#EatLocal #BuyLocal #GoLokal #SupportFilipinoMSMEs

Paskong Maka-Pilipino

 

Barely 10 days to go before Christmas, and   the malls are starting to bustle with families, including seniors and toddlers now welcome to  share in the holiday fun.

Taking advantage of the more optimistic economic prospects for the most important shopping season, the Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion (DTI-BDTP) has ramped up its promotional activities for micro-, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

With support from the DTI-Regional Operations Group, about forty MSMEs are showcasing their wares at the last major selling event to close off the year. The Christmas  Grand Fest at the Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, runs from December 15-19, 2021, and serves as the finale for the Bagsakan special project of DTI-BDTP.

Filipino MSMEs have been among the hardest- hit over the past two years, and they struggled  to sustain their business operations to support their families, employees, and communities.

With the prospect of a brighter Christmas, the DTI is urging everyone to have a more meaningful "Paskong Maka-Pilipino," by  patronizing locally-made products for their holiday feasts and for gift-giving.

Further, all the participating MSMEs have  been carefully curated to ensure that they offer quality products that meet both local ang international standards.

At the Christmas Grand  Fest event, there is a special Halal Corner to promote the domestic halal  industry, with an eye to establishing a presence in the huge international halal  markets.

There will also be coffee exhibitors at the KAPEtirya, spotlighting the resurgence  of Philippine coffee among enthusiasts here and abroad.

Other product offerings include processed food and  beverages, fresh produce and organic products, dried seafood, cooked food, condiments, and other cooking ingredients. There are also garments, footwear, fashion accessories, home decor, and other gift items.

For those who prefer to keep safe and avoid the holiday rush, the DTI has several e-commerce platforms, as follows:

•    NTF (National Trade Fair) Digital Mall — https://ntfdigimall.linker.store

•    NACF (National Arts & Crafts Fair) Artisanal Shop — https://nacf.linker.store

•    NFF (National Food Fair)Digital Mall — https://nff.linker.store

•    Go Lokal Digital Mall - https://golokal.linker. store

•    LazMall Go Lokal @ LazMall — https:// www.lazada.com.ph/shop/go-lokal

•    Go Lokal @ Shopee Mall — https://shopee. ph/golokalphilippines

•    Shopinas — https:// shopinas.com/go- lokal

For more information about the DTI-BDTP and its projects for MSMEs, please follow its social media accounts on Facebook (DTI.BDTP), Instagram (dti.bdtp), and Twitter (@DTI_BDTP). You may also email Director Marievic M. Bonoan at bdtp@dti.gov.ph.

Why You Should Raise Your Child to be A Fast-Thinking AlphaKid (And How You Can Start NOW)

How proper nutrition, learning opportunities, and a supportive environment could spell the difference, especially between the ages of three and five

 

We’ve all seen them at one time or another, these AlphaKids: the ones who talk in a way that makes them seem a few years older than their peers, those who walk onto the playground and somehow have other kids trailing them and following their lead a few minutes later, or those who seem at home even among adults who keep asking themselves the question “How did this kid get so smart?” These are the kids that will go on to be natural leaders in school, within their group of friends, and even in the workplace. Even before they step foot in a classroom, you can tell their future is bright, and the reality is if you only start supporting them after age 5, it may actually already be too late.

The AlphaKids’ ability to size up a room, a situation, or even people, and deciding on the appropriate response or approach actually has a lot to do with how fast their brains work, as observing their surroundings and determining how to respond happens in milliseconds. This is why it’s not just how much the child knows that is important, but how fast they can access that information and figure out how to react. This makes brain connections, which develop the most between the ages of three and five, extremely important.

Enter myelination, a process in which the brain produces myelin, a fatty substance that wraps around nerves and makes information travel to and from the brain faster. Majority of myelination and the rest of the brain’s development happens in early childhood, and it’s a little-known fact that by age five, 90% of the brain has already developed. That’s why raising a fast thinker is something that parents should be purposive about, and to get started, here are some tips to maximize what some experts call the golden window of opportunity.

