Huawei partners with DOT to showcase the beauty of Philippines worldwide

HUAWEI has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Tourism (DOT) today to promote the Philippines' tourist destinations, arts and culture to its more than 600 million users around the world.

Attendees present at the signing ceremony were Department of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, DOT Assistant Secretary Howie Uyking, Huawei Philippines Vice President Daniel Guo, and Huawei Hong Kong Service COO, Mr. Wang Zhihui.

The partnership aims to showcase the Philippines' world-class tourist spots, Filipino products and tourism-related events to HUAWEI Themes users in over 170 countries and regions. Under the MoU, HUAWEI Themes users can explore the Philippines curation series now under the “Pinoy Favorites” category on the app homepage.

The DOT will be the photo contributor under this partnership to provide source images related to the Philippines’ arts and culture. Among others, the popular tourist destinations in the Philippines such as beaches, islands, heritage towns, and deep seas will be featured in the app. Moving forward, DOT will also offer domestic tourism vouchers for hotels, attractions and tours to HUAWEI Themes users.

In her speech, DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat expressed her gratitude to Huawei for supporting the DOT's efforts in handling the pandemic's effect on the tourism industry by lending its wide reach of smartphone users.

"Our strategy for the safe and gradual reopening of tourism in the Philippines will be greatly supported by this digital content partnership as it will offer Huawei users anywhere in the world with glimpses of our country's beautiful destinations and allow them to customize their mobile devices with images of our tourism offerings," Romulo-Puyat said.

The Tourism Secretary hopes that through this project, Huawei smartphone users will be inspired to visit the Philippines once the government resumes international travel.

Meanwhile, Huawei Philippines Vice President Daniel Guo emphasized that Huawei's collaboration with the DOT is in line with the "glocalization" approach of Huawei Philippines and Huawei Mobile Services (HMS). "Huawei has established an extensive cooperation with the government, local businesses and communities, to continuously bring innovative digital services to consumers and create greater social values," he said.

"Through the collaboration, we will curate a series of Philippines-centric wallpapers and smartphone themes, including the scenery landscapes and tourist attractions of the Philippines, as well as creative themes created by local artists, photographers, cartoonists and animators," Daniel Guo added.

The MoU will not only help promote beautiful places in the Philippines but will also open a door of opportunity for talented Filipinos. Mobile themes created by passionate marine environment artist AG Saño and digital artists Mariel Garcia, Nelvin Supilanas, Rehts Merejilla and Mark Magnaye are now available in HUAWEI Themes.

HUAWEI Themes is one of the first self-developed apps by HMS, In 2020, it achieved over 1.8 billion total themes download. By end of 2020, 96% of the PH local top apps, including Gcash, Paymaya, BDO Digital Banking, UnionBank Online, and SSS Mobile, have integrated with HMS Core and onboarded to AppGallery.

Through the open HMS Ecosystem, Huawei shares a number of innovative capabilities with its partners from various sectors, including tourism, which enable high-quality, convenient and safe applications to reach every Huawei device user in a more direct way. Through this, Huawei is able to lower the connectivity cost and expand service coverage, bringing modern digital services to a wider user base. By providing localized service applications in more countries and regions, Huawei makes All-Scenario services more accessible to users, jointly improving service efficiency and digitization level of services.

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About Huawei

Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. With integrated solutions across four key domains – telecom networks, IT, smart devices, and cloud services – we are committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world.

Huawei's end-to-end portfolio of products, solutions and services are both competitive and secure. Through open collaboration with ecosystem partners, we create lasting value for our customers, working to empower people, enrich home life, and inspire innovation in organizations of all shapes and sizes.

At Huawei, innovation focuses on customer needs. We invest heavily in basic research, concentrating on technological breakthroughs that drive the world forward. We have more than 190,000 employees, and we operate in more than 170 countries and regions. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees.

For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on:

http://www.facebook.com/HuaweiPhilippines

https://e.huawei.com/en/publications/global/ict_insights/201907041409/talent-ecosystem/huawei-ict-academy

Fashion and function: Things to love about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

Samsung #withGalaxy in collaboration with @condenast

Samsung changed the smartphone landscape with its portfolio of foldable smartphones. Galaxy Z Flip, for example, did not just define a new form factor. Lauded as a luxury smartphone that functions as both a mobile device and fashion accessory, Galaxy Z Flip’s stylish body designed for trendsetters used to the finer things in life is a fresh take among sleek and futuristic powerhouses.

