Visual storyteller Cocoy Ponce holds mobile night photography masterclass with the vivo V19 Neo

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Mobile photography enthusiasts were treated to a Night Photography masterclass as leading global technology company, vivo, and renowned photographer and videographer, Cocoy Ponce, teamed up to host the #V19PerfectTheNightWorkshop last July 15.

Through his impressive shots of the otherwise normal EDSA stretch, Ponce proved that with the vivo V19 Neo and low-light photography know-hows, one could make mundane things seem extraordinary.

Leading global technology company, vivo, and renowned photographer and videographer, Cocoy Ponce, teamed up to host the #V19PerfectTheNightWorkshop 

last July 15.

Ponce, a “visual storyteller” skilled in travel and lifestyle photography, hosted a mobile photography workshop via vivo’s official Facebook page, covering topics such as tips and tricks to master night photography, the importance of exposure in low-light settings, and post-processing images taken with a smartphone.

In the workshop, Ponce presented the difference between shooting with the vivo V19 Neo's normal photo mode (L) and its innovative Super night mode (R).

During the workshop, Ponce showcased stunning images he took using the new vivo V19 Neo—a mobile phone that boasts of its super night mode feature which allows users to take stunning images in low light. Through his impressive shots of the otherwise normal EDSA stretch, Ponce proved that with the vivo V19 Neo and low-light photography know-hows, one could make mundane things seem extraordinary.

Ponce emphasized the importance of utilizing the mobile phone’s super night mode and pro mode to produce magnificent night shots during the workshop

Among the many insightful tips he presented were the importance of utilizing the mobile phone’s different camera features, such as the super night mode and the pro mode, to produce magnificent night shots. 

Ponce also reminded the virtual audience that even with the phone’s professional camera features and the user’s skills, one must always remember that photos should tell stories as opposed to plainly conveying beauty. "Photography isn't just about taking good photos, it's about capturing moments that tell a story” he said.

With its high quality Quad camera setup bundled with an innovative ”super night mode”, the vivo V19 Neo is the perfect midrange phone for night photographers

With its high quality Quad Camera setup consisting of 48MP main, 8MP wide, 2MP Bokeh, and 2MP Macro lenses, and a 32MP selfie camera, all bundled with a super night mode that allows users to capture stunning images in low-light, the vivo V19 Neo is the perfect midrange phone for night photographers. 

It is available in Crystal White and Admiral Blue colorways for only P17,999 at authorized vivo stores nationwide. 

Missed the workshop? You can still #PerfectTheNight and learn more about the vivo V19 Neo through the vivo Facebook page at facebook.com/vivo.philippines.

Shopee and Google Launch Google Ads with Shopee, a First-of-its-kind Marketing Solution for Brands to Drive Sales Online

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Google Ads with Shopee offers specialized marketing support for brands to boost their e-commerce presence in Southeast Asia and Taiwan

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, teamed up with Google to launch Google Ads with Shopee, a first-of-its-kind marketing solution for brands to drive sales online. The launch reflects a shared commitment between Shopee and Google to accelerate digitization and enable e-commerce growth for brands across the region. Through this integration, brands on Shopee can access specialized marketing tools to boost their online presence, create deeper engagements with customers, and flexibly manage and measure their marketing campaigns.

Ruoshan Tao, Head of Marketing at Shopee Philippines, said, “Most brands in the Philippines are expanding their online presence as e-commerce becomes a vital part of the retail ecosystem. Shopee is committed to providing the best environment for every brand to succeed online. Google Ads with Shopee extends our efforts by deepening our integration with Google and making it easier for brand partners to promote their official stores and products online. We are delighted to have a like-minded partner like Google and we look forward to deeper collaborations in the future.”

Google Ads with Shopee meets the growing demand among brands for specialized marketing tools to support their increasing e-commerce presence. Key benefits include:

1. Convenient ad campaign creation on Shopee Brands Suite: Brands can now create Google shopping ads directly on the Shopee Brands Suite, adding to the existing range of marketing solutions and tools offered by Shopee. It will allow brands to promote their official stores and products more efficiently across all channels.

2. Increased flexibility and control: Brands can directly create and manage online ads for their official stores and products on Shopee on the Google Ads platform. It allows greater flexibility as brands can tailor ad campaigns to meet different business needs.

3. One-stop monitoring: Brands can monitor the performance of all their Google ads via the Shopee Brands Suite. The one-stop access to data, brands can seamlessly measure success and optimize the effectiveness of their marketing efforts on Shopee.

