#MeaningfulBanking : From Passbook to Phone: Embracing the mobile banking lifestyle

Tweet

The COVID-19 pandemic has definitely changed the way the world works. The need for social distancing and quarantine travel restrictions have made previously-straightforward tasks such as banking transactions far more challenging.

So what is the best way to cope? As in many cases, the use of available technology can make things a lot easier.

Metrobank, one of the country’s top banks, is actively encouraging all of its clients to transition to mobile banking. While their staff is ready and fully capable to serve clients face-to-face, online options have added a layer of safety amid the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

Most banking tasks can now be done via your phone or computer, so you don’t have to go out and line-up to a teller to manage your finances. 

Here are just some of them, and their practical applications.

1. Balance monitoring

You don’t have to go to your ATM or ask a teller to know how much money your accounts have. All you have to do is fire up your Metrobank Mobile App and you can see your balance in real-time.

You can even monitor your recent activities, both debit and credit, so you don’t have to guess if you really did or did not approve of certain transactions.

Apart from aiding financial discipline, this helps detect and prevent fraud.

2. Fund transfers

Needless to say, the most fundamental transactions can be done online. Transferring money to another account, same bank or otherwise, can be done with a few taps or clicks.

In the case of the Metrobank Mobile App, all you have to do is put in the recipient’s Metrobank account number or their app-registered mobile number, the amount you need to send, confirm, and you’re done. The transfer is also reflected in real-time so the recipient won’t have to wait for a day or so before checking to confirm if they’ve received the funds.

You can also choose to enroll “Peer” accounts that you regularly send money to so you don’t have to always input their account number or mobile number. You can even schedule these transfers to happen automatically in a given period if you choose.

Sending money to other banks is also possible via InstaPay, which credits funds real-time, or PESONet. Fees for these transactions are waived during the ECQ when done using the Metrobank Mobile App.

This is especially useful if you’re looking to send money to help out friends and family, or paying for goods and services that you procured online.

3. Bills payment

Even though malls and some payment centers are closed during the ECQ, the Bills Payment utility in the Metrobank Mobile App allows you to pay your bills directly from your bank account.

After enrolling the most common payable bills to your account (Meralco, PLDT, Globe, Smart, etc.) and selecting them, all you have to do is to enter the account details and amount due to complete your payment transaction.

4. Cardless Withdrawal

In a situation wherein you need to withdraw cash but forgot to bring with you your ATM Card, you will find useful the Cardless Withdrawal feature in the Metrobank Mobile App.

Cardless withdrawal allows you to withdraw a certain amount from your account without having to use your ATM card in any of the 2,300 Metrobank Group ATMs. 

To facilitate this feature, open the Metrobank Mobile App then simply key in the amount you wish to withdraw and a four-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) of your choice. The app will then provide you with a six-digit PIN that pairs with yours.

Once confirmed, go to the nearest Metrobank ATM or PSBank ATM, press ENTER in the ATM Keypad, key in the amount and the PINs, and the machine will dispense the requested amount.

Even before the ECQ, these mobile banking features have been available, but they are particularly useful during these times. One of the things that we can take from our current stay-at-home situation is to change our banking habits and transition into a more convenient and secure digital banking lifestyle.

To know more about the features of the Metrobank Mobile App, please visit the Metrobank website at metrobank.com.ph or Metrobank’s Facebook page at facebook.com/metrobank.

_____________

Metrobank is the country’s premier universal bank and has one of the largest domestic networks with over 950 branches and over 2,300 automated teller machines (ATMs) nationwide, and over 30 foreign branches, subsidiaries and representative offices. For inquiries, please contact Corporate Communications Department at 8-857-5526, or Investor Relations Department at 8-857-9783 and investor.relations@metrobank.com.ph. Or call the Metrobank 24/7 Customer Hotline at 8-870-0700, or log on to www.metrobank.com.ph. For provincial areas, call toll-free 1-800-1888-5775.

Shopee celebrates Mother’s Day with the official launch of Shopee Mom’s Club

Tweet

Shopee Mom’s Club members will get access to wide community support and exclusive benefits from top brands

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, launches Shopee Mom’s Club, an exclusive one-stop-shop membership group dedicated to helping Filipino mothers and mothers-to-be in their parenting journeys. With Mother’s Day just around the corner, Shopee gives thanks to all Filipino mothers with exclusive deals and discounts. 

What are the perks of being a part of the Shopee Mom’s Club?

● Free Sign-up: To become a Shopee Mom, all mothers have to do is fill up the online application form and they will receive amazing offers such as:

● A PHP100 welcome voucher 

● Exclusive brand discounts of up to 35%

● Free vouchers: Registered members of Shopee Mom’s Club will enjoy free shipping vouchers monthly and exclusive brand vouchers up to 35% off for everyday essentials, including toys, diapers, and milk formulas. Members can also get early access to upcoming promotions from established brands like Lactum, Johnson & Johnson, Uni-Care, and Huggies.

● Best prices and exclusive deals on essentials at Shopee Mom’s Club sale: All Filipino mothers can take advantage of the Shopee Mom’s Club sale to get all their essentials. From May 6 - 10, members can enjoy discounts up to 80% off, an extra Free Shipping voucher, and a brand discount voucher at the Shopee Mom’s Club sale.