Tips to Maximize the Golden Window of Opportunity

1. Teach your child to read early by reading often and by reading yourself

Reading has many benefits, including priming your child to love learning. Research shows that reading early in life has a positive impact on your child's achievement in later years, including cultivating intelligence and academic success². Reading, however, is a skill that has to be taught, and you cannot just give a child books and expect them to pick them up. You have to sit with them (daily, if possible), do the voices and sound effects needed to make it interesting to them. You also have to show them that you are reading yourself, to establish that it is a fun and worthwhile activity and not a chore that you are forcing on them.

 2. Let them figure things out on their own.

When your child gets frustrated by a puzzle, don't offer your help. Instead, encourage them to try again. These little challenges help build your child's confidence and perseverance—two traits that can help them succeed later in life. The same goes for social interaction. If caught in a disagreement with a sibling or playmate, avoid stepping in and laying down the law; explain the principles of fairness or taking turns, but let them talk and figure it out among themselves. This goes a long way towards helping them navigate disagreements and prepares them for constructive discussions with their teachers and classmates later on.

 

3. Limit screen time and control what's on the screen.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, entertainment screen time should be two hours a day³. It’s important that the kids are aware of the limit and that it is strictly enforced. And even within their allowed screen time, not all content is good. Some shows are simply not worth the time, whether for kids or for adults. Look for content that teaches them what you want them to learn, and when that timer stops, direct them towards toys or activities that further their learning and encourage them to process what they have discovered.

4. Nourish your child's brain with α-Lipids

DHA has been the celebrated nutrient for brain development for many years; however, it may no longer be enough. This is where α-Lipids (Alpha-Lipids) come in. α-Lipids are the latest breakthrough in brain development; they contain the five major phospholipids, critical nutrients for myelination and brain development. Phospholipids are also known as "intelligent fats," and studies have shown that young children's brains rely on these fats to form brain connections and transmit brain messages up to 100 times faster.

Raise an AlphaKid with Promil Gold Four

These tips, together with a daily glass of pediatrician-recommended Promil Gold Four—the only growing-up milk with breakthrough, brain-boosting α-Lipids (Alpha-Lipids) – should help get you started on this journey of raising a fast thinker. With other essential nutrients for brain development, including DHA, AA, Choline, Lutein, Zinc, and Iron, Promil Gold Four helps your child amaze and astonish, with others asking: “How did that child do that?” 

References:

Early childhood brain development has lifelong impact - https://azpbs.org/2017/11/early-childhood-brain-development-lifelong-impact/
Reading with children starting in infancy gives lasting literacy boost - https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/13201?autologincheck=redirected
Kids and screen time: What does the research say? - https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2014/08/28/343735856/kids-and-screen-time-what-does-the-research-say

Shopee rounds off a memorable 12.12 Big Christmas Sale with a six-time uplift in visits on December 12

 

Shopee rounds off a memorable 12.12 Big Christmas Sale with a

six-time uplift in visits on December 12

Users showed support for MSMEs, with 9 in 10 shoppers buying from a local seller this 12.12

 

MANILA, DECEMBER 13, 2021 - Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, concluded the region’s most joyful year-end celebration, the 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, with visits surging six times on December 12 compared to an average day. Shopee users also enjoyed the best deals and rewards on their holiday shopping, with over 850 million Shopee vouchers claimed on 12.12.

 

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “We are happy to have closed the year on a positive note with a successful 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, the finale of Shopee’s year-end shopping festivals. At this year’s 12.12 celebrations, we were glad to have spread joy to all our users by bringing shoppers the best deals and boosting the visibility of more businesses. 2021 has been a year of accelerated digitalization, and we are thankful for all the support from our users. As we move into 2022, we look forward to helping even more shoppers, businesses, and communities access the benefits of e-commerce.”

 

Catered to all shopping needs in the holiday season

 

Shoppers delighted in hunting for the best gifts for themselves and their loved ones during this holiday season. On December 12, the most popular products in the Philippines were dresses, women’s footwear, and crop tops. Shoppers also turned to ShopeePay as their preferred payment method, with an 11x uplift in the number of orders made via ShopeePay, compared to an average day. On 12.12, ShopeePay recorded over 1.5 million e-wallet top-ups as Filipino users enjoyed a seamless and convenient payments experience.

