May 30, 2020

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES Flight Schedule : List of Operational Flights for June 2020

Philippine Airlines has just announced that it will be resuming operations of selected international and domestic flights from June 1 to 30, 2020. The move was made after the government had stated the plan to place Metro Manila under General Community Quarantine (from stricter Enhanced Community Quarantine).

The list that PAL has released covers a limited number of international routes (mostly in the USA and East and Southeast Asia) and several domestic routes.

Internatonal Flights

Coverage: June 1-30, 2020

MANILA – LOS ANGELES – MANILA
PR 102/103 – June 8 and 10
PR 102/103 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays (Effective June 11)
PR 102/103 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays (Effective June 15)

MANILA – SAN FRANCISCO – MANILA
PR 104/105 – June 1 and 10
PR 104/105 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays (Effective June 11)

MANILA – NEW YORK (JFK)
PR 126/127 – Thursdays, Sundays (Effective June 11)
PR 126/127 – Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays (Effective June 22)

NEW YORK (JFK) – MANILA
PR 127 – Mondays, Fridays (Effective June 12)
PR 127 – Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays (Effective June 22)

MANILA – HONOLULU – MANILA
PR 100/101 – Tuesdays, Saturdays (Effective June 13)

MANILA – GUAM
PR 110 – June 12
PR 110 – Fridays / Mondays (Effective June 15)

GUAM – MANILA
PR 111 – June 13
PR 111 – Saturdays, Tuesdays (Effective June 15)

MANILA – VANCOUVER – MANILA
PR 116/117 – June 10 and 14
PR 116/117 – Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays (Effective June 15)i

MANILA – TORONTO – MANILA
PR 118/119 – June 14, 17 and 21
PR 118/119 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Sundays (Effective June 22)

MANILA – SINGAPORE – MANILA
PR 507/508 – June 3
PR 507/508 – Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays (Effective June 12)

MANILA – XIAMEN – MANILA
PR 330/331 – Wednesdays (Effective June 17)

MANILA – JAKARTA
PR 535 – Saturdays (Effective June 13)
PR 535 – Tuesdays, Saturdays (Effective June 16)

JAKARTA – MANILA
PR 536 – Sundays (Effective June 14)
PR 536 – Wednesdays, Sundays (Effective June 17)

MANILA – KUALA LUMPUR – MANILA
PR 527/528 – Saturdays (Effective June 13)

MANILA – HO CHI MINH CITY (SAIGON) – MANILA
PR 591/592 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays (Effective June 15)

MANILA – HONG KONG – MANILA
PR 300/301 – Fridays, Sundays (Effective June 19)

MANILA – DOHA – MANILA
PR 684/685 – Thursdays (Effective June 15)

MANILA – DUBAI – MANILA
PR 658/659 – Tuesdays (Effective June 15)

MANILA – DAMMAM – MANILA
PR 682/683 – Saturdays (Effective June 15)

MANILA – RIYADH – MANILA
PR 654/655 – Mondays, Fridays (Effective June 15)

MANILA – TAIPEI – MANILA
PR 890/891 – Mondays, Fridays (Effective June 16)

MANILA – TOKYO (HANEDA) – MANILA
PR 422/421 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays (Effective June 22)

MANILA – OSAKA (KANSAI) – MANILA
PR 412/411 – Mondays, Thursdays, Sundays (Effective June 22)

MANILA – NAGOYA
PR 438 – Thursdays, Sundays (Effective June 22)

NAGOYA – MANILA
PR 437 – Fridays, Mondays (Effective June 23)

PAL is still assessing whether or not they could operate flights to and from Sydney (Australia) and London (UK) this June. However, they have confirmed that they will NOT be flying to Auckland (New Zealand), Bali (Indonesia), Bangkok (Thailand), Beijing (China), Brisbane (Australia), Busan (South Korea), Fukuoka (Japan), Guangzhou (China), Hanoi (Vietnam), Macau, Melbourne (Australia), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Perth (Australia), Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea), Quanzhou (Jinjiang, China), Sapporo (Japan), Seoul/Incheon (South Korea) and Shanghai (China).