● A chance to be part of a community that focuses on nurturing each other: Shopee Mom’s Club serves as an online community where mothers can get practical information on baby care basics to toddler no-no’s. They can also connect and learn from other moms via Shopee Moms Viber Community by sharing their experiences in their parenting journeys. 

Ruoshan Tao, Head of Marketing, Shopee Philippines said: “Being a mother is not easy, especially during this period, where they have to strike a delicate balance between work and family. We want to show our gratitude to all Filipino mothers for their hard work and dedication with the official launch of Shopee Mom’s Club just in time for Mother’s Day. This initiative serves as a comprehensive support system to meet the key needs of mothers as well as build a community for mothers to connect and support each other.”

With Shopee Mom’s Club serving as a one-stop-shop for exclusive deals -- getting the best price for mommy essentials has never been this easy and fun. Mothers can look out for exciting deals and promotions at the Shopee Mom’s Club sale. 

Mothers who want to sign up for this exclusive club and be part of this amazing journey can do so at https://shopee.ph/m/mom-club.

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

ABS-CBN goes off-air after NTC order

Tweet

In the midst of the country’s battle against the coronavirus pandemic, news broke about ABS-CBN‘s cease and desist order to operate.

On May 4, the franchise to operate by the country’s largest television network expires. 

ABS-CBN goes off-air on Tuesday evening, May 5, to comply with the cease and desist order of the National Telecommunications Commission

We see a flurry of verbal tussles among our lawmakers and legal luminaries on whether the giant network can continue to operate beyond May 4. The question at hand: can the Kapamilya network operate on the strength of a provisional authority issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) pending the renewal of the network’s franchise by Congress or not?

Last Sunday, the government chief lawyer, Solicitor General Jose Calida has warned the NTC against issuing a provisional authority in the absence of a Congress-approved franchise. A mere letter from leaders of the House of Representatives nor a resolution from the Senate would suffice to save the telecommunications regulatory body from possible legal responsibility.

And Solicitor General Calida minced no words in his warning that NTC commissioners could be liable under the country’s anti-graft and corruption laws should they grant ABS-CBN the provisional authority to operate without a franchise from Congress.

No less than former Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has made it clear in the past on what the law says—a law crafted by the same institution that wants to violate it or wants the NTC to infringe it.

“I don’t think the House or a committee of the House can compel the NTC to issue a provisional authority. There is no basis to give a provisional authority because there is no franchise,” Justice Carpio said in his past interviews.

Every franchise is a law because Republic Act No. 3846 requires all broadcasters to obtain a franchise from Congress before they are allowed to operate. And a provision under the law says a recipient of a franchise must obtain permits and licenses from the NTC in order to operate.

Another legal luminary, Congressman Edcel Lagman, said that only a full-fledged franchise for ABS-CBN can it be allowed to operate. What does this mean? The long and short of it is that Congress, where all broadcasting franchises emanate, should begin hearing the franchise application of ABS-CBN if it wants the network to continue airing. And this is the only solution.

ABS-CBN has remained steadfast in giving assistance to underprivileged Filipinos, rolling out fundraising campaigns and info drives, while its talents voluntarily help, enlighten, and comfort their fans, even as the network’s franchise’s supposed expiration.

ABS-CBN’s Pantawid ng Pag-ibig program, initiated to help families whose livelihood is affected by the community quarantine, has already turned over food and other basic necessities to 17 LGUs in Metro Manila. It has also expanded to reach beneficiaries in Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite, and Rizal provinces.

The network has also been arming Filipinos with relevant information on how to fight the COVID-19 disease through the Ligtas Pilipinas campaign.

Kapamilya stars like Kathryn Bernardo, Mica Javier, Ivana Alawi, and Iza Calzado are actively supporting the cause, promoting the importance of wearing masks using their own social media platforms.

While many are facing desolation under the community quarantine, ABS-CBN stars have continued to express their support—with live performances from their own homes, messages of comfort through the music, or donation drives to bring assistance to families suffering the most.

There are also Kapamilya artists who led projects of their own accord, such as Angel Locsin for #UniTENTWeStandPH and Bela Padilla who raised funds to buy food for informal workers. Sisters Alex Gonzaga and Toni Gonzaga meanwhile provided relief goods to indigent families.

Other celebrities like Bea Alonzo, Pokwang, Ejay Falcon, and Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo prepared meals and distributed them to front liners, while the likes of Enchong Dee, Ria Atayde, and Vice Ganda used their own earnings to purchase masks, PPEs, and other medical supplie s for health workers.

The question on whether the network deserves a new franchise seems superfluous, now more than ever, given how it has given priority to serving the public and extending help outside of its core services.

With ABS-CBN’s reach all over the Philippines and overseas via TFC, it has helped bond the nation in this time of turmoil, empowering its viewers to lend a helping hand and promoting the value of compassion along the way.

It is the Filipinos who will win big if ABS-CBN’s franchise is renewed. It is the audiences who will gain from the network’s news, entertainment, and public service projects. Its franchise renewal will ensure that the public can benefit from all these services.