Samsung #withGalaxy in collaboration with @condenast

The Galaxy Z Flip’s Mirror Black and Mirror Purple exterior can be compared to a gem, shifting colors as it catches the light when in motion. It’s the final touch to any outfit worthy of best-dressed lists. When not in use, it is compact enough to be stored in the pocket or a fashionable clutch.

When folded, a minimalist cover screen alerts its user when a call, text, or notification comes in. App Continuity lets users tap the notification and seamlessly transitions to the app when the cover screen is tapped and the smartphone is unfolded. Samsung’s Hideaway Hinge gives a graceful folding motion, inspired by the elegance of lotus blossoms. 

The small body reveals a full-screen 6.7” Infinity Flex Display with minimized bezels and no notch. The barely-there borders offer less distractions, making the smartphone experience more immersive, especially with the Dynamic AMOLED screen. This delivers incredible color quality and reduced blue light to make photos and videos look as vibrant as the Galaxy Z Flip’s jewel-like exterior.

Its design innovations don’t stop there. The device is the first-ever Galaxy smartphone to come with Samsung’s Ultra Thin Glass. The durable folding glass screen makes the Galaxy Z Flip smooth when laid flat.

Samsung’s Hideaway Hinge unlocks Flex Mode, which adjusts the fold so the smartphone can stand on its own like a laptop. Its flexibility offers adjustable angles for Google Duo video calls, now part of the new normal. Multi-hyphenates juggling their 9-5 job with their passion projects can use App Pair to combine programs and launch them simultaneously when needed. Multi-Active Window can run both apps at the same time by splitting the screen.

The split-screen can turn the top half into a viewing area and the bottom as a control center. This makes the Galaxy Z Flip a productivity tool, but this feature can also be used for fun. Pair it with the 10MP Front Camera for hands-free selfies. Simply prop up the Galaxy Z Flip at the desired angle and strike a power pose.

The Galaxy Z Flip is the embodiment of form and function. From the outside, it looks like an ornament meant to be displayed. When used, it unleashes Samsung’s revolutionary innovations in the foldable category.

The Galaxy Z Flip is at Php 50,990 SRP in Mirror Purple or Mirror Black variants. 

Avail of the Trade-In, Trade-Up promo where customers can trade in one or more smartphones for the Galaxy Z Flip and get additional tokens worth Php 6,000 on top of the traded-in device. For flexible payment terms, pay as low as Php 2,124.58/month at 0% interest for 24 months in participating Authorized Samsung Stores. 

Customers can get the first installment month for FREE when they pay at 0% interest for 24 months using a PNB credit card in select Samsung Experience Stores.

For more information about Samsung’s foldable devices and available offers, visit samsung.com/ph.

Safe Samsung Shopping

Health and safety protocols are strictly followed in Samsung Experience Stores to keep consumers and employees safe. Adhering to the guidelines set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Samsung has limited the number of its customers to 50% capacity, implemented the mandatory use of face masks and face shields, and performs frequent sanitation in all stores. 

Samsung Experience Stores also has unique QR health declaration codes to promote a safe and contactless contact tracing process. Product demonstrations are done side-by-side instead of face-to-face while keeping the required safe distance of one (1) meter to make sure everyone is socially distanced.  

To find the nearest Samsung Experience Store, visit samsung.com/ph/samsung-experience-store/locations.

Young Cebuana hailed Grand Superstar in ‘Born to be a Star’

Eighteen-year-old Cebuano talent Jehramae Trangia of Talisay City in Cebu was the grand winner in the second season of Born to be a Star, the reality singing competition of Cignal Entertainment, Sari-Sari Network and TV5 under the production of Viva that concluded last May 8.

 Jehramae Trangia, Grand Superstar of ‘Born to be a Star’

Jehramae bested two other hopefuls to bag P1 million and a five-year recording contract from Viva management. Fifteen-year-old Hans Paranda of Antipolo City ended up as first runner-up who took home P50,000 and 18-year-old Jannah Faye Bocatiya of Manila was second runner-up with P25,000.

