Tag: Philippines

Manila, Philippines – PayLater, the buy now pay later feature from super-app Grab, has finally rolled out in the Philippines, giving Grab users in the country a solution to let them shop, dine, ride and pay later in one monthly bill across Grab’s services such as GrabCar, GrabFood, GrabMart, and GrabExpress.

PayLater is available to top-tier and long-time Grab users who regularly use the app’s features and those with significant transactions across the app’s different services. If a consumer qualifies for the feature, it will appear as a payment method for Grab transactions, along with other payment methods such as cash, GrabPay, and enrolled credit cards. The consumer has to click and subscribe to activate the PayLater feature.

The PayLater bill will be generated on the 1st or 15th of the month with seven days to settle, depending on the activation day. This will give consumers time to manage and plan their finances responsibly. 

In addition, the users can avoid any bill shock by tracking their transactions by going to the PayLater section and click the ‘view details’ button to see their current spending total, available balance, and transaction history. The entire PayLater system is transparent, so people can see that there are no hidden fees. To avoid late fees, users can enable their notifications to receive regular payment reminders before their due date. 

“This new feature allows our users to enjoy Grab’s suite of services such as delivery of food or other essential items and pay for them a whole month later. It allows them to better plan their finances and manage their cash flow, as they can review all their transactions in one monthly bill with zero interest,” said Erwin Yamsuan, head of Grab Financial Services in the Philippines. 

He added, “One of the best things about this service is that consumers will also earn points for every transaction which they can collect and exchange for great rewards. It’s been a challenging year for many Filipinos, and we hope that this new Grab service brings more convenience to many people.”

Aside from the convenience it offers to users, PayLater also offers a rewarding bonus to those who avail of the service. Grab users will earn reward points for any transaction they charge to their PayLater accounts.

Philippines – Dingdong Dantes, a top local actor in the Philippines with a long-time leading man status in the local entertainment industry, has officially launched Monday, 19 April, Dingdong, his new tech startup, which offers commerce solutions for SMEs. Without the frills, the actor goes for his namesake for the business’ official name.

Dingdong offers three solutions, namely, Dingdong Delivery, Dingdong E-commerce, and Dingdong Marketplace.

Dantes, whose real name is Jose Sixto Raphael Dantes, rose into popularity by the terse screen name which is often anchored to the perennial humor of its reference to ‘doorbell’. And without any surprise, Dantes, who joins the band of celebrities opening up their own business ventures, uses the jovial connotation to his advantage, adopting the tagline – “You Ring it, We Bring it” for its delivery services.

Dingdong delivery

Its delivery service was first piloted to the market in August 2020 as a response to the blow of the pandemic on businesses’ economy and peoples’ livelihood. Meanwhile, its e-commerce API for SMEs is currently underway, while its online marketplace serves as the platform that merges both its delivery and e-commerce, offering consumers a place to make their food delivery orders.

The realization of the tech solutions firm, Dantes credits, to a time in 2019 when his wife, equally prime actress in the country Marian Rivera-Dantes, had to accomplish a delivery for her flower arrangement business in which the male Dantes had to step in, and thereafter, sparking the idea to bring a delivery service himself to fruition.

In partnership with software enterprise solutions company and PLDT-backed, Multisys Technologies Corporation, Dingdong’s delivery service helps businesses and organizations to fulfill their last-mile delivery requirements. Meanwhile, Dingdong E-Commerce enables all entrepreneurs to promote and sell products in an online marketplace with user-friendly tools that automate the management of products, inventory, and orders. Its e-commerce solution also allows companies and businesses to aggregate with other merchants in a unified digital marketplace. Committed to becoming the leading and most trusted e-commerce platform, Dingdong E-Commerce also provides auxiliary training in general business topics like branding, accounting, taxes, and product-specific topics.

Dantes said that he recognizes first and foremost that his business venture is show business and that his strength lies in telling stories and realities through his craft. This time, he wants to be able to redirect the power of stories to uplift Dingdong’s stakeholders – its merchants, riders, and consumers, with whom they intend to grow with and improve the lives of.

“At the core of dingdong and its solutions is excellent service that we give to all our stakeholders. We believe that excellent service is the key to all our business relationships and to all the doors of innovative solutions backed by technology,” said Dantes in the virtual press conference.

Dantes added, “Dingdong as a brand, and as a service is definitely here to build lasting relationships [with] our fellow entrepreneurs, partner riders, and discerning consumers by enabling and empowering them. We understand that it is only through the empowerment of our community members that we will be able to co-create what we call the people-centric solutions that will allow all of us to thrive and progress sustainably amid adversity.”

