a message of hope for a better life for Filipinos. This new initiative of Home Credit is launched through a campaign video with a song performed by Filipino singer-songwriter Moira dela Torre.

With the hope to inspire new beginnings, Home Credit positions itself as a reliable financial partner that assists Filipinos as they begin a new chapter in life. Apart from providing financial assistance and literacy, Home Credit aims to empower Filipinos to claim what they deserve and to jump-start a new life through various opportunities they offer.

Sheila Paul, CMO of HCPH, said, “This new song of Home Credit encapsulates the brand’s promise of companionship through the use of their easily accessible and affordable finance products, especially for the underbanked and underserved customers.”

Paul adds, “Furthermore, the song relays that Home Credit is ideal for young families and starting individuals who aspire to establish their lifelong plans and helping them turn small dreams into reality. The campaign video is posted on Home Credit’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

Aside from the new song and to continue its campaign for financial literacy Home Credit will be launching ‘Payo Para sa Life’ (‘Advice for Life’), a two-minute daily radio show. The show is produced in partnership with Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC), and local independent media agency PraXis.

The show aims to reach different communities and individuals across the country to discuss fundamental financial literacy issues and to educate them about the intricacies of finance, from primary budgeting to helping them make the most practical personal purchases. The radio show airs on DZRH primetime between 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. daily.

Manila, Philippines — The International Council for Small Business Philippines (ICSB PH) and Union Bank of the Philippines have joined hands to launch a three-day conference and expo for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for free this coming June 27 to 30. The event is entitled ‘MSME Fiesta Sulong Negosyante’ and will be held at Resorts World Manila in Pasay City.

The expo is part of ICSB and UnionBank’s celebrations for the United Nations’ International MSME Day, which is observed annually every June 27th to raise awareness of the contributions of MSMEs to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

During the three-day event, a number of activities will be held with the goal of helping MSMEs in every aspect of their business. There will be mentoring and coaching to be led by industry experts; opportunities to secure funding from some of the leading financing companies in the country; and learning sessions focused on a wide selection of topics namely access to loans, eCommerce platforms, payment gateways, and digital creatives, among other.

Eric Caeg, founder of ICSB, said, “What’s in it for the MSMEs? We could say we can do these things online, but then again, it’s better for them to see new partners face-to-face and learn new ideas from experts.”

Simultaneously, Jaypee Soliman, UnionBank’s SME and Micropreneurs segment head, shared, “Left and right, so many webinars for MSMEs are happening simultaneously every weekend. I think it’s time that we go beyond that.”

Soliman adds, “What we want to do is to move forward, which is why the name of the event is Sulong! Negosyante. Now, we won’t just be doing talks, but this time we’ll be doubling down on enabling our MSMEs through the activities that we’ve prepared for everyone.”

The event holds tons of surprises for those keen to attend. To make travel to the event site easier, Grab Philippines will be offering a voucher for its users, where they can enjoy a discount on their fare. Those travelling to the event via their own vehicles will also get the chance to take home gas vouchers.

To learn more about the MSME Fiesta Sulong Negosyante, interested individuals can visit Unionbank’s dedicated website registration page for the event.

Philippines — Grace Pharmacy, the Philippines-based chain of drugstores, has launched a new campaign to highlight its ethos of service to everyone – ’Serbisyo Nga Wala Pili’. The campaign, entitled ‘Aswang’, was done in partnership with the advertising agency, Charlolo.

The ad takes viewers on a rollercoaster ride of emotions as it changes tones from fantasy to horror, to comedy. Reminiscent of old Filipino horror flicks, the campaign follows an ‘aswang’, the Filipino equivalent of ghouls, as it goes about its usual night. The problem arises when it starts feeling a bout of allergies. Staying true to its principles of serving anyone, Grace Pharmacy hands the supernatural monster some cetirizine, much to the terror of other customers.

Playing on the ‘service to everyone’ ethos of the drugstore chain, the choice to pick a supernatural creature to represent the minorities was deliberate according to Charlolo. Meant as a hook for audiences, the aswang later became a vehicle to deliver the campaign’s message.

According to Charlolo, a lot of planning and testing was done to accurately capture their target audience, the younger demographic. The team also wanted to trick the audience into watching the ad as if they were watching a movie scene, increasing the retention rate of the video.

In an exclusive interview with Charlton Jocson, founder of Charlolo, he commented on their project, saying “Before we became an advertising agency, we already specialized in creating creative short films for a couple of years now so it was not so hard for us to adapt our traditional filmmaking knowledge to creating this ad.”

Jocson added, “We also have a talented team of individuals who each specialize in a certain aspect of the film such as special effects, cinematography, and writing. Each crew member had a specific job to focus on so almost all of us did not have to wear multiple hats which made the workflow more efficient and smooth.”

Jocson also shared how they’re looking forward to their agency’s growth and how they can give back to their communities.

Singapore — Entravision MediaDonuts, a digital marketing performance and branding solutions platform in Asia-Pacific, has signed a partnership agreement with Carousell Media Group for Carousell in the Philippines and Cho Tot in Vietnam, as their official reseller.

