ShopBack Brings New Era of Smart Shopping

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Shopback, Singporean-headed e-commerce, cashback reward company aims to to bring a new era of smart shopping here in the Philippines.

Since its launch last year, ShopBack, the Philippine franchise of Southeast Asia's largest and fastest growing online loyalty platform has been making a good thing even better for thousands of online shoppers. 

Offering rebates they call “Cashback,” ShopBack has been returning up to 30 per cent of what consumers pay for a specific item or service. This is on top of any discount the online store is already offering. 

Easy Steps to use Shopback

• Register for free using their app or website
• Shop any store thru ShopBack
• Get cashback account in 48 hours
• Wait for validation of order from the merchants
• Pay your cash back to your bank accounts

How exactly does an online shopper save with ShopBack? 

“When you shop on Lazada or ZALORA, GoodsPH via ShopBack, we give you a portion of your purchase back within 48 hours in your ShopBack account even if your mode of payment is cash on delivery to the store. This means extra, unlimited savings whenever you shop online,” says Kristina Ay-ay, country head of ShopBack, who’s been in the eCommerce industry for several years now.

Cashback is made possible through commissions earned by ShopBack from partner merchants with every completed sales transaction. ShopBack then shares a portion of its commission with the shopper.

“Our partner merchants reward us with a commission for referring you to shop on their site. But instead of keeping the commission to ourselves, we are sharing them with our consumers,” Ay-Ay revealed. 

Although ShopBack employs a loyalty scheme similar to other point system rewards programs and credit card rebates, what sets ShopBack apart from the rest is that the cashbacks are immediately credited to registered users. 

Once the amount of cashback accumulates to a certain point, it is then deposited to the shopper’s bank, GCash or PayPal account which he or she can either withdraw or use as payment for future purchases.

Such cashbacks are not only given to shoppers of Lazada and ZALORA but also to over 350 other popular online shopping destinations. 

As ShopBack enters its second year in the Philippines with more online shopping partners than ever before, buying from online stores like eBay, and even online service providers like Foodpanda, Booking.com and South East Asia’s online korean beauty store, Althea, is literally worth your while when you expect some of your hard-earned cash to return to you. And just recently, cashback on GrabCar rides booked via the ShopBack Mobile App has rolled out to everyone in the Philippines. With every ride taken on GrabCar services (GrabCar Premium, 6-seater Economy and 6-seater Premium) and GrabShare, there is a P5.00 cashback. Such a sweet reward for all the GrabCar riders!

Now with almost half a million subscribers within a span of one year, ShopBack is obviously a big hit for Filipino consumers.

While all shoppers like this system, Ay-ay has emphasized that Pinoy millennials seem to love it most. It’s no mystery, since the youth make up over 60 per cent of the Philippines’ 100-million-plus population, the median age of a Filipino Internet user is 24, and a third of Pinoys on the Web spend their time shopping online.

But Ay-ay is not stopping there as she intends to make ShopBack an even more indispensable shopping portal and further evangelize on the benefits of its cashback system. ShopBack will soon provide aggregated reviews and head-to-head comparisons in order to provide consumers with more informed decisions when they shop on the site. 

“We want every Filipino to be able to save as much as they can when shopping online. That’s ShopBack’s promise,” Ay-ay concluded.

Aside from their website, interested ShopBackers may download ShopBack app on IOS, Google Playstore or Apple Apple Store. 

For more info, visit https://www.shopback.ph/.

A tribute to 30 years of Saintly Selflessness - Saint Teresa of Calcutta Awards opens call for nominations

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The Saint Teresa of Calcutta Awards (STCA), formerly known as the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Awards, opens call for nominations for its 30th year.

The award is open to any living individual, regardless of age, gender, race, and religion, who has dedicated himself fully and selflessly to humanitarian work among underprivileged Filipinos for at least 25 years. In addition, nominees will be likened to the degree in which they follow the example of Saint Teresa, both in integrity and in the simplicity of their lifestyle.

Established in 1983 by the A.Y. Foundation (AYF), Inc. and the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Manila, the STCA took inspiration from the life and works of Saint Teresa, a Nobel Peace Prize awardee who showed compassion for the poor and has inspired many to follow the same path. 

(L-R) Jerrold Ong - JCI STCA Chairman; EVP John Bautista - JCI Board of Directors, EVP; Former Prime Minister Cesar Virata - AYF Board of Trustees; Dr. Reynaldo Vea - AYF Board of trustee and president of Mapua; Former Congressman Ramon "Dondon" Bagatsing Jr. - JCI Past President, founder of STCA

The award-giving body aims to encourage the public to refocus on the importance of helping others by recognizing individuals who have dedicated a portion of their lives serving the “poorest of the poor” just like Saint Teresa. The winner will receive a cash grant of One Million Pesos (PHP1,000,000.00), at least half of which will be donated to the winner’s charitable institution of choice.