Jehramae rendered the ballad, “Sana,” of I Belong To the Zoo as her winning piece.

“The three of us had different genre in our performances,” Jehramae offered. “I would always convey the message of my song to the Star Agents. I gave my best throughout the competition.”

Andrew E, Sam Concepcion, Katrina Velarde, Janine Teñoso and Georcelle Dapat-Sy served as the Star Agents of “Born To Be A Star.” The singing competition was hosted by Matteo Guidicelli and Kim Molina.

“Ang daming competition na dumaan sa buhay ko,” Jehramae shared. “Madami din akong natutunan sa pagkatalo ko, but I managed to improve and rise above my losses.”

Even when she was still in Cebu, Jehramae would persistently join singing contests from the time she was only 12 years old. At 14, she went to Manila to compete in major league singing contests on TV, making her a true-blue kontesera. By the time she was proclaimed grand winner in Born to be a Star, one can truly say that the time was ripe for Jehramae to finally bask in the limelight.

Jehramae is grateful that Born to be a Star provided her with a venue to showcase her singing talents to a wider audience, a unique experience that could very well pave the way for a professional singing career. By staying focused on her goals all throughout the competition, Jehramae was able to consistently shine the brightest, a fact that did not escape the discerning eyes of the Star Agents.

She told herself, “Ito ‘yung dream mo, Jehramae. Ito ‘yung passion mo. So just keep on going. You won’t reach your dreams if you just wish for it. You have to work hard for your dreams.”

Upgrade to these Affordable Smartphones at Shopee’s Gadget Zone

These days, smartphones are pretty much extensions of ourselves. With our phones, we keep in touch with our loved ones, connect with like-minded people, document precious memories, pursue our passions, and more. No wonder, then, that these gadgets go through a lot of wear and tear each day!

If you’re in the market for a brand-new smartphone, check out Shopee’s Gadget Zone. Starting May 14, you can enjoy discounts up to 90% off on smartphone brands such as Oppo, Huawei, Infinix, and Vivo. 

Check out our smartphone recommendations for different needs:

For a smooth gaming experience

Enjoy long hours of uninterrupted gaming with Infinix Zero 8. This heavy-duty smartphone is equipped with Helio G90T, 8GB RAM, 180Hz touch sampling rate, and Game Turbo V1.0 for rapid, lag-free gaming. It can also withstand back-to-back gaming sessions without overheating, thanks to its Liquid Cooling Technology.

For quality mobile photography

No need to lug around heavy cameras when you’ve got the OPPO A12. Capture all the little details with its 13MP main lens, snap professional-looking portraits with the Portrait Mode’s bokeh effect, preserve natural colors using its Dazzle Color Mode, and take fresh-looking selfies with its AI Beautification feature.

For a productivity-boosting gadget

For an affordable yet capable smartphone for all-around productivity, check out vivo Y1s. View photos and videos in HD+ resolution, enjoy its stable performance with its 2GB RAM and 32GB storage, and complete your tasks without worrying about running out of battery with its 4030mAh capacity.

For the best budget-friendly pick

If you’re looking for an entry-level smartphone which can still give you bang for your buck, Huawei Y5 is the gadget for you. This phone offers a vibrant display, battery capacity of 3020 mAh, and a decent 8MP camera, available at one of the most competitive prices in the market.

Starting May 14, check out more deals on electronics from brands such as Xtreme, Tigernu, realme, Mcdodo, Phillips, Anker, Zeus.ph, Sabbat, Eufy, Soundcore, Platinum Karaoke, Instant Pot, Oster, KitchenAid, and ROG Official Store at Shopee’s Gadget Zone. For more information, visit https://shopee.ph/m/gadgetzone. 

Don’t forget to top up your ShopeePay for more deals on your gadgets! Use ShopeePay at checkout to enjoy free shipping with a minimum spend of ₱199 and 8% cashback sitewide with a minimum spend of ₱1,000.

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

Shopee and Unilever Say Yes to Equal Opportunities and Continue its Support for Local Sellers through its Positive Beauty Campaign

Mano Amiga sellers share how Shopee and Unilever helped them grow their businesses

As more Filipinos shift to online shopping for their daily necessities, many businesses are also turning to digital platforms to widen their reach and establish a strong online presence - especially the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). To cater to the growing number of online sellers, Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, continues to partner with organizations to support MSMEs who are looking for better opportunities in e-commerce.

