Home Credit PH welcomes three millionth customer

Tweet

One million new customers added in last 7 months as HCPH continues its rapid growth in PH

Home Credit, the Prague-based consumer finance company that has captured the attention of mallgoers and gadget lovers alike with its affordable in-store loans, has a very good reason to celebrate after it recently signed its three millionth customer.

(L-R: HCPH Sales Associate Mayeth Valencia, HCPH CEO Annica Witschard, 3 millionth customer Virginia Dela Torre and husband Almer, HCPH Chief Marketing and Product Officer Franchette Chingcuanco-Cardona)

Lucky winner Virginia and her husband Almer were in the process of applying for an in-store loan for a flat screen TV when HCPH surprised them on the spot. Home Credit Philippines’ Chief Executive Officer Annica Witschard and Chief Marketing and Product Officer Franchette Cardona were personally there to reveal the surprise and congratulate the “winning” customers who got 5,000php worth of GCs and the perk of having the rest of their loan waived. 

HCPH has come a long way since its establishment in Manila in 2013. From starting with less than 30,000 customers in its first year, the company quickly grew in the next few years, hitting the one million customer mark in 2017 before finishing the year with two million customers. A few more months later, HCPH’s customer base now stands at three million.

“We credit our success to the thriving market here in the Philippines. There is a strong demand for financially-inclusive products, and we are more than happy to cater to this demand by offering loans even to first-time borrowers and those without formal accounts,” Annica shared when asked about the company’s growth.

According to the latest data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, 77 percent of adults have no formal accounts such as savings accounts with banks. HCPH taps this group of consumers by making applying for an in-store loan easy even if they have no credit history. The customer simply needs to approach a Home Credit Sales Associate, provide two (2) IDs, and wait for ten minutes to process their application.

In addition, the company has also been rapidly expanding in terms of stores and the range of products it finances. It now has more than 4,000 stores and has a presence in more than 50 provinces and Metro Manila. In terms of product portfolio, Home Credit Philippines has also been actively expanding its lineup. In addition to mobile devices and gadgets, its roster also includes home appliances, hardware tools, e-bikes, musical instruments, and sporting goods.

When asked about their reaction for being named the three millionth first-time customers, Almer shared his happiness by saying, “Napaka-ganda ng Home Credit dahil napapaluwagan nila yung mga tao na hindi usually na-aafford na bumili ng ganitong mga bagay.” Virginia added, “Napakadali ng proseso. Biyaya talaga ito.” [Home Credit has a good program because it helps people who can’t usually afford to buy these things. The process is very easy. This is really a blessing.]

Besides in-store loans, the company also offers cash loans which, according to Annika, are used by some of the customers to start small businesses so they can make a better living for their families. Others use their cash loans to pay for other needs like school tuitions or finance house renovations.

“I am optimistic that there are more opportunities for growth for us. Home Credit Group has more than twenty years of global experience and we plan to continue applying this in the Philippines together with our own learnings from operating in the country,” she added.

When asked about future plans, she expressed that Home Credit Philippines’ progress proves that there is still so much room for growth here. She closes, “This is just the latest step in our journey; there are many more milestones up ahead,” she said.

Local Bread Baking Competition “Tinapay Natin” Bags Two New Awards From Quill And Anvil

Tweet

Max’s Corner Bakery (MCB) in partnership with Pilmico Foods Corporation won new recognitions from two of the most prestigious communications-focused award giving bodies for its Tinapay Natin Pinoy Bread Baking Competition.

Tinapay Natin is an annual bread baking competition that champions local bread culture by showcasing the innovation and creativity of small-scale bakers. The campaign from Max’s Corner Bakery and Pilmico received the coveted Gold Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) under the category PR Programs Directed at Specific Stakeholders for a campaign with focused strategy and communications directed towards its target consumers and communities.

From L-R: Representatives from SOHO Square Philippines, Charlene Sapina - Corporate Communications, Digital Solutions, and Sustainability Head for Max’s Group Inc. and Pamela Liwag - Brand & Quality Manager for Pilmico Foods Corp. receive the Gold Anvil Award from PRSP Executives at the 53rd Anvil Awards

Likewise, in the most recent Quill Awards, MCB’s Tinapay Natin received an Award of Merit for Communication Management under Customer Relations, which is given to outstanding programs aimed at educating, engaging or connecting the organization or its employees to the consumer.