Samuele Saini, Sector Lead for Apps, e-Commerce, Entertainment at Google, said, “The e-commerce industry in Southeast Asia has experienced massive growth in recent years and is forecasted to exceed 150 billion USD by 20251. It has been further accelerated by the pandemic, with more consumers shopping online, as well as both big brands and smaller sellers quickly pivoting to further building their e-commerce presence.” He further added, "We are excited to launch Google Ads with Shopee, making it faster and easier for brands to connect with their customers online, and provide them with flexible tools to measure and optimize their campaigns.” 

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

Robinsons Bank launches RBank Biz and QR facility to help businesses move forward to the next normal

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With the new normal set in place, many Filipinos have begun exploring online market spaces as alternative means for their livelihood. From baked goods, handcrafted masks, electronics, and more, the e-commerce landscape has been thriving with unique business ventures.

Despite the struggles brought by the COVID-19 situation, they quickly found creative and innovative ways to help them during these challenging times.

As the e-commerce landscape surges  and the global trend for contactless transactions continues to grow, Robinsons Bank is introducing the RBank Biz Portal and capability – new safe and efficient ways to help buyers and sellers manage their business during this crisis.

Wider choices mean greater opportunities

Take your business to greater heights with RBank Biz. Here’s a business solution that’s guaranteed to provide you ease and convenience!

RBank Biz is an online platform where business owners, even online sellers in Facebook, can take advantage to help them in managing their cashflow.  Interested e-commerce sellers and micro business owners can easily apply to become an RBank Merchant through its digitized application process. The application process can take as short as three (3) days, depending on their type of business.  With RBank Biz, not only does it provide more payment options to customers, but also ease and safety in completing their transactions.

No matter how small or big the business is, RBank offers online and offline payment channels such as Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals for debit and credit cards, E-Commerce Payment Solutions, and QR Code payments for cashless, cardless, and contactless transactions.

This will allow business owners to reach a larger customer base since this platform will be able to accept payments from other local banks. What's more, it gives their business added visibility in RBank's website.

Soon, RBank Biz will enable a Merchant Dashboard where RBank merchants can easily track their receivables, providing a robust sales monitoring facility for their business. And the greatest part of this service to its clients, RBank Biz is all FREE!

Just visit www.bit.ly/RBankBiz and become an RBank Merchant today.

Enjoy the QuickR way to pay and receive payments via QR

With the gradual shift to contactless transactions, RBank QuickR is the perfect solution to get your hands off handling cash and remain safe from the covid virus.

RBank’s QR (QuickR way to pay) is a cashless payment solution that allows RBank accountholders to send and receive digital payments from other RBank accounts or RBank Biz merchants via QR code, and without investing in any hardware.

Furthermore, RBank’s QR promises a contactless payment, ensuring minimized contact between merchants and customers. Through RBank’s QR, payments received are credited to the RBank account in real-time ensuring efficient cash flow. Users need not worry about security since all information transferred via QR code is encrypted and secure. In a few months, expect RBank QuickR QR code to have the capability to receive payments from other banks! 

To cater to the market's changing needs especially as the world adjusts to the new normal, Robinsons Bank is committed to its promise to expand its products and services to serve you better and to be your partner towards a brighter future

Robinsons Bank is the financial services arm of the JG Summit Group of Companies, one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines. It currently ranks 18th among universal and commercial banks in the country, with assets amounting to Php 131.088 Bn as of December 2019.

For inquiries and concerns, you may reach Robinsons Bank through its Customer Care Center at (02) 8637-CARE (2273) or domestic toll-free 1-800-10-637-CARE (2273); or visit its website at www.robinsonsbank.com.ph. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/robinsonsbank. Stay updated and join RBank’s Viber Community at https://bit.ly/RBankCommunity to know the latest announcements.

GCash, Singlife tie up to launch digital Insurance Marketplace

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GCash, the leading mobile wallet in the Philippines, has partnered with digital insurer Singlife Philippines to provide GCash users access to relevant, affordable, and secure insurance products.

Despite the growth of the insurance market in recent years, more than 95 percent of Filipinos are insufficiently prepared – if not completely unprepared –for high medical expenses, disability, or death of the main income earner. This leads to high debts to pay for medical costs or even outright denial of treatment. Families are being torn away from their standards of living when an adverse event happens and income is disrupted. One hurdle is the complexity of insurance products and the old-fashioned way they are offered, with conventional insurance plans requiring a lot of paperwork.

“Cash seeks to maximize the reach of technology to promote health and financial security especially during this global health situation. After offering customers a new, more customer-friendly way to do banking transactions, partnering with Singlife Philippines will allow us to also offer our clients access to a number of meaningful life insurance products that cater to their financial well-being,” GCash CEO Martha Sazon said.