In 2020 Unilever and Mano Amiga, a non-governmental organization that advocates for community transformation and inclusive growth through education, first partnered with Shopee for their Beauty That Cares Campaign, to offer assistance to 25 micro-entrepreneurs. Through this partnership, Mano Amiga sellers gained a strong understanding of e-commerce and learned how to maximize the digital space’s full potential. Sellers had access to monetary funding, entrepreneurship training programs, and Shopee’s e-commerce tools to help them expand their reach. Two Mano Amiga sellers share how Unilever and Shopee supported their business growth:

Janette Lagundi of JTL Trading (https://shopee.ph/alexandermoses_0503) 

For Janette Lagundi, a mother of two, it was tough when she first started her online business. Despite having no prior entrepreneurship experience, she decided to start selling cleaning products and home decor items such as Himalayan salt lamps, to get her family through the pandemic. She admitted that it was difficult for her to adjust to selling on e-commerce platforms as she was not very tech-savvy.

Through learning the ropes at Shopee, Janette saw her business thrived. “Because of Shopee, not only are my sales increasing, my store is also gaining better recognition through plenty of promotions. I learned a lot about selling online through the training programs and masterclasses. I am determined to explore more opportunities on e-commerce, and I’m glad that Shopee and Unilever helped me adjust and adapt amid the pandemic,” she said.

She added that the support from Shopee and Unilever helped her family immensely. “This business is my bread and butter and I feel more confident in growing my business because I am more competent now. Because of this opportunity, I can provide for my children.” 

Cecilia Comia of C plus D Design (https://shopee.ph/designbycplusd) 

Cecilia Comia used to run a food business and even designed her own food stalls, but due to the pandemic, she had to shut down her food business and focus on selling decal stickers and labels instead. “We started our business in 2018 with a passion for good design and we wanted people to appreciate and see how small design details can change an entire product or experience,” she said. The strategy shift, although promising, posed some obstacles. “The competition is tough online. Reaching a wider audience and achieving effective customer engagement are both constant challenges. We are still struggling when it comes to establishing our business. The prices of our competitors are tough to match,” she added.

Shopee and Unilever provided her with the much-needed support. “Unilever’s program connected us with Shopee. It gave us an edge in terms of knowledge in selling online. Unilever’s financial assistance also helped us with our cash flow and allowed us to increase our stocks and improve our equipment.” 

To support the transition and growth of MSMEs in the digital landscape, Shopee partners with Unilever once again to give MSMEs a spotlight at their Yes to Positive Beauty Sale this May 17 to 19, 2021. The campaign is part of Unilever’s renewed purpose and commitment to bring about positive change through real actions - to do more good, not just less harm, for people and the planet. 

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “We are proud to partner with Unilever to support a cause that aims to uplift the lives of local sellers and their loved ones. Shopee believes that every Filipino entrepreneur can succeed in e-commerce as long as they have the right tools, opportunity, and platform. We will continue to collaborate with brands like Unilever to support the local communities, their livelihood, and their families.”

Dorothy Dee-Ching, Vice President for Beauty and Personal Care at Unilever Philippines, said, “Yes to Positive Beauty is a movement for all Filipinos to champion a new era of beauty and personal care that’s inclusive and sustainable. As the number one beauty and personal care company in the country, we acknowledge the part we play in being a force for good, and Yes to Positive Beauty encompasses our commitment to do this through our brands. This includes championing for equal opportunities, which we have been able to do through our continued partnership with Shopee and Mano Amiga, as well as lending a helping hand to MSMEs, especially those greatly impacted by the current crisis.”

To provide consistent support for the sellers, Shopee’s relationship managers worked closely with them to create irresistible discounts to attract more customers, and also assisted them in mapping out advertisements for their products via social media. With the sale happening in just a few days, both sellers are preparing to stock up on their inventory to meet the expected increase in demand. To support sellers like Cecilia and Janette, check out the Yes to Positive Beauty Sale this May 17 to 19, 2021. 