“As we celebrate the organization’s 30th year, we’d like to inspire more people, especially the youth, to be more involved in their community through honoring the selfless individuals who have dedicated most of their lives by serving the poorest of the poor.” says Jerrold Ong, 2017 Chairman of the Saint Teresa of Calcutta Award.  

Nomination forms may be downloaded from their Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/STCAward). Only completed nomination forms shall be accepted. The full list of rules and regulations can be found at the back of the nomination form.

Deadline for nomination forms is July 31, 2017

CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice: 20 Years of Keeping it Fresh

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CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice marks a milestone as the global brand celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Celebrating fresh flavors, CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice held their 20th Global Anniversary in the Philippines on May 10 at their SM North EDSA branch where they offered unique fruit flavors to guests to curate their curate their own unique cup of on-the-go freshness.

Nikko Ramos, Camille Co, Larry Evans Tan, General Manager of CoCo Fresh Tea and Juice;  Kaila Estrada and Richard Juan

During the refreshing occasion are some celebrity and blogger guests, who were also set to share their CoCo Tea favorites: Panda Milk Tea for Richard Juan, Salty Cream Strawberry Tea for Kaila Estrada, Passion Fruit Tea Burst for Camille Co, and 3 Buddies Milk Tea for Nikko Ramos.

Since its inception in Taipei in 1997, CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice commitment of using only the freshest ingredients has solidified its position as the leading on-the-go fresh beverage provider in the world.

Here in the Philippines, CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice marks its fourth year of operation since 2013 and has since become the global brand’s top performing market in Southeast Asia in terms of number of branches, expansion efforts and sales.

CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice Philippines owes this to their commitment of keeping true to the brand’s philosophy of “Keeping it Fresh.”

Serving On-the-Go Freshness for the Filipino Taste

By using only fruits that are in season, Filipinos are assured that every drink is fresh and retains the fruits’ optimal flavor. CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice in other countries followed suit by using only fruits in season for their delicious, fresh beverages. 

Larry Evans Tan, General Manager of CoCo Fresh Tea and Juice

Larry Evans Tan, General Manager of CoCo Fresh Tea and Juice said they tap local farmers to ensure quality and freshness. “For our Strawberry Au Lait and Salty Cream Strawberry Tea, we source our strawberries from Baguio.”

Apart from being inspired by their customers’ favorites to explore new flavors, Tan also mentioned CoCo Tea’s continued goal to elevate the usual on-the-go concept.

“As one of the earliest territories to offer premium stores, we strive not only to provide the best tasting drinks but also the best experience. We create stores that are designed to cater to the specific market of the location.”

Tan said there are plans to add more branches as well as create new menu offerings tailor-fit for the Filipino palate. The new menu, he said, will allow customers to experience more unique flavors featuring local fruits from the Philippines.

Coco Fresh Tea & Juice anniversary treat.

For fans of Coco Fresh Tea & Juice’s Pearl Milk Teas, here’s a delicious anniversary treat. Buy 1 of your regular size Pearl Milk Tea and get the 2nd Pearl Milk Tea of the same size for only P20.

This promo is available for May 20 on all branches excluding SMX Manila branch.

CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice Philippines is operated by Tobistro Foods, Inc. Its branches are located in the following:

• Eastwood Techno Plaza 2
• Gateway Tower Mall
• SM City North EDSA
• SM City Fairview
• SM City Manila
• SMX Manila
• Fisher Mall
• Lucky China Town Mall 
• Regis Center Katipunan

For more information and updates on the brand, visit the CoCo Philippines page on facebook www.facebook.com/CoCoTeaPhilippines

Fancy savoring the freshest local fruits in season with your choice of tea? How about the classic milk tea made more fun and tasty with a mix of big and small pearls? 

These and more are just some of the most creative ways that Filipinos have been enjoying their tea drinks, thanks to CoCo Tea’s dedication to freshness and unique flavors. 

Make the most of your child’s summer break

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Every kid dreams of being a thousand things at once. Ask any child who they want to be when they grow up and you’re likely to hear a list ranging from astronaut or a doctor to musician or being the best robotics engineer on the planet (read: Tony Stark). Fortunately as a parent, you have the opportunity to shape your child’s potential at an early age.