Domestic Flights

Coverage: June 8-30, 2020

MANILA – BASCO – MANILA
PR 2936/2937 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – LAOAG – MANILA
PR 2196/2197 – Tuesdays, Saturdays (Effective June 08)
PR 2198/2199 – Wednesdays, Sundays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – LEGAZPI – MANILA
PR 2921/2922 – Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – PUERTO PRINCESA – MANILA
PR 2785/2786 – Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – BUSUANGA (CORON) – MANILA
PR 2961/2962 – Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays (Effective June 15)
PR 2965/2966 – Sundays (Effective June 15)

MANILA – BACOLOD – MANILA
PR 2131/2132 – Daily (Effective June 08)

MANILA – CEBU – MANILA
PR 1845/1846 – Daily (Effective June 08)

MANILA – DUMAGUETE – MANILA
PR 2545/2546 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – ILOILO – MANILA
PR 2141/2142 – Daily (Effective June 08)

MANILA – KALIBO – MANILA
PR 2969/2970 – Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – CATICLAN (BORACAY) – MANILA
PR 2041/2042 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturday, Sundays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – ROXAS – MANILA
PR 2203/2204 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – TACLOBAN – MANILA
PR 2985/2986 – Daily (Effective June 08)

MANILA – TAGBILARAN (PANGLAO) – MANILA
PR 2773/2774 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – BUTUAN – MANILA
PR 2967/2968 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – COTABATO – MANILA
PR 2959/2960 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – CAGAYAN DE ORO – MANILA
PR 2521/2522 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays (Effective June 01)

MANILA – DIPOLOG – MANILA
PR 2557/2558 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – DAVAO – MANILA
PR 2813/2814 – Daily (Effective June 08)

MANILA – GENERAL SANTOS – MANILA
PR 453/454 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – OZAMIZ – MANILA
PR 2889/2890 – Fridays, Sundays (Effective June 01)
PR 2889/2890 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – PAGADIAN – MANILA
PR 2783/2784 – Tuesdays, Saturdays (Effective June 01)
PR 2783/2784 – Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays (Effective June 08)

MANILA – ZAMBOANGA – MANILA
PR 2997/2998 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays (Effective June 08)

CEBU – DAVAO – CEBU
PR 2363/2364 – Daily (Effective June 08)

PAL also shares that they plan to add more routes and flights in the next months, if they will be permitted by aviation authorities.

Updates Log

2020 May 30 – PAL added JFK-MNL flights, changed the schedule of MNL-YYZ-MNL (June 10/14 to 14/17/21), revised the coverage of list of domestic flights (June 1-30 to June 8-30), and removed all previously announced domestic flights scheduled on June 1-7.

IMPORTANT REMINDER

Before booking, check with the local government of your origin or destination for possible travel documents that may be required.

Because the status of flights changes quickly especially during these uncertain times, before making any move, always double check with PAL first to get the latest flight status. You may check their official website or Facebook page.

GCash powers Edsa buses with contactless payment capabilities

GCash, the leading mobile wallet in the Philippines, is enabling commuters to pay for their EDSA bus fares through their GCash e-wallets, as it continues to strongly support government initiatives in curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Through its partnership with AF Payments Inc., the operator of tap-and-go contactless beepTM card and payments systems, GCash is empowering its users to use their mobile wallets to safely pay for their bus fares, particularly the EDSA route.

To pay for their bus fares, GCash users simply have to generate a QR code from their app and have it scanned using the beepTM handheld terminal. This reduces the need for cash handling and limits face-to-face interaction between transport personnel and commuters.

“As a strong government partner, GCash has always been supportive of the government since day one. We believe that through our platform, we are able to help the government reduce the spread of the virus and provide commuters with a safe, secure, and very convenient way of paying for their transport needs,” GCash VP and Head of Payments Jovitt Bajar said.

The government has cautiously opened the public transport sector in the past few weeks, declaring that areas under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) may restart the plying of public transport means for commuters.

The Department of Transportation-Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (DOTr-LTFRB) also required transport operators and drivers to implement contactless payments to ensure the safety of both passengers and drivers. Last week, the department announced that it is partnering with GCash for cashless payment for taxis.

Paper money is found to harbor viruses and bacteria just like any other surface, and the World Health Organization (WHO) advised people to properly wash their hands after handling cash to avoid the risk of contracting diseases, including COVID-19, from banknotes.

“Cashless is really the future, and it is being accelerated at an unprecedented pace due to the pandemic. As a pioneer and leader in the fintech space, we at GCash are ready to support the growing demand for digital payments solutions, especially in crucial services such as public transport,” Bajar said.

Today, there are over 25 million GCash users that enjoy various financial services such as bills payment to over 400 billers, physical payments to more than 75,000 merchants, online payments, fund transfers, and airtime load top ups. GCash also democratized access to other financial tools such as savings, credit, insurance, and investments all in one mobile app.

Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), which operates GCash, is part of the portfolio companies of 917Ventures, the largest corporate incubator in the Philippines wholly-owned by Globe Telecom Inc.

GCash is available for download on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, kindly visit https://www.gcash.com/.

Crash Landing On You’s Captain Ri, is definitely landing on the Philippines -#SmartHyunBin

Get ready to fall head over heels with our newest ambassador #SmartHyunBin

"Hello Philippines, I am Hyun Bin," the Korean actor said in a video where he's seen looking dapper in an all-black ensemble.

The video was posted on Facebook, a day after the telco's CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan confirmed that the Korean actor is the telco's newest endorser.

Hyun Bin's sweet greeting came a day after the telco dropped a teaser video featuring The CLOY star looking cool as he entered a sports car.

Crash Landing On You’s Captain Ri, is definitely landing on the Philippines. An article by Inquirer.net quoted a text message from Bench owner Ben Chan saying, “… hopefully end of this year or early next year when traveling is allowed and when all is relatively back to normal.”

This, after Bench’s Instagram page teased fans and set the internet roaring with OMGs by sharing a simple animation of the words “Your crush, landing soon.” With the caption, “After months of keeping it a secret, the wait is almost over,” a lot can’t possibly contain the energy spike it induced.

Bench is known for being able to sign on Korean stars as its brand ambassadors and eventually invite them to visit the country. Some of these include Lee Min-ho and Park Seo-joon.

It seems that the Korean actor’s ties to the Philippines are quite cemented. Just to add to Bench’s announcement, communication giant Smart also launched Hyun as its endorser, this time setting Twitter on fire with his “Mahal ko kayo.”

Smart Communications posted a nine-seconder ad teaser with the big RiVeal on June 1st.

“Crash Landing on You” is a Korean drama that immediately got the hearts of Filipinos swooning.

It stars Hyun as Captain Ri, who plays a North Korean army captain and Son Ye-jin, as Se-ri, an heiress in South Korea who accidentally paraglides to the North.

The K-drama’s finale in February this year broke the rating records of the finale of “Goblin” back in January 2017 for broadcasting station TVN, according to Nielsen Korea. It scored a nationwide average rating of 21.683 percent and a peak rating of 24.1 percent.

May 29, 2020

Philippine Airlines (PAL) plans to resume selected international flights in June

Philippine Airlines (PAL) plans to fly a reduced number of weekly flights on “most” domestic routes and “selected” international routes starting June 1.

PAL has suspended all domestic and international flights to and from its hubs in Manila, Cebu and Clark until May 31.

PAL will announce the list of operating flights and routes for June “once the details are finalised”. It added that the resumptions of flights in June depends on “Covid-19 conditions” as well as “community quarantine restrictions”, travel bans imposed by various governments and “their impact on passenger demand”, and the “safety situation” in the destinations PAL is offering flights to.

In March, the Philippines imposed an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon, which is a total lockdown that restricts movement except for necessity, work, and health circumstances, in response to the coronavirus crisis. On May 12, the government announced that only Metro Manila and Laguna in Luzon would be under a modified ECQ from May 16 to May 31, according to Bloomberg.

The Philippines, like a number of governments worldwide, has issued entry restrictions and quarantine requirements in light of the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Currently, Philippine citizens and their foreign spouse/children are permitted to enter, but must undergo a 14-day home quarantine on arrival. Passengers travelling on a diplomatic passport can also travel to the country, but they will also be subject to a 14-day quarantine on arrival.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Philippines has 14,669 confirmed coronavirus cases, among those 886 deaths as of May 27.

Visit philippineairlines.com for more updates.

6 Reasons Why Shoppers Should Look Forward to Shopee 6.6 Super Flash Sale

Get over ₱1 Million worth of cash prizes, free shipping with ₱0 minimum spend, deals as low as ₱6 and exclusive discounts with ShopeePay

MANILA, MAY 29, 2020 - Shopee-holics, rejoice! Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, launches 6.6 Super Flash Sale to provide users with greater convenience and cost savings for their everyday needs. Filipinos can look out for deals as low as ₱6, free shipping with ₱0 minimum spend, and prizes worth over ₱1.3 million. Running from May 18 to June 6, 2020, shoppers can look forward to a fun and entertaining shopping experience for the coming days before the big sale.

Here are six reasons why users should look forward to Shopee 6.6 Super Flash Sale:

1. A total of ₱1.3 million prizes to be given away

Shopee is taking it up a notch by giving away a total of ₱1.3 million in cash. On June 6, users can double their chances of winning big cash prizes when they pre-register on Shopee’s microsite, tune in to Wowowin via Shopee Live and join the Shopee Shake game.