For more information about Unilever’s Beauty That Cares campaign, visit https://shopee.ph/m/unilever-super-brand-day. 

Shop, buy load and pay bills with ShopeePay. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Xiaomi’s entry level kings made even more accessible with Redmi 9A and 9C price drop

Xiaomi’s young and powerful entry level kings are now even more accessible as Xiaomi announced exciting price drops for the best-selling Redmi 9A and Redmi 9C. Get a Redmi 9A 2GB + 32GB variant now for only PHP 4,490 (from PHP 4,690). Meanwhile, you can also purchase a Redmi 9C 2GB + 32GB variant at PHP 4,990 (from PHP 5,290) or the 3GB + 64 GB variant at PHP 5,690 (from PHP 5,990).

The Redmi 9A is a fantastic choice for an entry-level phone – first, it has a massive 6.53” Dot Drop display screen so presentations and videos are crystal clear, plus its certified for low blue light by Germany’s TÜV Rheinland so that it’s easy on the eyes. It also comes with a 5000mAh high-capacity battery with longer lifespan to provide for years of reliable use and a MediaTek Helio G25 processor to make sure the phone runs smoothly.

The Redmi 9A also has an AI optimized 13MP rear camera. Kaleidoscope effects add fun to your videos, while Palm Shutter lets you conveniently snap photos with the 5MP selfie camera. The Redmi 9A comes in Granite Gray, Peacock Green, Sky Blue.

Meanwhile, those looking for an even more complete camera setup without breaking the bank can consider the Redmi 9C, which sports an AI optimized triple camera with a 13MP main camera, a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor so you can quickly and easily capture crisp and clear images in a variety of situations.

The Redmi 9C is also equipped with a massive 6.53” Dot Drop display for an immersive viewing experience and a 5000mAh high-capacity battery that satisfies users who want to do more and enjoy more on their phone. Redmi 9C features MediaTek Helio G35, an octa-core gaming chipset which can go up to 2.3GHz. The Redmi 9C comes in three attractive colors: Midnight Gray, Sunrise Orange and Twilight Blue.

Don’t miss this chance to purchase the Redmi 9A and Redmi 9C, which are available in Authorized Mi Stores and official retailers nationwide. To find out more about this exciting offer, please check out

Xiaomi’s official website and information portal at https://www.mi.com/ph/, or follow their official Facebook or Instagram pages for other updates.

#TeamGoodBoy encourages youth: Make a difference, join 5G Hackathon

#TeamGoodBoy encourages the Filipino youth to innovate and come up with solutions that help address the nation’s problems. Kim Seon-ho, K-Drama star and Globe’s latest ambassador invites students, young professionals, and entrepreneurs to join the country’s first and biggest 5G Hackathon by Globe and De La Salle University’s Animo Labs.

“Join this year’s Globe 5G Hackathon so you can work on developing the uses of 5G in different sectors of the Philippine economy and society, through a series of workshops and mentorship,”Seon-ho said.

 

Categories will focus on the following innovations:

 

5G for Society - Education, Health Care, and Livelihood

To improve patient health monitoring and provide remote consultations, address mixed learning gaps and opportunities, and enhance ways of working for Filipinos’ current livelihood such as farming, fisheries, and the like.

 

5G for Industries – Retail, Manufacturing, Logistics, E-Commerce

To increase efficiency of different sectors through wide scale artificial intelligence (AI) automation and internet of things (IoT), and improve customer experience and satisfaction through personalized real-time customer insights.

 

5G for Smart Cities – Disaster risk management, Sustainability, Asset and Resource Management, Transportation

To transmit and process real time information to solve traffic, urban planning, disaster risk, and other issues.

 

“Instead of looking for answers, make choices,” this is one of Ji-pyeong’s famous lines from the drama that matches his encouragement for the youth to be part of the 5G Hackathon and to start turning their ideas and dreams into reality. Seon-ho recently won the hearts of many and gave almost everyone the ‘second lead syndrome’ when he starred as Han Ji-pyeong in the recent K-drama Start-up that features young entrepreneurs who held onto their dreams and made it to Korea’s high-tech industry.