 

Amidst the 12.12 celebrations, Filipino users came together to enjoy a wide range of entertainment on Shopee. Shoppers connected with their favorite brands and sellers via livestream, with over 150 million views recorded on Shopee Live in the Philippines. At the same time, over 300 million gameplays were recorded on Shopee Prizes, as users enjoyed more fun and rewards during the day. During the 12.12 TV Show, users were treated to an energetic and upbeat performance by Tomorrow X Together on Shopee Live, where they sang hit songs LO$ER=LO♡ER, Anti-Romantic, and CROWN. Up-and-coming local artist geiko also performed her latest single, “Oh no, I’m on Shopee again,” and shared the stage with her longtime idols, Ben & Ben.

 

Accelerated growth for local businesses amidst 12.12 celebrations

 

Shoppers spread the holiday cheer to their favorite local businesses at 12.12, with 9 in 10 users shopping from local sellers. In the Philippines, popular local sellers included ABUBOT_PH, WILLET, and Mi Global Zone.ph, with the top local seller clocking over ₱21 million in sales on  December 12.

 

At the Shopee Celebrates Local contest, users voted for their favorite local businesses with UNIQ.MNL, a shop that offers fashionable women’s clothing, is emerging as the crowd favorite. Shop co-owners and siblings Ireen Araullo and Ira Cruz shared their heartwarming story of providing job opportunities for their community on Shopee Live on December 12. They won users’ hearts, taking home a tablet and smartphone to use for their business.

 

Connected more shoppers to brands

 

In this 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, users soaked up the holiday spirit as they shopped for the best gifts from their favorite brands on Shopee, with orders on Shopee Mall surging 14 times from an average day. At the same time, brands on Shopee Mall connected with new shoppers at 12.12, with 1 in 8 users being first-time Mall shoppers. Filipinos also looked to upgrade their smartphones for Christmas, with electronics brands Poco, realme, and Infinix as the top brands during 12.12.

ShopeePay also enabled more users to connect with offline merchants during the 12.12 period. With over 2 million purchases made through Deals Near Me, Shopee’s location-based online-to-offline feature, offline retailers enjoyed a boost in footfall as users redeemed their payment vouchers in-store.

 

Widened access to more users across the country

 

Across the country, South Luzon saw the biggest uplift in orders on December 12 this year. Meanwhile, Visayan fashionistas are already planning their holiday outfits, with over 100,000 searches for dresses alone. In Mindanao, shoppers in Davao City truly enjoyed all the discounts and deals, spending a whopping ₱100 million on the 12.12 Big Christmas Sale.

 

More sellers and shoppers based in rural areas also joined Shopee this year. Sellers in non-metro cities benefited from the increased visibility at 12.12, seeing a 12-time uplift in orders compared to an average day.

 

Until December 15, shoppers can enjoy more deals and discounts at the 12.12 Big Christmas Sale: https://shopee.ph/m/christmas-sale.

 

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

12.12 Kick Starter Deals Ahead from Shopee!

12.12 Kick Starter Deals Ahead! #ShopeePH1212BigChristmasSale

1212 DEALS YOU SHOULD NOT DARE MISS!

About time to get ready for Shopee’s 12.12 Big Christmas Sale! Check out these incredibly amazing deals from several trusted and well-loved brands. With prices going for either ₱1,212 or ₱12,000 only, you won’t want to miss out on these. Since these are available in very limited quantities only, make sure to add these items to cart ahead of the sale and check out at exactly 12:00 AM this December 12. Don’t wait—some of these products are already down to the last piece, so they’ll definitely get sold out immediately!