Aside from sending them to school, children can also benefit from short courses that are usually offered during the summer. These classes allow kids to enhance their talents and skills while having fun. Some of the most popular workshops focus on cooking, fine arts, theater, sports, foreign languages, even robotics design and engineering. However, most of these educational programs also come at a hefty price. To help you manage your finances to include your kid’s summer program, here are some useful financial tips:

• Determine your financial goals. Establish your short and long term financial targets. Short term goals refer to how you need or want to spend your money at the present time. This usually includes rent, utilities, monthly amortizations, kid’s education, groceries and other household needs. Long term financial goals cover retirement, investments or family vacations. Financial goal setting can serve as a guide while drafting your budget.

• Know what you spend. Everyone has a general idea of their monthly expenses. Get a clearer picture of where your money really goes by gathering all your receipts and expenses for an entire month. This method will determine if you are spending too much on discretionary items like a coffee fix twice a day rather than pre-set expenses such as rent or utilities. Once you have identified all your expenses, you can decide which items are easy to eliminate.

• Take note of incoming earnings. Aside from making a rundown of your outgoings, it is also advised that you make note of all your earnings or income. Don’t forget to record unexpected bonuses or cash incentives because these will help you meet the monthly budget. Don’t be discouraged if your income falls a bit short compared to the expenses you’ve identified earlier. This issue can be addressed once the budget is prepared.

• Set a budget…and stick to it. Once you know what you truly spend on and how much money you receive each month, you can sit down and calculate how much can be allocated for utilities and other immediate needs, savings and even discretionary or luxury expenditures. Commit to your budget. An effective way of keeping track of each month’s budget is by preparing “the envelope system.” This entails setting aside money inside individual envelopes for each item identified in your financial plan. For instance, there should be an envelope for electricity, water, groceries, rent, car amortization, kids’ summer classes etc. Once you’ve set aside the money, do not spend it on other items.

• Track your progress. Monitor your income and expenses for several months to see if the budget you have prepared is working. Don’t be surprised if the financial plan you’ve set needs some tweaking from time to time. There’s a chance you overlooked incidentals such as unexpected hospital bills, home repairs or rising fuel costs. Just go over your plan and modify your budget.

Managing and juggling family finances can be tricky. The good thing is with MoneyGram, you and your spouse can make the most of your earnings together even if one of you is miles away. MoneyGram’s worldwide money transfer service is available in more than 200 countries and territories through a global network of approximately 350,000 agent locations. Its innovative products and services connect you with family by providing a reliable, trustworthy, and convenient financial connection for life’s essentials and daily needs.   

A mother’s holiday

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Mother’s Day is a time for people to thank their moms for their never-ending sacrifices for the family. After all, they assume different roles round-the-clock just to make our lives comfortable – a chef to prepare our meals every day, a doctor to tend to us when we are sick, a teacher to help us with school work and life problems, a CEO of the household, our protector to make sure we are always safe, and so many more! 

In celebration of Mother’s Day, Solane, the leading provider of LPG solutions, reminds everyone to show their love and appreciation to the woman who ceaselessly devotes herself to the family. This occasion is another moment that falls in perfectly with Solane’s Dapat Lang campaign, a program that emphasizes the importance of doing the right thing, for the family, for others and society as a whole.

And so for their continuous sacrifice, dapat lang we honor and make them feel special, and we can definitely do so through these five simple heartwarming deeds:

Cook breakfast for mom. Mothers are usually the first ones to wake up early to prepare meals and baon for the kids. This time around, let mom sleep a little longer and prepare her favorite breakfast food. Make it even more special and let her have breakfast in bed. Not only will mom admire the gesture, but it’s also guaranteed to be a good kick-start to Mother’s Day.

Let our mom enjoy a work-free day. Being head of the household means overseeing if the house is clean, ensuring the pantry is stocked with food, and cooking food for the family. Without a doubt, it can get tiring for our moms. On Mother’s Day, help her by volunteering to do the household chores and let her sit back and relax.

Spend time together. Set aside all other plans and enjoy the rest of the day with mom. Gather the whole family together and celebrate an adventure-filled day like a picnic in the park, outdoor barbecue, a hike or swim, or an out-of-town trip. This will definitely make mom feel special!

Pamper our mom. This is the perfect time to make our mothers feel like queens for a day. After all the chores she’s been doing, treat her to a quick session of mani-pedi, an hour worth of massage, or even something as simple as putting cucumber slices on her face for an affordable at-home facial that will immediately make her feel like royalty.

Surprise mom with a simple gift. Celebrating Mother’s Day doesn’t have to be grand or expensive. Simple gestures like making a hand-made card with a short but sweet message, offering a long-stemmed rose, or baking a cake will surely warm her heart. As they say, it’s the thought that counts!

So go ahead and try these simple tips. Not only will your mom feel loved, but it will also make your bond even stronger. Dapat lang!