2. Flash deals as low as ₱6 and exclusive discounts on selected products

Users can redeem flash deals every ten minutes and enjoy a variety of items at huge discounted prices, including up to 60% off selected home appliances, up to 50% off running shoes and up to 60% off personal care items.

Shoppers can purchase high-value items for only ₱6 such as the ACE SL-24" TV-3.5A Ultra Slim LED-220 Television, a Seagate 1TB Hard Drive, and The Platinum Junior Lite DVD Karaoke with Free Wireless Microphone.

3. Free shipping with ₱0 minimum spend to ease delivery costs

On June 6, users can shop more of their favorite products with free shipping with ₱0 minimum spend on all flash deals as well as from selected stores.

4. Up to ₱1000 off when paying with ShopeePay on D-Day

On June 6, users can get up to ₱1000 off from their purchases when they use ShopeePay as their mode of payment. ShopeePay is Shopee’s integrated e-wallet and payment feature that allows users to store funds and pay for purchases with e-money on Shopee seamlessly, conveniently, and securely. Shoppers can check out for more details on special deals and promotions with ShopeePay here (https://shopee.ph/m/shopee-pay).

5. Exclusive promotions from leading brands

Users can enjoy exclusive discounts ranging from 20% to 50% off from leading brands such as Wyeth, Unilever Beauty, Shigetsu, L’Oreal Paris, Maybelline, P&G Home, and Nestle.

6. Newly-launched in-app games: Shopee Poly and Shopee Claw

Users can have a great time with in-app games such as Shopee Claw and Shopee Poly where they can redeem prizes and earn Shopee coins.

Shopee Claw is inspired by the favorite arcade claw machine whereby Shopee users can use a claw to pick up prizes. These include Shopee coins, ShopeePay discount vouchers, a pair of Airpods, and an iPhone 11.

Shopee Poly lets users throw a dice to determine the number of steps they will take. They either lose or earn points depending on the spot they land on. Players have a chance to win Shopee coins, cashback vouchers, ShopeePay discount vouchers, as well as special prizes including a Xiaomi Mi Band 4 and a Realme C2 Smartphone.

For more information, visit https://shopee.ph/m/double-double

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Meralco ensures continuous power supply to COVID-19 health centers

Seen in the photo are Meralco crews upgrading the three (3) distribution transformers serving General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital located at Trece Martires City in Cavite.

This is one of the many vital hospitals and COVID-19 treatment and testing centers included the Meralco priority list when it comes to providing safe, adequate, and reliable supply of electricity. Meralco also recently announced the resumption of its Business Centers operations accepting service applications, bill payments, and other service-related inquiries starting May 7. For more information and updates, follow the Meralco Facebook and Twitter Accounts, download and install the Meralco Online App, or call the Meralco 24/7 hotline at 16211.

Ordering at your favorite JFC fast food restaurant is now just a chat away! Jollibee Foods Corporation and PayMaya pioneer conversational commerce with ‘cashless’ ordering chatbot

Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) along with all of its food and restaurant brands in the country has begun piloting an interactive mobile ordering system via chatbot, with a seamless payment experience powered by PayMaya.

Customers in select areas can now use their credit, debit, or prepaid cards as well as their PayMaya e-wallet accounts to pay for their favorite food items and meals via the Facebook Messenger channels of Jollibee, Burger King, Chowking, Mang Inasal, and Red Ribbon -- which are all currently running on beta version. This will soon be available in the Facebook messenger of Greenwich as well.

All they need to do is type “#order” and send this to the Facebook chatbot of their favorite JFC restaurant, select the meal they’d like to order, pay by selecting their preferred cashless payment option, and wait for their food to be delivered in their homes.

As an added treat, customers can get up to 100% cashback when they pay using their PayMaya registered mobile number upon ordering via chatbot with a minimum spend of P500.

“As we implement more stringent safety measures in this 'new normal', the availability of PayMaya’s cashless payments solutions helps ensure that both our customers and frontliner workers are protected, while at the same time giving them a more joyful experience when they order their favorite food from any of our brands," said Jollibee Global Brand CMO, JFC Philippines Country Business Group and concurrent Jollibee PH Marketing Head Francis Flores.

Offering cashless payment options via the Facebook chatbot is just the next step in the partnership between PayMaya and JFC. In 2019, this partnership also helped pave the way for the launch of digital payments through self-ordering kiosks in Jollibee, Burger King and Chowking stores via the One by PayMaya Point-Of-Sale Device, and now has expanded its cashless payment option in 300 Jollibee stores.