Here's your guide to the products with the biggest price drops on Shopee at the 12.12 Big Midnight Sale: 

ADIDAS ORIGINALS Stan Smith Vulc Shoes Men White Sneaker FX8070 | Link: https://shp.ee/v8i7gym

Crocs Unisex Classic Clog | Link: https://shp.ee/hh2rgnm

Fila Classic Magnus Men's Sneakers White/Navy | Link: https://shp.ee/5uw7m9m

Dyson Supersonic™ hairdryer HD08 | Link: https://shp.ee/wwnwkbm

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex [New 7th Gen]

Link: https://shp.ee/hhurn6m

ASUS Gaming Monitor | Link: https://shp.ee/2hksfam

Nintendo Switch V2 Fortnite Wildcat Bundle | Link:  https://shp.ee/jyycgmm

LG LED TV | Link: https://shp.ee/746zxfhairdryerm

TCL 1.0 hp Inverter Split-type Aircon | Link: https://shp.ee/wik6e9m

KitchenAid 5QT (4.8L) Artisan Stand Mixer 220 V | Link: https://shp.ee/yc3stsm

Stay Up Until Midnight To Score a Nintendo Switch, KitchenAid Mixer, and More at Unbelievably Low Prices During Shopee’s 12.12 Big Christmas Sale

Only a few lucky users will be able to score huge discounts on premium products at Shopee’s 12.12 Big Midnight Sale 

Ortigas Malls Christmas with the Stars

 

Join Ortigas Malls as they celebrate Christmas with a star-studded cast for a meaningful cause.  Christmas with the Stars is an online fundraising concert on December 11, 2021 at 7 PM on ktx.ph for the benefit of the Independent Production Workers Group (IPWG).

Christmas with the Stars will feature Kilabotitos Ogie Alcasid & Ian Veneracion, along with the country’s best OPM artists such as Gary Valenciano, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Martin Nievera, Jose Mari Chan, Lani Misalucha, The Company, Dingdong Avanzado, Noel Cabangon, Christian Bautista, Aicelle Santos, Ryan Cayabyab Singers, Lara Maigue, Gian Magdangal, Poppert Bernadas, Moira Lacambra, Krystle, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab and more!

Ticket is FREE for every single or accumulated purchase receipt of Php 1,000 from any establishment of Ortigas Malls from November 4 to December 10, 2021. Donation of Php 800 to 1,000 can also be exchanged for a ticket. Visit ortigasmalls.com to claim your ticket. 

Check out Greenhills Mall, Tiendesitas, Estancia, and Industria Facebook pages for more details!

AIA Philippines Brings Community Together Through Live Better Expo

AIA Philippines Brings Community Together Through Live Better Expo

Since 2017, the Live Better Expo has been an experiential platform for the recently rebranded AIA Philippines (formerly AIA Philam Life) to fulfill its promise to help people live healthier, longer, better lives.

This year, AIA Philippines brings the Live Better Expo online, sharing tips and insights on how Filipinos can live healthy everyday through its Brand Ambassadors Gary Valenciano, Solenn Heussaff, Nico Bolzico, Raymond Gutierrez, Wil Dasovich, and Anton del Rosario.

Together with its bancassurance arm, BPI AIA, AIA Philippines will have experts talking about different aspects of wellness such as fitness, nutrition, including financial health in panel discussions where the audience can ask questions freely.

“Our goal is to encourage more Filipinos to live better, and AIA Philippines and BPI AIA are in the best position to help them achieve that,” stated Leo Tan, Chief Marketing Officer of AIA Philippines. “With the recent launch of our My AIA platform where our Total Health Solution ecosystem can be accessed, we can help them be their healthiest, no matter what their health starting line may be.”

The Live Better Expo 2021 will happen on December 11, 2021, from 9am to 12noon exclusively on Facebook Live. While the online event is open to everyone, viewers who register will get a chance to win premium Masterclass subscriptions, Apple watches, and a home-gym setup worth PHP50,000. Click here to Register! 

The expo is made up of three segments: Live Better, Protect Better, and Get Better, rich with sharing and expert advice to help Filipinos live healthy everyday–especially important this Christmas as they celebrate the joy of healthy living with family and friends. With Filipinos spending Christmas last year away from loved ones, many are looking forward to celebrating with their families again this year–and nothing is more important than being in the peak of health for a safe celebration. And AIA Philippines aims to jumpstart this celebration on an enlightening note with the expo.