Via the collaboration, brands can advertise on premium real estate in Carousell’s e-commerce space while leveraging its advanced contextual and audience targeting capabilities. Carousell Media Group has a database of 58 million registered users across Greater Southeast Asia through their different platforms namely Carousell, Mudah.my, Cho Tot, OneKyat, Ox Street, and Refash. Additionally, millennials comprise 70% of this targeted group of highly engaged consumers with buying intent.

Moreover, advertisers can leverage Connect, Carousell Media Group’s off-platform solution, to engage consumers across the open internet through millions of other publishers across mobile and web app inventories. Powered by The Trade Desk technology, an independent DSP, this feature allows brands to target and retarget users throughout their buying journey.

JJ Eastwood, MD of Carousell Media Group, said, “As we scale our media offering in the Philippines, we are excited to partner with Entravision MediaDonuts to connect advertisers with passionate communities and sustainability-conscious shoppers.”

Meanwhile, Pieter-Jan de Kroon, CEO of Entravision MediaDonuts, noted, “The Philippine internet economy has reached US$17b, and is expected to grow to US$40b by 2025. Entravision MediaDonuts is in the Philippines to provide on-ground support to all marketers expecting the best-in-class solutions for their digital media campaigns.”

On the partnership with Carousell Media Group, de Kroon shared, “We are very excited to represent Carousell in the Philippines, which will help advertisers achieve superior performance at scale. The digital media landscape is evolving fast in the Philippines and we’re seeing a very interesting opportunity, especially in the e-commerce space.”

Manila, Philippines — Panda Express in the Philippines, a popular American Chinese dining concept, is opening a new branch on the south side of the metro. The branch is set to open this July and can be found in a Shell SLT satellite, in Muntinlupa along the South Luzon expressway.

Panda Express is operated by Jollibee Foods Corporation in the Philippines. The new branch will be the 10th Panda Express branch in Metro Manila since it set foot in the country in 2019.

Ned Bandojo, business development head of Jollibee Group Foreign Franchised Brands, said, “This back-to-back store opening in the south is all attributable to the heartwarming support that Panda Express has received from Filipino customers since 2019.”

“Guests from Muntinlupa and nearby areas, as well as city travellers heading south, can now stop over at our new location to satisfy their craving for savoury, wok-cooked American Chinese dishes,” Bandojo said.

The Panda Express menu includes a variety of entrées with regional Chinese influences—from its bestselling The Original Orange Chicken, a wok-tossed crispy chicken coated in sweet tangy sauce, to other must-try entrees like Broccoli Beef, Savory Shrimp, and Black Pepper Steak.

Guests can grab their Panda Express favourites through dine-in, takeout and Park, Order and go channels. To get more information about Panda Express, interested customers can visit Pand Express’ Facebook and Instagram pages.

Philippines — Euromonitor International has released its latest ‘Top 100 retailers in Asia 2022’ report featuring four familiar players from the Philippine business sector in the SEA rankings. Leading the market is SM Retail, the retail giant with a portfolio of supermarkets, department stores, and specialty stores, which landed at the eighth spot for the whole region recording $5b in sales for 2021.

Meanwhile, the other three Philippine retail firms included in the list are pharmaceutical company Mercury Drug sitting at the 11th spot with $3.6b in sales; following closely at the 12th spot is the grocery retailer Puregold Price Club with $2.9b in sales; and lastly Robinsons Retail stands at 16th spot recording a $2.3b in sales. All four PH firms, including SM Retail, recorded an improvement in their SEA rankings.

For this year’s list SEA Ranking, the Singapore-based global consumer internet company Sea took the number one spot for the region. Sea is the parent company of Shopee, the leading e-commerce site for the region.

For the whole of Asia, Alibaba Group of China and JD.com, another Chinese e-commerce company, were named top firms.

According to Euromonitor’s report, the state of retailing in SEA is largely fragmented. SEA is home to over 500 million people that have diverse ethnicities, cultures, religions as well as diverse shopping habits.

“Conquering this market is complex. Regional e-commerce players must create localised strategies like search engine optimisation for respective countries and languages or product lines catered to various cultural needs,” said Euromonitor.

Furthermore, according to the general overview of retailing in the Philippines from Euromonitor, e-commerce has had a presence in the Philippines for a few years, but its sales hold a noticeably lower share of overall retailing than in its neighbouring Southeast Asian markets because Filipinos are strongly accustomed to shopping via in-store retailing channels. The experience of shopping in-store is something that e-commerce can not replicate, but the pandemic forced Filipinos to adopt e-commerce out of necessity.

Additionally, shopping centres remain the primary shopping destinations in the Philippines, despite being mandated to have limited operation during quarantine periods. Essential retailers like supermarkets and drugstores/para pharmacies remained open in shopping centres so they still experienced foot traffic in 2021.

On the other hand, customer experience when shopping in-store and customer safety when shopping online, in terms of delivery and handling of products, are chief considerations among Filipinos when shopping.