Currently, the Dingdong marketplace is only available through a web app. Consumers can make their on-demand and pre-booked food deliveries through marketplace.dingdong.ph. Meanwhile, businesses can learn more of its solutions through dingdong.ph.

Manila, Philippines – Cebu Pacific, one of the largest airlines in the Philippines, has announced that it will now be discontinuing its CEB PH call center, starting 1 May 2021, to make way for a more contactless and self-service customer experience. 

According to the airline, the move to drop the hotlines is in line with its mission to speed up its digital transformation and to further accelerate the improvement of its overall customer experience.

Cebu Pacific has taken great strides in its customer service in the past recent years in specific touchpoints such as online booking, check-ins, booking management, and Charlie the chatbot.

In 2017, it was among the first airlines in Asia to invest in an integrated facility and technology for social intelligence and customer engagement. Then the year after, Cebu Pacific introduced its very own Charlie the chatbot which enabled passengers to receive real-time answers to common queries and transactions, and since then, Charlie has been continuously improved and is now able to respond to more queries, without the passengers having to talk to an agent.

The airline shared that by the first quarter of 2021, it has noted a total of 87% of passengers maximizing the Cebu Pacific website to directly book flights. 

Candice Iyog, the vice president for marketing and customer experience of Cebu Pacific, said that the company is glad to have started its digital transformation journey even before the pandemic, as they have come to rely on it in the new normal environment. 

“We continue to prioritize the safety and convenience of our passengers, that is why we have accelerated our digital efforts to support contactless and self-service processes. Rest assured Charlie, along with our Customer Care team, are online 24/7 to assist everyJuan. We continue to enhance existing processes as we remain committed to empowering customers and ensuring access to the information they need anytime, anywhere, without having to call the hotline or go to a ticketing office,” said Iyog. 

Manila, Philippines – ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), the news channel arm of PH media conglomerate ABS-CBN, has announced that it is canceling its partnership with Chinatown News TV, a Filipino-owned media news channel broadcast in Chinese and made by the Filipino-Chinese community in the country. This was shortly after the parties announced the tie-up.

The cancellation comes after the network received backlash from the online community, pointing to the irony of establishing a Chinese broadcast in the news channel despite growing tensions between the Philippines and China regarding vessels of the latter that are currently lingering and taking space in the disputed West Philippine Sea.

ABS-CBN has recently covered the West Philippine Sea issue with one of its journalists, Chiara Zambrano, visiting the highly-contested area along with the ABS-CBN team before being chased down by the Chinese Coast Guard.

Ging Reyes, news chief at ABS-CBN, initially defended the partnership, stating that ABS-CBN had editorial control over their content, providing national news stories and ensuring accuracy of the translation from Mandarin to English subtitles.

“ABS-CBN News has vigorously covered these issues, in our pursuit of truth and public enlightenment. But we resist discrimination against any race. or ethnicity. The airing on ANC of Chinatown News should not be equated with the intrusions in the West PH Sea. Chinatown News is produced by fellow Filipinos who belong to the Filipino-Chinese community. They are part of Philippine society,” Reyes said in her Twitter thread.

Despite the defense, many netizens have opposed the partnership.

The Philippine arm of online democratic solidarity movement Milk Tea Alliance stated that Chinatown News TV is also responsible for the controversial music video ‘Iisang Dagat’ (‘One Sea’) co-produced with the Chinese Embassy to the Philippines, as well as spreading media lies about the persecution of Uyghur Muslim minorities in Mainland China.

TV writer and producer Erwin Aurella tweeted that a ‘Chinese propaganda’ video disguised as a ‘Chinese news program’ doesn’t speak to ABS-CBN’s motto of ‘In The Service of the Filipino People’.

In line with the partnership, netizens took to Twitter and mocked the station using the hashtag #ABSCBNTutaNgChina, alluding to the network being a ‘puppy’ of Chinese propaganda.

Controversially, Chinatown News TV also aimed to promote the ‘One Belt, One Road’, a global infrastructure development strategy by the Chinese Communist Party, the sole governing party of the People’s Republic of China.

Manila, Philippines – To keep Filipinos entertained amid the pandemic lockdown, local live streaming app Kumu has officially launched its ‘Live Events’ platform, which aims to be the biggest virtual stage in the Philippines to offer its viewers live concert experiences, festivals, and parties from the comfort of their own homes.

The new ‘Live Events’ will primarily be hosted on kumu.live website, and just like any public concert or exclusive event, it will be ticketed and gated, which is in contrast to the standard Kumu live stream shows that are open to public viewing.

Mariel Bitanga, the head of Kumu ‘Live Events’, said that they hope to bring the party experience to the live stream community, and provide them access to their favorite artists in fully produced events through the new platform.