For Live Better, the audience will be treated to hacks and tricks to have a healthier lifestyle and prevent being sick. In Protect Better, they’ll be listening in on tips to achieve financial freedom while debunking life insurance myths. 

The event will be concluded with the Get Better segment, where recovery challenges during the pandemic will be discussed. The segment will also talk about breast cancer–the journey to recovery, developments on treatment, and advice on staying mentally well while going through this illness.

“As the pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the globe, taking care of our health has never been more important. Wellness is no longer just a buzzword but a reality that we all strive to achieve in these challenging times,” shares Kelvin Ang, AIA Philippines Chief Executive Officer. “As we launch tools that will help more Filipinos live better—through Total Health Solution found in My AIA—we are able to mentor them as they go through their wellness journey. Live Better now serves as the platform from which we can better communicate how these all come together and bring to life our purpose of helping people live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives.”

Live Better Expo 2021 on December 11, 2021, 9am to 12noon exclusively on Facebook Live. Click here to Register! 

For more information visit AIA Philippines’ Facebook page, or email customerservice.ph@aia.com, or call (02) 8528-2000.

Have yourself a healthy, festive season with these tips from AXA

 

Planning your Christmas activities can help you and your family feel safer during the Holidays.

 

Have yourself a healthy, festive season with these tips from AXA

 

After over a year of lockdowns, vaccinated Pinoy families are looking forward to having safe get-togethers with their friends and loved ones. However, as the pandemic still hangs over the holidays, it's still important to plan ahead and think about how we can celebrate safely and stay healthy. AXA Philippines, one of the country’s leading insurance providers, offers some tips to help you celebrate a healthy and safe Christmas season.

Plan your Christmas activities thoroughly. Given how much there is to do during the holidays – from shopping to meal planning to decorating – planning strategically is key to celebrating a hassle-free holiday season. It pays to put careful thought into every detail of your holiday plans. For example, if you plan to host an intimate gathering, be sure to consider your party’s location, the duration, the number of guests, safety protocols, and if your guests are vaccinated already. These considerations will help you and your guests feel safer during your time together, and will help all of you become more relaxed and ready to enjoy the festivities.

Travel safely. After being cooped up for so long, you probably can’t wait to pack your bags and plan a trip to visit your loved ones. But as you make plans, book your flights, or hit the road, you want to make sure that you’ll be safe on your trip. Before traveling, it’s better to get vaccinated first and check the travel restrictions and safety protocols of the place you’re planning to visit. Most importantly, be prepared for any emergency that might happen on your trip. The Emma by AXA app provides safety and peace of mind for Filipinos with its Rescue Line feature, which offers free 24/7 access to police, ambulance, fire, and roadside assistance. With the app, you’ll be automatically connected to a Rescue Line operator who will help you with your emergency. You can also immediately notify your loved ones through SMS in case of an emergency with the emergency contact alerts feature. The Rescue Line feature can be used by anyone, not just for AXA policyholders.

Rid yourself of financial stress. Don’t have an emergency fund? Not sure how you’ll pay for all your essentials and holiday shopping? A lack of basic financial security can make it much harder to feel happy and can add stress to your life. However, the challenge usually lies is not knowing how to start. Gift yourself with essential life skills via AXA’s What’s Your Game Plan FinLit activities, where you can learn helpful financial tactics from experts, including budgeting, saving, and investmenting. Follow AXA Philippines’ Facebook page to see when the next What’s Your Game Plan webinar will be.

Have your future insured and planned out. The gift of health, safety, and security can be one of the most special gifts we can give to ourselves and to our loved ones. To help ensure that Filipinos can welcome the holidays and the upcoming new year with health and security in mind, AXA Philippines offers Health Care Access, a comprehensive and affordable health care plan for hospitalization and medical needs. This package also offers a Critical Illness Booster for additional cash benefit for the treatment of 56 critical illnesses, a Longevity Fund that you can tap for medical needs at age 76 and up, as well as life and accident coverage up to P500,000. Depending on your chosen plan, outpatient care, optical care, or dental care benefits are also included or can be added.