GCash, the largest fintech company in the Philippines, has always had its eyes set on financial inclusion for all Filipino. Recently, GCash has started offering users a suite of financial services such as savings, on-demand credit, and investments. Offering insurance is the next step towards this goal.

Singlife Philippines is a majority-owned subsidiary of Singlife (65%) with partners Di-Firm (20%) and Aboitiz Equity Ventures (15%). The company’s purpose is to unlock the potential of money for everyone by offering innovative tools & solutions that help people become confident and in control of their finances.

“We believe that everyone should have access to financial products that support them to manage their financial lives efficiently. By using digital technology, we can simplify products, make them affordable for a larger market, and design them to be customer centric. Our products adjust to your needs and give you the best value for your money,” Singlife Philippines President & CEO Rien Hermans said.

He adds, “Partnering with GCash, the biggest e-wallet platform in the Philippines, makes perfect sense as our goals are aligned.  We offer simple and flexible products at affordable prices to a large base of customers.”

This is only one of many partnerships, and GCash will continue to work with local industry leaders to offer the best insurance options to the people in the market.

“The end goal is to really connect every Filipino to all the kinds of financial protection they might need in the most convenient way possible,” Sazon said.

SM launches Farmers Produce Market with DA and Resto PH

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Many farmers and their families find themselves struggling to get back on their feet and make enough to get by amid the pandemic. To help, SM Supermalls formally launched Farmers’ Produce, a first-of-its-kind joint project with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Resto PH, an association of restaurant owners, with a first leg, a weekend market at SM Aura, Taguig.

In photo (L-R) Eric Teng, President of RestoPH;U.Sec Ruth Castelo, Department of Trade and Industry; Margie Moran; A.Sec. Noel Reyes, Sec. William Dar, A.Sec. Kristine Evangelista, Department of Agriculture; Steven Tan, President of SM Supermalls. 

In photo (L-R) Margie Moran; Tessa Prieto-Valdez; Frank Briones; Ara Arida; Daphne Osena-Paez; Hideo Muraoka

During the launch of Farmers Produce which was held July 3-5, 2o2o at the open air SM Aura Skypark, guests had a great time shopping for fresh and organic produce and other local products at low prices. The event also offered a farm-to-table experience to all guests with the help of Resto PH restaurants which served special menu items using the various produce from the local farmers. 

Due to public clamor and to continue to help the farmers, Farm Produce will have its second run from July 10 to 12, at SM Aura Skypark Lawn, from 10am to 8pm.

According to DA Secretary William Dar, because of the pandemic, the livelihood of farmers have been affected. They have their produce, but they are not earning much profit due to lack of buyers. “During the past months in quarantine, we have come up with solutions that will directly connect farmers to the consumers,” he said. “This will help farmers sell their produce to the consuming public, and give shoppers the chance to buy fresh, nutritious items at a lower cost.”

Fresh fruits are also available at the Farmers’ Produce market at SM Aura Premier. Some of these include bananas, papaya, dragonfruit.

Onions are sold at a very affordable price.

SM shoppers can benefit from the partnership which will be implemented in many SM malls nationwide. “Through this project, SM malls across the country will be selling fresh and organic produce to help our farmers. This is only the beginning and we look forward to implementing more initiatives that will support local farmers and small businesses, to help boost the country’s economy during this time,” said SM Supermalls president Steven Tan.

Farmers’ Produce is part of the government’s Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Program, the flagship market development program of the DA, and aims to support local farmers and restaurants that have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Through this project, they will be able to sell their produce directly to restaurant owners and those who want to be of help to MSMEs.

Also available at the Farmers’ Produce Market are celery, pechay baguio, zucchini, raddish, eggplant, and red cabbage.

“When restaurants close, farmers suffer because we are such a big buying block for their produce. It will take a long time for restaurants to recover. On top of that, farmers also deal with other factors like growing seasons and the uncertainty of the situation. We hope this project will do a lot of good for our farmers by bringing their produce to our table,” added Eric Teng, president of Resto PH and Mango Tree Bistro.

Together with the top government officials and SM executives, public personalities and celebrities including Margie Moran, Tessa Prieto-Valdes, Ariella Arida, and Hideo Muraoka, among others, also attended the launch.

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SM Supermalls, a staunch supporter of MSMEs

Since it started as a small enterprise 60 years ago, SM has long committed to support MSMEs to grow by helping them organize their business, provide access to market and marketing support, and act as distribution channels across the country.