“Over the past months we've seen an acceleration in the evolution of 'conversational commerce', with businesses and entrepreneurs harnessing their networks through chat apps to continue selling their products. During this time, businesses like JFC's brands need to be present where their customers are, and today most of the customers are online–so offering a wide variety of digital payment options ensures a safe and seamless ability for them to meet their business and customer needs," PayMaya President Shailesh Baidwan said.

Soon, JFC will also be rolling out PayMaya’s Digital Invoice solution when ordering online via its various brand's delivery websites or through their respective hotlines, allowing customers to receive an invoice with a payment link via SMS or email so that they can also pay using any card or using their PayMaya account.

Aside from enabling the cashless payments acceptance of various JFC brands, PayMaya has also partnered with Jollibee Group Foundation to allow them to receive donations from anywhere around the world via the #OneAgainstCOVID19 campaign website (pymy.co/jollibee) or through the Pay Bills function of the PayMaya app.

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines with platforms and services that cuts across consumers, merchants, and government. Aside from providing the payments acceptance for the largest e-Commerce, food, retail and gas merchants in the Philippines, PayMaya is enabling national and social services agencies as well as local government units with digital payments and disbursement services.

Through its PayMaya app and wallet, it is providing millions of Filipinos with the fastest way to own a financial account with over 40,000 Add Money touchpoints nationwide, more than double the total number of traditional bank branches in the Philippines combined. Its Smart Padala by PayMaya network of over 30,000 partner agents nationwide serves as last mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved with access to services.

To know more about PayMaya's products and services for businesses and merchants, visit http://enterprise.paymaya.com. [END]

New Hanabishi endorser Sarah G. urges families to find ways to make home life better during quarantine

Hanabishi Philippines’ new celebrity endorser Sarah Geronimo-Guidicelli encourages families to find ways to make their home life better during quarantine.

The Popstar advices people to stay at home and learn a new skill like cooking or baking as they have more time at their disposal. Get the kids to make their own merienda or midnight snacks, catch up on the series you’ve been wanting to see, or finally finish that book you’ve been putting off reading for months.

“Tulungan po natin ang ating mga frontliners at ating gobyerno ngayong mga panahong ito na tayo ay nahaharap sa pagsubok. Sa halip na nakatuon tayo sa mga negatibong bagay, gumawa po tayo ng paraan upang lalong mas mapaganda ang ating buhay sa loob ng ating mga tahanan. (Let us help our front-liners and the government during these challenging times. Instead of focusing on the negative, let’s find ways to do to make our home life better),” Geronimo-Guidicelli says.

If you’re looking for kitchen appliances to help you make your first dish, you can now easily place an order for one through the Hanabishi website, www.myhanabishi.com.

They have broilers, grillers, fryers, electric cookers, and juice blenders. You can also buy mixers, food processors, steamers, pressure cookers, and stoves from the site.

Apart from the kitchen appliances mentioned above, you may also order Hanabishi’s electric fans and coolers; air-conditioning units; refrigerators; rice cookers; water dispensers; garment care appliances; and vacuums and sterilizers through their website.

“Nagpapasalamat ako sa bago ‘kong kapamilya, ang Hanabishi. Alam naman ng pamilyang Pilipino na ang Hanabishi ay isa sa pinagkakatiwalaang brand of appliances dito sa atin. Ang mga kailangan natin upang mapasaya ang ating buhay pamilya habang tayo ay naka-quarantine ay mabibili na online mula sa Hanabishi. (I am grateful to my new family, Hanabishi. Filipino families have known Hanabishi as one of the most trusted brands in the country. The things we need to make our family life happy while on quarantine can now be bought online from Hanabishi,” Sarah further adds.

Hanabishi currently offers free shipping for small items. You can have your order picked up at their warehouse at Meycauayan, Bulacan or choose to have it delivered to your preferred address.

Placing an order is easy. Visit the Hanabishi website and add to cart the appliance you want to order. Make a payment through Metrobank, BDO, Dragonpay, or PayPal. Choose between the pickup and delivery options. Deliveries will be made through either Transportify or Lalamove. Wait for the confirmation, and then you’re through.

For inquiries about the free shipping on small items, you may call Nikki at 0966-8137150; Lot at 0927-3084741; Je at 0932-5657796; or Pearl at 0997-6024956.

May 28, 2020

Shopee offers the Ultimate Gen Z Dream Job - be a TikTok Star!