Tinapay Natin started in 2016 as a collaboration between MCB and food and agribusiness firm Pilmico Foods Corporation. The program was founded to inspire small-scale, promising bakers to pursue their goals and highlight Filipinos as guardians of local food culture and heritage.

Over 3,000 student and non-professional bakers participated in Tinapay Natin’s 2017 run and were judged based on their technical expertise, originality and their delicious rendition of different Pinoy bread classics. Winners received P30,000 in cash and had their creations sold in Max’s Corner Bakeries nationwide. With the campaign’s unprecedented success, Max’s Corner Bakery saw a 56% growth in bread category and a 10.9% overall increase in year-end sales in 2017.

Ariel P. Fermin, Group COO for Max’s Group Inc., said that the awards signify that Max’s Corner Bakery is taking the right path towards strengthening Filipino bread culture and utilizing the right platforms to connect and inspire more people.

“We’ve always believed that Filipino history and culture is greatly represented and shaped by the food that we create. Baking is one avenue that Max’s Group sees as a means to preserve our heritage, and MCB’s Tinapay Natin is one way to promote this,” Fermin said. 

“Our partnership with Pilmico Foods Corporation, which also started their own campaign called “Mahalin Pagkaing Atin”, enabled this advocacy and spread our message even further.” 

In line with Max’s Group Inc.’s commitment to building loved brands, Max’s Corner Bakery’s award-winning campaign brings the bakers’ hard work and unique stories to the fore, with the hopes of creating a renewed sense of pride and appreciation for local food.

Win tickets to see Chance The Rapper in Manila with Globe GoSURF!

Tweet

For as low as P50, get a chance to see Chance live plus enjoy free 2GB for video and gaming!

Grammy award-winning Chance the Rapper is coming to the country for the first time to perform his hits! As a treat, Globe is giving away tickets to his concert and lucky Globe Prepaid customers will get to watch him drop the beat this August 22 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Be part of this much-awaited music event by just registering to any GoSURF variant and earn one raffle entry for every P5. After subscribing to GoSURF, just validate entries by texting CTRREG <space> Name/Address/Birthyear (Ex. CTRREG Rico Reyes/12 Abu Bakr St. Pasig City/1991) to 2346. To check the number of points earned, text CTRPTS to 2346.

Increase your chances of winning and earn as much as 200 raffle entries by subscribing to GoSURF999. You also get free 2GB data for GoWATCH and PLAY when you subscribe to GoSURF50 and up! Promo runs until August 15 and winners will be announced on August 17 via the Globe website, Facebook, and Twitter accounts. Winners will also be notified through call and text by an authorized Globe representative.

Don’t miss this opportunity to see and hear Chance The Rapper! 

For more details about the promo, text CTRHELP to 2346 or visit the website. Don’t forget to follow Globe on Facebook andTwitter.

FEU taps WEnergy Global to power group of schools

Tweet

In its pursuit to creating sustainable academic institutions, Far Eastern University (FEU) partners with WEnergy Global, a leading provider of solar energy. The collaboration will equip FEU’s campuses with cost-effective and greener source of power.

The project commences at one of FEU’s affiliate schools, Roosevelt College Inc, (RCI). The solar panels will serve 25% to 30% of the total electrical consumption of the campus in Rodriguez, Rizal. After these installations, the next set of major projects will be in FEU Silang in Cavite.

Standing (left to right): RCI Business Unit Head Tereas Angeles, RCI Vice President for Academic Affairs Gillian Joyce Virata, RCI Finance Manager Analiza Ventura,  RCI Vice President for Facilities and Technical Services Engr. Edward Kilakiga, and

Former DENR Secretary and Advisor of WEnergy Power Pilipinas, Inc. Elisea Bebet Gozun

Seated (left to Right): FEU Treasurer Rosanna Salcedo, WEnergy Power Pilipinas, Inc. President Quintin Pastrana,

FEU Chief Finance Officer Juan Miguel Montinola, and WEnergy Power Pilipinas, Inc. Antonio Gozun

“Investing in better solutions for energy conservation and efficient power utilization is not just a conscious effort to fight climate change, but also our contribution to the advancement in Philippine education. We aim to offer our students and community with sustainable structures that will withstand this century and beyond,” explains FEU Chairman Aurelio Montinola.