She further shared that the Kumu ‘Live Events’ would still have Kumu’s usual engagement features, and in addition, will have special features lined up, such as private post-show engagement features, replicating the ‘after-party’ experience in live in-person shows.

“As a company, Kumu always strives to elevate our users’ experience within our Kumunity. And Kumu ‘Live Events’ is definitely an exciting addition to offer our users another avenue to enjoy, engage, and connect within our space,” added Bitanga. 

More details on Live Events’ ticket selling, sign-ups, and musical performance line-up to be announced available within the month of April.

Manila, Philippines – In the mid of the COVID-19 pandemic, food has been a frequent topic that sparks hearty discussions for Filipinos on Twitter, expressing their love for food and channeling their inner chefs, as seen on the #DalgonaCoffee, #UbeCheesePandesal, and other food trends that happened during the lockdown.

According to Twitter, just in 2020 alone, there were over 7 million food and drink mentions in the Philippines, which proves that moments with food or just the thought of food alone invites people to share and tweet about it. Out of all the consumer-packaged goods in the market, food is the most talked about on Twitter in 2020 with 57%, followed by drinks with 20%, alcohol with 9%, and beauty with 7%. Food became a conversation starter and an expression of care and concern. In addition, most of the conversations about food at home are on ‘ulam’, which means ‘dish’ in the Filipino Language.

Chandan Deep, the head of emerging business at Twitter SEA, said that conversations on food are highly welcome because people are very passionate about it and they actively engage in these discussions, which is why the buzz keeps on growing. 

“In fact, food conversations on Twitter increased in 2020 as more foodies became active in sharing their activities or thoughts related to food. These observations are vital because they help us understand how food conversations evolved during the pandemic. Knowing what’s happening around this community, from how or where to find them, is also helpful for brands as they navigate and make relevant campaigns moving forward,” added Deep.

Twitter has also recorded other insights on Filipino foodies on the platform such as the popularity of home-cooked meals which came about during the lockdown period. About 50% of Filipinos on Twitter shared that they spent more time cooking at home, and more than 1/2 of Filipinos on Twitter are searching the platform for products to buy. 

Filipino users were also found to tweet before eating, which presents a marketing opportunity for food brands to promote their products, as 50% of Filipinos discover new brands through the platform. Meanwhile, another popular topic on the app is food for special occasions. Many Filipinos order food from their favorite restaurants or newfound local shops during special days and tweet about it.

With this, Twitter believes that food and beverage brands must consistently share their stories, and create strategies to launch campaigns and connect through different ways, be it through graphics, videos, or something experimental and new such as Fleets, a new way to post content on Twitter that will disappear after 24 hours.

Manila, Philippines – As the company celebrates its 40th anniversary, Filipino bakery Julie’s Bakeshop has launched a new campaign with local-based creative agency GIGIL, centered around the theme of dealing with ageist remarks toward middle-aged women, or the so-called ‘tita shamers’ – tita being the Filipino equivalent of an aunt. 

The campaign opens as two titas are seen doing exercises in a gym. They are then mocked by a man who begins to blurt out discriminatory remarks such as telling them that the aerobics section is on the other side of the building, or chiding them to take care of their manicured nails, as well as mocking them to take their prescribed medication. Then Auntie Julie, the face of Julie’s Bakeshop, enters the scene and ‘kneads’ the man to become dough and then baked into bread.

Ending with a message of #StopTitaShaming (#StopAuntieShaming), the campaign aims to remind that that despite being relatively in their 40s, the titas are still capable of doing things, just like how Julie’s Bakeshop is committed to baking fresh bread after 40 years since its establishment in 1981.

“When you say ‘Auntie,’ it doesn’t automatically mean you’re talking about women who are stuffy and formal. Aunties can be cool and very dynamic. Our founder, Mrs. Julie Gandionco, was already in her 50s when she decided to start her own bakeshop. Now it’s grown to a network of more than 450 stores all over the Philippines,” said Marc San Juan, national marketing head of Julie’s Bakeshop.

To date, the film has garnered more than 1.8 million views on their Facebook page alone, with 20k shares across the platform.

Manila, Philippines – Philippine telecom Smart Communications (Smart) has partnered with famous Gen Z personalities to promote its new data package, the new Double GIGA promo. The new data offering, which doubles the amount of existing data packages of Smart, is positioned as a helpful service to enable the youth to enjoy more of the things they are passionate about, hence, the spot ‘Smart Barkada’. 