 

Winning teams may get as much as P500,000 at the end of the competition and will have the chance to be part of Globe’s 917Ventures’ Velocity venture builders program, and work directly with Globe 5G Acceleration Lab. After a series of workshops, idea submission, mentorship and pitching competition, the top 10 finalists will move on to develop their prototypes using Globe's 5G platforms. Top teams will get to enjoy a total of half a million in cash prizes, a chance to develop their own business ventures backed by 917Ventures, Globe’s corporate venture builder, and further develop their product with Globe acceleration lab.

 

Globe 5G Hackathon will run for three months starting May 2021 and will include interactive learning sessions with technology industry leaders Novare Technologies, Intel, AWS, 917 Ventures, Huawei, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Tech Mahindra, Alibaba Cloud, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and Cascadeo.

 

The 5G Hackathon is part of the telco’s efforts to create a #FirstWorldNetwork in the country through a massive network upgrade and expansion program that includes the rigorous deployment of 5G sites to more areas nationwide, laying down at least one million Fiber-to-the-Home, and the rollout of more 4G LTE infrastructure.

 

Globe strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 9 which highlights the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. Globe is committed to upholding the 10 United Nations Global Compact principles and 10 UN SDGs.

 

To know more about the 5G Hackathon, visit https://globe5ghackathon.com/.

PayMaya expands its widest bills payment offering

Filipinos can now settle payments at over 550 billers using the PayMaya app, the most number and widest range of billers offered by a Philippine e-wallet to date – enabling consumers with a safer, more convenient, and more rewarding way to pay.

From monthly utilities like water and electricity to insurance, loans, credit cards, schools, real estate, healthcare, and government services, PayMaya enables Filipinos to pay their bills from the safety of their homes. PayMaya's Pay Bills feature also enables consumers to easily donate to their chosen cause and organizations - allowing Filipinos to perform digital bayanihan with just a few taps on their smartphones.

PayMaya's extensive list of billers spans across the country - covering utility providers in provinces including Baguio, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bicol, Cebu, Cagayan De Oro, South Cotabato, Iligan, Zamboanga, and many more. With this, Filipinos even in the farthest reaches of the country are able to enjoy cashless convenience in their pay bills transactions.

On top of this, paying bills via PayMaya also allows consumers to add another layer of safety to their essential transactions – keeping it contactless and safe from the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

“In these challenging times, PayMaya has always made it its priority to ensure that Filipinos are able to complete their everyday transactions in the safest way possible through digital payments. As more consumers turn to our platform for their payment needs, we are proud to bring this widest list and range of active billers within their reach, and provide them with a safe, convenient, and rewarding payment experience,” said Shailesh Baidwan, President of PayMaya Philippines.

Contactless and cashless payments have become the preferred payment option of Filipinos for bills payment since the quarantine measures have been implemented last year. In 2020 alone, PayMaya’s transaction volume for bills payment more than tripled from the previous year.

PayMaya sees continuous strong growth for bills payment transactions as Filipinos seek safer, more convenient, and more rewarding ways to pay through its consumer e-wallet app.

To make it more rewarding, consumers who will use their PayMaya app this May to settle two bills worth at least P1,500 each will automatically get a P50 cashback. Meanwhile, those paying their bill via PayMaya for the first time will be rewarded with a P100 cashback for a minimum spend of P1,000. If they pay for a credit card, loan, or insurance bill for the first time, they will also get an additional P50 cashback voucher, for a total of P150 reward!

With PayMaya’s wide range of billers and exclusive rewards to boot, it is easy to see why PayMaya has become the preferred payment option when settling bills. 

To enjoy the safety and rewards offered by PayMaya, download the app today using this link: https://official.paymaya.com/CAK1/425eb133.

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, communities, and government. Through its enterprise business, it is the largest digital payments processor for key industries in the country including "everyday" merchants such as the largest retail, food, gas, and eCommerce merchants, as well as government agencies and units.

PayMaya provides more than 35 million Filipinos with access to financial services through its consumer platforms. Customers can conveniently pay, add money, cash out or remit through its over 250,000 digital touchpoints nationwide. Its Smart Padala by PayMaya network of 39,000 partner agent touchpoints nationwide serves as last-mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved with access to digital services. 

To know more about PayMaya's products and services, visit www.PayMaya.com or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Ben&Ben paint breathtaking imagery of young love on new single “Upuan”

 

It’s official: Ben&Ben have finally released “Upuan,” the first single off their upcoming sophomore album to be released under Sony Music.