Statement on the cease and desist order issued by the NTC to ABS-CBN

Tweet

Millions of Filipinos will lose their source of news and entertainment when ABS-CBN is ordered to go off-air on TV and radio tonight (5 May 2020) when people need crucial and timely information as the nation deals with the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is in compliance with the cease and desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) today that prohibits ABS-CBN from continuing its broadcast operations effective immediately.

Despite Senate Resolution No. 40, the House of Representatives’ committee on legislative franchises’ letter, the guidance of the Department of Justice, and the sworn statement of NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba, the NTC did not grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority to operate while its franchise renewal remains pending in Congress.

In an interview with DZMM last week, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano even gave an assurance that there is no move to shut down the network.

ABS-CBN has been providing comprehensive news coverage on the public health crisis and working with local governments and the private sector in providing food and basic goods for those in need through its “Pantawid ng Pag-ibig” campaign. To date, it has delivered over P300 million worth of goods for the benefit of over 600,000 families affected by the enhanced community quarantine.

We trust that the government will decide on our franchise with the best interest of the Filipino people in mind, recognizing ABS-CBN’s role and efforts in providing the latest news and information during these challenging times.

ABS-CBN remains committed to being in the service of the Filipino and we will find ways to continue providing meaningful service to them.

PhilCare posts 21% income increase as company banks on smarter healthcare to drive growth

Tweet

MANILA – Philhealthcare, Inc. (PhilCare), one of the Philippines’ most preferred health maintenance organizations (HMOs), posted a net income of P130.6 million for the 12-month period that ended on December 31, 2019.

The amount is 20.9 percent or P22.6 million higher than the P108 million it earned in the same period in 2018.

Based on the company’s annual financial statement, the HMO’s revenues went up to P2.68 billion, 15.8% or P367 million higher than the previous year. Benefits, claims, and expenses also increased to P2.5 billion, 15.3% or P332 million year-on-year.

“We are really happy that our efforts in 2019 bore fruit, from the aggressive sales of our innovative products like our prepaid healthcards to the new partnerships we formed and the new sales channels that we have opened. All these have contributed significantly to the increase of our bottom line,” said PhilCare president and CEO Jaeger L. Tanco.

“I’m particularly proud that PhilCare has pioneered prepaid healthcards in the market. This was the result of our 1st Wellness Index done back in 2014. We learned back then a lot of Filipinos did not have access to healthcare coverage because they didn’t have corporate health benefits. We, then, decided to develop sachet-type products that are more accessible and affordable, and it truly made a difference,” he added.

Apart from prepaid cards, PhilCare is taking on new innovations by banking on technology that improve the way healthcare is delivered.

Among these is the DigiMed service, which is a form of medical teleconsult, which should make a more pronounced impact as the nation embraces the new normal. 

The DigiMed service on the HeyPhil app has so far received around 1,500 digital consultations a month. It has also recently launched DigiMed PLUS, a web-based telemedicine application that allows members access to numerous specialists through video call.

“It is with great confidence that we assure our members, partners, and stakeholders that regardless of the present economic condition, PhilCare has remained resilient and we continue to be steadfast in our commitment to provide the quality of healthcare and service that we have been known to deliver,” Tanco said.

“PhilCare has always been a company that takes pride in being at the helm of innovation. As the nation gradually prepares itself for the new normal, we continue to gain momentum, seeking for opportune possibilities to leverage change to our advantage, as we dedicate ourselves in fulfilling our mission of making quality healthcare services available to every Filipino,” he added.

PhilhealthCare, Inc. (PhilCare) is among the top two most preferred HMOs in the country today. It distinguishes itself from other health maintenance organizations (HMO) in the Philippines by advocating wellness as a more holistic approach to health.

This is achieved through PhilCare’s sustainable health plans, PhilCare 360, and its technology-enabled customer experience. PhilCare offers a wide range of health care plans to serve the different requirements of individuals, group, and enterprise accounts.

PhilCare pioneered the country’s first Wellness Index in 2014. Based on the findings of that study, PhilCare introduced the very first prepaid health plans in the country. From prepaid to comprehensive coverage, PhilCare’s extensive line of products covers hospitalization, out-patient and emergency healthcare needs across a nationwide network of hospitals, clinics, and physicians.

PhilCare 360, on the other hand, provides members with updates about health information, preventive measures against diseases and illnesses, and lifestyle trends that promote health and wellness. Meanwhile, PhilCare’s tech-enabled customer service efforts involve their accessible website and e-commerce, their call center that’s available 24/7, and its HeyPhil App where members can ask queries and request for a Letter of Authorization (LOA).

PhilCare’s commitment to promote wellness among Filipinos makes it an essential pillar of Maestro Holdings, a grand concord of four of the biggest and respected financial companies in the Philippines. Under the Maestro’s baton, PhilCare joins four of the most recognizable names in their respective industries: PhilsFirst, the first domestic non-life insurance company in the country; PhilLife, one of the most trusted insurance providers in the Philippines; PhilPlans, one of the leading financial solutions companies providing pension, education, and memorial programs.