Shopee is looking for a content creator for their TikTok Channel

Are you obsessed with TikTok? Have you been following all the viral hashtags and trends on social media? If you answered “yes” to these questions, then you may be just what Shopee is looking for!

In this role, you get the chance to create and produce engaging social media content from beginning to end. The best part? Not only will you get paid to do something you really enjoy doing, but you’ll also proudly represent the brand as one of the Faces of Shopee on TikTok!

Shopee wants bold and imaginative people to join their creative think tank. If you love being on camera and have the confidence to back it up, then this job is for you!

Interested candidates can paste a link of their most creative 30-second TikTok video on the comments section of the Shopee Career page. The clip should include why the candidates are the best person for this exciting role.

Head over to Shopee Careers (https://careers.shopee.ph/job-detail/2952/) for more details.

Connectivity during COVID-19 is crucial, GCash CEO says

The pandemic has changed virtually everything -- especially the way people work.

With the firm directive to “stay at home,” individuals and companies alike have come up with different schemes to continue operations—from furniture companies, delivery services, and telecom services—every business in the country are trying to find new ways to cope with the “new normal.”

What the pandemic has translated to, in the corporate world, is the increasing implementation of remote working schemes—utilizing technology to maintain workplace culture, the rise of so-called Zoom parties, as an effective alternative to the usual office banter and the ever-present online green orb that has everyone analyzing and predicting what the future of office culture looks like for the Filipino.

As the country continues to struggle against the coronavirus, with the Philippines still suffering from losses the ECQ has incurred—there’s a looming question in every Filipino’s mind: What will change?

Industry innovators like Martha Sazon, the newly appointed CEO of GCash-operator Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), see this situation as an opportunity to further strengthen interpersonal relationships between colleagues.

GCash is more relevant than ever, Sazon said at ReStart, a live learning series powered by Project Ripple Philippines, that gathered leading executives from different industries to discuss how to improve work-from-home processes during these tumultuous times.

“We're in a good place as a business because we're in demand, and we are able to help other businesses as well,” she added. “We have successfully gone through a major platform migration without having to be physically together.”

Globe and GCash continue to launch necessary services catered to a community going through the “new normal,” aimed at creating ways to provide the Filipino people comfort, ease, and convenience during these uncertain times.

“We complement the shift in online behavior, as we offer safe and secure cash transactions," Sazon said.

As the world continues to understand and adapt to the new environment the pandemic has thrust upon people, Sazon recognizes how employees of Mynt have continued to work through this crisis, creating and thriving in a world of digital collaboration despite being apart.

True to Mynt’s core values, fostering inclusiveness through financial technology to bridge the gap between the banked and unbanked, connectivity has always been Sazon's main concern.

“It requires a lot of checking in, mental health is very important,” Sazon emphasized. “People try to cope differently.”

There are over 700 Mynt employees as of today, and almost all of them are working from the comforts of their own homes. Mynt conducted a survey on how it can further help employees adapt to this arrangement.

Weekly activities such as non-related engagements like games and creative contests were also provided to ensure the mental health of Mynt employees. Leaders also engage in online huddles and provide learning activities to help each employee grow. Town Hall meetings are also being held on a regular basis

Zoom sessions with GCash employees have become more than just virtual meetings for productivity, Sazon said. They also include “kumustahan” sessions that have helped her maintain and boost the morale of her team.

"We need to reimagine the way we operate, and with that comes new skills, it’s about helping each other so we can cope with the new skills we need," Sazon added.

Despite the firm emphasis on social distancing, Sazon believes that work at GCash cannot be done alone, even with the physical hurdle of not being able to be in close proximity to each other.

“Above all the safety and well-being of our employees remain our priority, we need to keep our employees highly connected,” Sazon said.

Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), which operates GCash, is part of the portfolio companies of 917Ventures, the largest corporate incubator in the Philippines wholly-owned by Globe Telecom Inc.

GCash is available for download on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, kindly visit https://www.gcash.com/.

May 27, 2020

Rep. Angelina Tan pushes for mandatory immunization

Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan, Chairperson on House Committee on Health, reaffirmed her stand on mandatory immunization amid the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to prevent future outbreaks from happening.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected and impacted our lives in a totally unprecedented way. Millions of people around the world have been infected, leaving hundreds of thousands of people dead. In the Philippines, we have more than 14,000 total confirmed cases and close to 900 deaths because of this pandemic.