Written in 2019, in Dumaguete upon arrival at the hotel after one of their shows, their new song takes a nostalgic look on young love, and as Ben&Ben describe it, “the palpable romantic tension that arises from friendships that are formed by sitting next to each other, and the adventurous conversations that ensue.”

Lyrically, “Upuan” draws breathtaking imagery that interprets gestures in such lifelike ways, capturing a play of details with romantic earnestness. The band points out, “we incorporated a more visual style in the song, painting a picture for the listener and transporting them to that familiar place, of falling in love with someone they just met, whether that is in a classroom, by the beach, at a restaurant.”

It helps that they’re painting a picture in the listener’s head with ethereal arrangements and soaring choruses that swirl beautifully against a backdrop of naturalist setting: samples of birds singing, the swoosh of the waves, and even the conversation of the trees. There is magic in the way Ben&Ben fuse all these elements together to create a cinematic landscape punctuated by poetry and inventiveness. It’s effortlessly picturesque, while employing a level of commitment to make the audience feel like they’re part of the experience, as if tapping into something personal and is of utmost importance to their being.

In a joint statement, the nine-piece collective said that the music of “Upuan” was conceived during a random jamming session with no prior agenda as to how it would sound. “But to our surprise, that first jamming brought about the soul of how Upuan sounds now. The earthy, ethereal soundscapes, and that sense of sonic adventure came from the fact that we just moved in together, and being in a new place surrounded with summer vibes and nature elements, helped shape our expression of our new song. We feel very blessed to be close to nature in this season and it’s almost like a tribute to their beauty that we included them in the song.”

Written and produced by Ben&Ben, co-produced/mixed by Jean Paul Verona, and mastered by Leon Zervos, “Upuan” was recorded in the band’s home studio. Verona and sound engineer Sam Marquez helped in the recording process, giving the song its final touches.

The acclaimed hitmakers are also currently working on their second album. “Since the production of this song, we're continuously working on all the other songs that will complete it. We're really pushing forward in terms of experimentation and diversity of sound in the songs.”

Ben&Ben’s “Upuan” is out now on all streaming platforms worldwide via Sony Music.

No Cash? No Problem! Shopee Lets You Pay for Your COD Purchases via ShopeePay

Get 20% cashback when you Scan to Pay using ShopeePay for your ‘cash-on delivery’’ transactions

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, now offers another safe and rewarding method to pay for your cash-on-delivery (COD) orders using ShopeePay’s Scan to Pay feature.

The pandemic has pushed a lot of Filipinos to opt for cashless transactions more than ever. The total transaction value of digital payments in the country expects to show an annual growth rate of 16.40% and amount to 28 billion US dollars by 2025. With more Filipinos maximizing the potential of mobile wallets, ShopeePay aims to make it easier and secure for people turning to digital payment methods. With ShopeePay, users can venture into new opportunities whether it’s for personal or business purposes.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “As digital payments take on a greater significance in the lives of Filipinos, it is essential that we come up with initiatives that’ll make payments seamless, safer, and more worthwhile for our consumers. Through this additional payment method, we can help people adapt to the evolving digital space and make the transition to a cashless society a lot more convenient.”

By using Scan to Pay with Shopee Xpress, Shopee users can check the parcel first to see if the order is correct and in good condition before paying for it. In addition, payment is contactless - ensuring the safety of both the buyers and riders to reduce potential health risks.

To make users' experiences more rewarding, users who pay for their online purchases with ShopeePay through QR code scanning can get up to 20% cashback* until June 10.

Here’s a guide on how users can safely Scan to Pay for their COD purchases via ShopeePay:

• Choose Cash on Delivery (COD) as a mode of payment and Shopee Xpress as a shipping option when checking out an item.

• Inform the Shopee Xpress rider about the preference to pay COD via ShopeePay

• Click ShopeePay wallet and choose “Scan”

• Scan the QR code of the Shopee Xpress rider

• Input the needed transaction order amount and your ShopeePay PIN

• Enjoy 20% cashback once payment is complete

For more information, visit https://shopee.ph/m/cod-via-shopeepay.

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