Barkada is a Filipino term for your ‘group of friends’, and part of the ‘Smart Barkada’ is actor and songwriter Iñigo Pascual, actor and host Donny Pangilinan, dancer AC Bonifacio, and vlogger and youth advocate Hannah Pangilinan, as well as singer-songwriter Jayda Avanzado, and rapper Michael Pacquiao.

The group of artists partnered by Smart is known to be passionate about their craft. Through the ambassadors, Smart aims to encourage Filipino youth to make the most of its new data promo to embody the same passion and to confidently engage in the things they love.

With Double GIGA, Smart Prepaid subscribers are now able to enjoy twice the data for ‘passion apps’ to get more from their favorite offers. For example, one of its existing packages has been expanded to now be ‘Double GIGA Video 99’ delivering anew 2 GB per day for streaming on YouTube, Cignal Play, iWantTFC, and NBA League Pass – plus 2 GB open access data for ₱99 valid for seven days.

“Knowing that the journey to be better at something never stops, the Smart Barkada aims to help their fellow youth to be better at what they love to do through inspiring and hopeful stories – whether it’s about being a better friend, daughter or son, inspiring others to uplift their spirits, refocusing their energy on new passions, or just simply continuing to do things that make them feel healthy and happy,” said the company in a press statement. 

Meanwhile, students and professionals can be more productive and achieve more with an expanded Double GIGA Study and Double GIGA Work data packages, while for gamers, they can enjoy more game time with Double GIGA Games.

Prepaid subscribers can register to Double GIGA offers via the GigaLife App, or by dialing *123#. The promos are available to all Smart Prepaid, Smart Bro, and TNT subscribers.

Manila, Philippines – Shopee in the Philippines has run Shopee Bayanihan, an initiative within the platform that enables shoppers to donate safely and conveniently to charity institutions to extend help to the underprivileged.

Shopee has a wide network of 49 partner charity organizations which includes World Vision, Caritas Manila, Habitat for Humanity, and Kaya Natin Movement, as well as Philippine Red Cross, and Virlanie Foundation; and Shopee offers two ways for users to donate to them.

First, by purchasing donation vouchers. Users will only need to search for the partner foundation they want to donate to, select the donation voucher they wish to purchase, and add it to their cart. After paying through card payment, online banking, or ShopeePay, users will receive the confirmation through a push notification.

Another option for the donation is via ShopeePay. Users will only need to go to their ShopeePay wallet action bar and tap ‘Scan’. After scanning the QR code displayed on the partner’s social media account, they will need to input the amount they wish to donate and confirm with their 6-digit ShopeePay PIN. 

“Shopee is fully committed to utilizing our platform for the greater good. As the nation continues to adapt to the current situation, it is essential for us to step up and support the communities struggling to stay afloat. Every one of us has a role to play during this period, and we will do what we can to help different sectors and local communities tide through this challenge by allowing in-app donations,” said Martin Yu, the director at Shopee Philippines.

Under Shopee Bayanihan, Shopee has also offered a digital package for frontliners, and has provided funds for online sellers through the Seller Support Package, and donated transistor radios to students in rural areas to help them continue with their studies.

Philippines – To keep the Filipinos’ spirits up during the global pandemic, local live streaming platform Kumu has launched the ‘Kumedy Week’ series, a lineup of comedic shows that aims to give Filipinos some consoling joy as people continue to ride the wave of lockdowns.

The ‘Kumedy Week’ is a special Kumu-wide effort to promote Filipino comic talents, while also keeping the viewers’ sanity in these trying times.

The series started rolling on 5 April, with the first two shows putting ‘Vavaeng Valvon’ and ‘Amazing Betong’ at the forefront. Today, 7 April, Kumu app users will be able to catch Rufa Mae Quinto, followed by ‘Cromczik’ on 8 April, and ‘I am PJ Pascual’ on 9 April, as well as Zaragine on 10 April. All these upcoming shows will start at 9 pm PST on Kumu’s @SpotlightChannel.

Meanwhile, on Kumu’s @fyechannel’s, viewers will be able to catch shows, still under the series, such as ‘For Your Improvment’ with improv theater group Spit, which will be every Tuesdays at 9:30 pm, as well as ‘Kwentong Macoy’ with popular comedic content creator Macoy Dubs every Wednesdays at the same time, and ‘Lakas Tawa’ with stand up comedian Alex Calleja, which will stream every Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 pm. ‘Lakas Tawa’ will also be on @seenzone every Tuesdays at 10 pm.

The series will also include ‘The Fumiyam Show’ with former finalists of Pinoy Big Brother 8, Fumiya Sankai and Yamyam Gucong, every Wednesdays at 12 pm PST on @StarHuntABSCBN.

Kumu encourages the app users to follow their hashtags #KumedyWeek and #KaSummerAll for more announcements this April.