With these tips from AXA Philippines, you can celebrate the holidays, knowing that you and your loved ones can be healthy, safe, and ready for the year ahead. To know more about AXA’s offerings for every need, visit axa.com.ph.

 

PLDT Enterprise ramps up campaign to drive MSME recovery

 

(Manila, Philippines – December 9, 2021) Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have suffered the worst in the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) showed that the MSME sector in the country had experienced disrupted cash flow, income losses, and temporary business closures, among others.

Despite these, MSMEs have been resilient and adaptive to challenges by continuously reinventing their processes with the help of technology. They have invested in digital solutions to innovate and enable businesses continuity amid mobility restrictions and health protocols. 

To pay tribute to the unbreakable spirit of Filipino MSMEs, PLDT Enterprise has been relentless in its initiatives to provide suitable solutions to the sector to boost business recovery. The group now endeavors to extend financial and technological assistance to small-scale entrepreneurs and MSMEs to spur and accelerate their recovery.

Vic Tria, PLDT FVP & Enterprise Revenue Group Head, said that PLDT Enterprise fortifies its resolve to remain as the trusted technology partner of Filipino entrepreneurs and SME owners as they strive to recover from the economic challenges of the pandemic. 

"Our urgent priority at PLDT Enterprise is to help MSMEs to get back up and running as community quarantine measures slowly loosen up. Apart from connectivity, we recognize that they also need access to financial assistance technology services that will help them operate and thrive. This is why we're consistently coming up with innovative digital solutions that are within reach and are tailor-fit to their specific needs, so we can help accelerate their recovery and at the same time enhance their resiliency,” Tria said.

Together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Small Business Corp. (SBCorp.), PLDT Enterprise is supporting MSMEs by facilitating the delivery of assistances in the form of financing, connectivity, digital solutions, and access to upskilling and training.

The group currently offers a “DARE” promo for its BEYOND FIBER solution where MSMEs can avail of the service for only P90 pesos for the first 90 days, with no pre-termination fees within three months upon subscription. BEYOND FIBER is an enterprise-grade fiber powered by the 90-90 Advantage, which provides businesses a boosted minimum speed of 45Mbps or 90% of their subscribed speed at 90% reliability, that ensures the reliability of internet connection at any time of the day.

PLDT Enterprise also extended discounted GigaWork plans via BizLoad and a slew of curated digital solutions such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Shopify, and PayMaya payment solutions to allow MSMEs to transact online.

Additionally, PLDT Enterprise has also been empowering business owners with the latest industry insights through its TechTalk Learning Series, #Unbreakable Tuesdays with DTI, and ongoing virtual workshops with GoNegosyo called #UnbreakableMSMEs series.

“We at PLDT Enterprise assure our MSME partners of our unbreakable commitment to provide relevant solutions suitable for their online requirements. We commit to assist and guide our MSMEs in their digital transformation to help them recover as we look forward to a better business climate in the near future,” added Chito Franco, PLDT Enterprise Vice President for Small and MicroBiz.

For more information, visit pldtenterprise.com.

 

UnionBank wins big at the 2021 Asian Technology Excellence Awards

The bank secured the Philippines Technology Excellence Awards for E-Commerce - Financial Technology and AI - Financial Technology categories.

UnionBank once again proved to be the Philippines’ leading digital trailblazer after winning awards for E-Commerce - Financial Technology and AI – Financial Technology categories at the Asian Technology Excellence Awards 2021. The bank was recognised for its responsive efforts to assist e-commerce of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) during the pandemic.

The bank won their E-Commerce - Financial Technology award for the successful launch of the Sentro Online Store Builder, a project aimed to help Philippine MSMEs launch their own online stores in the fastest and easiest way possible. The said project was conceptualized by the Bank’s fintech spinoff UBX, before the pandemic hit in 2019, but became more timely as more businesses moved their transactions online. 