This Wednesday morning, May 27, a webinar zoom event was held as "Kapihan sa Manila Bay" with Marichu Villanueva, who hosts its first-ever kapihan online with the topic: AFTER THE COVID-19 CONTAGION, HOW CAN THE PHILIPPINES PREPARE BETTER FOR ANY FUTURE PANDEMIC?

The panelists were Congresswoman Angelina Tan, Chairperson, Committee on Health, House of Representatives, Congressman Adriano Ebcas, AKO PADAYON Pilipino party-list representative, Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire, Public Health Epidemiologist Dr. Troy Gepte and Dr. Lulu Bravo, Executive Director, Philippine Foundation for Vaccination.

Tan cited the importance of pursuing the government’s immunization program even during the community quarantine as a way to ensure that children are protected from future pandemics.

“We have several initiatives in Congress in relation to the country’s immunization program,” Tan revealed. “We are pushing for the creation of the NITAG, a national immunization advisory board, and we are trying to adopt a school-based immunization program that will benefit our students,” she added.

Tan also reaffirmed her call for an open, competitive bidding process in vaccines. According to Tan, an important element in the immunization program is to ensure that the procurement of vaccines is done in such a way that no single manufacturer is favored. The specifications in bidding should not favor a single brand.

Health Undersecretary Dr. Ma. Rosario Vergeire explained in the same forum that the DOH suspended the bidding for PCVs after new evidence that they need to look into more carefully was presented.

“Nung lumabas ang bagong ebidensiya na sinubmit sa atin, ang desisyon namin ay ipasok muna sa Health Technology Assessment Center (HTAC). HTAC is reviewing the procurement, which is really the right process. Ngayon po hindi pa lumalabas ang recommendation ng HTAC,” Vergeire revealed.

The DOH previously requested the HTAC to review the National Immunization Program (NIP), particularly the Pneumococcal Vaccination Program for children, in light of new 2017 and 2019 evidence from the World Health Organization (WHO).

In February 2019, WHO reaffirmed this earlier position saying that the two available PCVs in the market--PCV10 and PCV13--are equally effective in preventing overall pneumococcal diseases in children. The position paper also states that there is at present insufficient evidence of a difference in the net impact of the two available PCVs on overall disease burden.

During the Kapihan webinar zoom meeting, Dr. Lulu Bravo, an epidemiologist, and professor of Pediatric Infectious and Tropical Diseases at the College of Medicine of UP Manila stressed that the new evidence regarding PCVs that came out recently came from experts themselves.

“According to the WHO, when it comes to pneumococcal vaccination for children, both PCV10 and PCV13 are just as good. The important thing is cost-effectiveness,” Bravo noted.

“We should follow what the WHO says, being experts in their field. If you cannot believe WHO, who will you believe?” she added

“Both vaccines exist. If the health assessment proves that both PCV10 and PCV13 have the same effects, then we need to go through a procurement process that’s open and competitive so the government can save on costs,” Tan said.

On a related note, Rep. Adriano A. Ebcas of the Ako Padayon Pilipino Partylist revealed that he and three other partylist representatives filed a resolution urging the DOH to ensure the continued safe implementation of the mandated National Immunization Program for children despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The House Resolution aims to encourage and support the DOH in its endeavor to contain the current outbreak and prevent future community outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The resolution also aims to secure and ensure a stable supply of available vaccines through the continued conduct of open, fair, and competitive bidding, thereby preventing any “outbreak within an outbreak.”

In the resolution, the solons declared,

“An open, fair, competitive public procurement of NIP vaccines provide the Filipino people the broadest possible options for affordable, quality, and registered vaccines, allowing for potential significant savings to the government while at the same promoting strong public governance.”

May 26, 2020

Teleperformance Philippines is certified Great Place to Work® for third year in a row

Manila, Philippines -- Teleperformance, a leading global group in digital integrated business services, recently announced that its Philippine operations has received the prestigious Great Place to Work® (GPTW®) certification for the third consecutive year.

Highlights of Teleperformance Philippines’ 2020 GPTW® recognition include record employee participation and the highest overall score achieved to-date. Notably, Teleperformance became the very first company in any industry in the Philippines to win GPTW® certification in 2018 and the only company in the country who has won for three consecutive years.

Over 34,000 employees of Teleperformance Philippines participated in the Trust Index® survey conducted by the Great Place to Work® Institute, where they were asked to anonymously rate the company in several areas and measured how employees perceive the organization based on the quality of workplace experience.