The partnership reflects the university and company’s shared passion for excellence and innovation.

“It gives us hope to have a private university taking the lead for green growth. There is nothing like sustainability where it counts the most: the place where we educate our nation's best and brightest,” says Quintin Jose Pastrana, President of WEnergy Power Pilipinas Inc.

Embracing advance Solar PV Energy in FEU is also in line with the university’s commitment to providing quality, future-ready education. It continues to find ways to utilize technology in its campuses, from the state-of-the-art facilities to its outcomes-based curriculum.

Lessons from Israel: How to Build a Start Up Nation

Tweet

Israel has become a focus of companies seeking to diversify and globalize their innovation strategies. Global companies are tapping into Israel’s innovation pipeline. 

Israel’s innovation sector is an irresistible magnet for many of the world’s largest companies. The country has become a vibrant high-tech laboratory where global companies are testing new models for innovation, including hackathons, innovation labs, and other forms of networking and collaboration.

Israel, while located in the oil-rich Middle East, lacked natural resources which results in limited opportunities for growth. To address this problem, Israel turned their efforts toward investing in their people and focusing on the development on innovation industries.

L-R: Minju Park, TechUp Tuesdays host and Account Director at GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications Inc., Amor Maclang, TechUp Tuesdays panel moderator and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications Inc., and TechUp Tuesdays Panel: Miguel Cuneta, Co-founder of Satoshi Citadel Industries, Mary Rose Magsaysay, Chairman Emeritus of the Philippine Association of Digital Commerce and Decentralized Industries and Fintech Advisor to CEZA, Justo Aboitiz Ortiz, President of the Blockchain Association of the Philippines and Chairman of UnionBank, Itamar Gero, President of the Israeli Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, Gilbert Camasura, President and CEO of Asia Select, and Bryan Makasiar, Associate Director of TechUp Pilipinas and host of the recently held TechUp Tuesdays at The Ark by UnionBank.

With the world's highest number of startups per capita and the second highest number of registered patents per capita, Israel has been dubbed the Startup Nation - the innovation capital of the world.  World Bank statistics show that Israel spends 4.27% of their GDP on research and development, the highest in the world. Almost every Forbes 500 company has an R&D team based in Israel, a testament to the progressive and globally-trusted research and development atmosphere in the said country.

In the July edition of TechUp Pilipinas held recently, the tech communities of the Philippines and Israel birthed a collaboration and knowledge partnership to be principally led by the Israeli Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines and the Blockchain Association of the Philippines.

Justo Aboitiz Ortiz, the President of the Blockchain Association Philippines and Chairman of UnionBank, opened up the session by encouraging the community to learn from one another and build that ecosystem. "We have a tendency to play in our own sandbox and test and learn by ourselves. But we know that blockchain and other technology is moving very quickly and we need more innovation rather than less. We need to encourage the community to learn from the best practices happening in other countries and industry players and take inspiration from that."

Tech enthusiast, Amor Maclang, moderated a panel which included Itamar Gero, the President of the Israeli Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, who discussed the environment and situation in Israel which allows for innovation and startup culture, Gilbert Camasura, President and CEO of Asia Select, who discussed the need to invest more in people, especially in tech, to make the Filipino workforce ready for the advances in technology, Miguel Cuneta, Co-Founder of Satoshi Citadel Industries, who discussed how quickly blockchain in the Philippines is growing and how Filipinos have a chance to be leaders in this field, and Mary Rose Magsaysay, the Chairman Emeritus of the Philippine Association of Digital Commerce and Decentralized Industries and Fintech Advisor to CEZA, who talked about how the community is formalizing and coordinating with the SEC and other regulators for the guidelines of this evolving economic financial tool.

Along with the partnership between TechUp Pilipinas and the Israeli Chamber of Commerce, the event also saw the joint announcement of the TechUp Pilipinas in Tel Aviv trip. TechUp Pilipinas in cooperation with the Israeli Chamber in the Philippines will be sending a delegation to the DLD Tel Aviv Innovation Festival (https://www.dldtelaviv.com/) in Israel this September. Fintech companies are welcome to apply to join the delegation. Aside from representing the country as a member of the Philippine delegation, the group will meet with tech companies in Tel Aviv for business matching. 

For more information on TechUp Pilipinas, future TechUp Tuesdays, and the delegation to Tel Aviv, please contact info@techuppilipinas.com .