“When the pandemic hit, going online was no longer an option but a necessity. We decided to push our launch up as we knew that the Philippines needed us more than ever,” said John Januszczak, UBX President and CEO.

The key features of Sentro Online Store Builder were the integration of payment and logistic services to its banking features. These features enabled its users to have a smoother deal within the platform and have their transactions monitored in just one system.

“We made sure to pre-integrate payments and logistics services into Sentro so MSMEs would not have to think about who and how to integrate these necessary services. Because of our intimate understanding of the pain points of MSMEs, we were able to quickly sign up over 30,000 users,” Januszczak explained.

UBX aims to follow through with the initial success of the project and plans to add more logistics partners. It also aims to launch a Marketplace that comprises all stores built on the Sentro platform.

UBX also recognised that the success of the project for small scale enterprises could be replicated and multiplied on a larger scale. This moved the company into helping the Philippines’ first Wedding Expo Organizer, Themes, and Motifs, take their physical expos online. The positive outcome of the expo then led to the launch of TheBridalMarketplace.com – The First and Only Wedding Marketplace in the Philippines.

“We soon realized that it was not just MSMEs that needed help going online. Larger enterprises, such as mall operators, event organizers, professional associations and many more, needed their businesses to get online... We currently have a long pipeline of businesses looking to launch their own marketplaces and we plan to go live with several more before year-end,” UBX said.

Meanwhile, the second award of UnionBank for the AI - Financial Technology category was earned for their innovative approach in revamping loan processing in the country through the SeekCap Alternative Credit Scoring Model.

SeekCap uses a technologically advanced credit scoring system that integrates the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to create a risk-based lending approach. For UnionBank, this new system is the future of banking and shall overcome traditional limitations of the past. Through the implementation of this innovative system, UnionBank was able to manage risks better and offer loans in a more efficient manner to a wider range of individuals and small businesses—that profoundly needed lifelines during the uncertain pandemic economy.

“Most of the time, traditional credit and risk assessment methods simply assess loan applicants using hard-coded, preset rules, sometimes unfairly ruling out potential loan prospects. This is why we developed the new AI-powered credit scoring models. These credit scoring models intelligently and autonomously go through the application, alternative, and external data to create a more holistic, comprehensive profile of loan applicants with insights into customer behavior and needs,” said David Hardoon, UnionBank’s Senior Advisor for Data and Artificial Intelligence.

Hardoon explained that SeekCap helped both parties in multiple ways. It not only empowered previously underserved groups to have access to products and services that were not available through older conventional means, but it also increased the rate of efficiency of the banking process.

“Our new model is now giving us a monthly average approval rate of 54% - nearly double the performance of our old process. Overall, our loans services have generated over US$5 million (over P280 million) in new loans with low delinquency rates. In terms of customer experience, the loan approval process can take as short as one day if no issue is found in the application,” Hardoon explained.

UnionBank will receive the awards at the 2021 Technology Excellence Awards, the most prestigious awards programme in the region dedicated to technological projects and innovations. The award-giving body aims to recognise exceptional companies that are riding the digital disruption wave and leading the technological revolution and digital transformation journeys in their respective industries.

 

New Product Alert! FARMSKIN

Farmskin Fresh Food Facial Cleansing Foam For Dry Skin - Pomegranate 100ml SRP Php179 SALE Price: Php152 15% off Add to cart na!

New Product Alert: Farmskin is An all-natural and eco-friendly skincare brand that is made in Korea. So here's another must-try skincare goody for all the Korean skincare fanatics out there! Farmskin, is the new skincare and personal care brand from Korea. Known for its natural ingredients, ethically conscious in all its processes and practices, including being cruelty-free and safe on animals.

Click Farm Skin Official Store to Start Shopping Now!

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Aside from the key ingredients that will surely address your skincare problems, I bet you'll love it, even more, knowing that this new product line from Korea, Farm Skin is an ethically conscious brand. Made from All-Natural Ingredients, Eco-friendly, Cruelty-free, and Animal-safe products. And the best part? Farmskin is available on Shopee and it's on SALE! *selected items up to 49% off!