Jose Bezanilla, CEO of GPTW® Greater China and Asia, said, “More than 80% of Teleperformance’s approximately 42,000 employees in the Philippines participated in anonymous surveys that assess employee trust by rating the company on credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie. This outstanding participation rate gives us very high confidence in the findings. Survey responses are independently cross-validated with rigorous field audits covering everything from the quality of physical work facilities and employee amenities to corporate culture. The care and respect Teleperformance has for their people is fully evident in the findings and further validated by the high levels of trust more than 34,000 Teleperformance employees have clearly expressed in their company. We are very pleased to once again recognize Teleperformance in the Philippines as a Great Place to Work®.”

Mike Lytle, COO of Teleperformance Philippines, shared, “We are truly humbled to earn the Great Place to Work® certification for the third year in a row because it is based on the unbiased and objective feedback of our own employees. It underscores the fact that our people know we truly care about them and we are a real family. We are deeply encouraged by this result because it shows that we are able to deliver on our promise of making each interaction matter — not just for our external customers, but for our employees as well. And this is very important to us, especially now as we prepare to further push our innovation agenda and continue to build on our employee experience to sustain our growth momentum in the long-term.”

Among those programs is the company’s vibrant Diversity & Inclusion initiatives championed by the executive leadership who actively drive a culture of respect and acceptance and prohibit all forms of discrimination through institutionalized essential policies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, and HIV in the Workplace Policy.

Learning and Development is another Teleperformance strength, as it offers its online learning platform called Life at TP to all employees. Another game-changing program it launched was the Analytics Academy which aims to grow the skills and expertise of Teleperformance employees on data science and analytics, and build a critical mass of Data Science and Business Analytics professionals in the company who will support a forward-looking data culture to address the challenges of the workplace of the future.

In addition to the comprehensive GPTW® certification process, Teleperformance operations in the Philippines are regularly visited and reviewed by third parties including independent industry analysts. These reviews include in-depth management and client interviews, physical site and facilities tours, operations inspections and employee focus groups among other activities. The findings are frequently cited in industry best practices awards, ratings and studies conducted by business analysts.

Teleperformance Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Julien said, “We have operated in the Philippines since 1996 and the country and our team there both hold a very special place in our hearts. The Philippines is integral to our regional and offshore strategies; we have heavily invested in people, facilities and technologies over the years. Now, with the war against Covid-19, we continue to harden our facilities while expanding work at home as fast as possible so we can safeguard thousands of jobs, best protect our people and best support our clients. It is really gratifying to see that Teleperformance Philippines’ own employees, massively answering to a third party survey, have recognized Teleperformance in the Philippines as a Great Place to Work®. At Teleperformance we care.”

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ABOUT TELEPERFORMANCE

Teleperformance (TEP – ISIN: FR0000051807 – Reuters: ROCH.PA – Bloomberg: TEP FP), the global leader in outsourced omnichannel customer experience management, serves as a strategic partner to the world’s largest companies in a wide variety of industries. Its customer care, technical support, customer acquisition, consulting and analytics, digital integrated business service solutions, and other high-value specialized services ensure consistently positive customer interactions that are reliable, flexible and intelligent. The company has established the highest security and quality standards in the industry and uses proprietary deep learning technology to optimize flexibility on a global scale.

The Group’s 300,000 employees, spread across 80 countries, support billions of connections annually in 265 languages and enhance the customer experience with every interaction. In 2019, Teleperformance reported consolidated revenue of €5,355 million (US$6 billion, based on €1 = $1.12).

Teleperformance began operations in the Philippines in 1996 and has grown to become a preferred offshore contact center outsourcing option. The company employs over 47,500 people in the country and operates over 30,000 workstations in 21 business sites located across Metro Manila, Antipolo, Baguio, Bacolod, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Davao.

From 2012 to 2018, Teleperformance received the Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Contact Center Outsourcing Service Provider of the Year Award for its significant performance in revenue management, market share, capabilities, and overall contribution to the contact center industry. In addition, Teleperformance Philippines was awarded in 2017 as Outstanding Employer and Outstanding Community Project of the Year by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the Top Employer of the Year at the Asia CEO Awards, and the Outstanding Volunteer by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

This 2020, Teleperformance Philippines was again certified as a Great Place to Work® and is the only organization in the country to receive this certification from the Great Place to Work® Institute for three years in a row. This year, Teleperformance celebrates its 24th year of continued excellence and leadership in the country. This milestone highlights the company’s commitment to steadily provide the best employment experience for Filipinos, proactively support the nation’s ICT-BPO sector, and uphold its socio-civic engagements to create a difference in the lives of the Philippine community.

For further information, please visit the Teleperformance website at teleperformance.ph.

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