ASUS Philippines Announces Official Extension of “Gear Up for the New Normal” Back to School Promotions

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All roads will definitely lead to the ASUS Concept Store nearest you as ASUS Philippines has officially announced the extension of the brand’s seasonal back-to-school campaign up to September 15, 2020.

This gives those who are still on the lookout for the #BestLaptopDeals in the market today more chances to not only get the ASUS laptop they’ve always wanted, but to also have a complete and more productive experience for online learning that is needed during these times.

True to its name, the “Gear Up For the New Normal” promotion equips instructors, teachers and students alike with the best solution to this shift to virtual learning and teaching. 

The “Gear Up For The New Normal” campaign gives buyers of select ASUS laptops a free and exclusive bundle of a Globe at Home Prepaid WiFi router, which features 2x faster speeds than regular pocket WiFi, and comes with free 10GB of Data. On top of this, ASUS Philippines is also giving away a Lazada e-voucher of up to Php 5,000 that can be used to purchase ASUS products in select official stores in Lazada.

Participating ASUS laptops for this promotion include the current and upcoming Intel Core i5, i7 and i9-powered ASUS ZenBooks and ASUS VivoBooks purchased in ASUS Concept Stores and accredited resellers nationwide.

To register for the promotion, and to get more details on the campaign, please visit the official microsite at https://bit.ly/ASUSGearUpMechanics.

Eastern Communications celebrates National Heroes Day with City of Manila

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For more than a century, Eastern Communications, one of the country’s premier telecommunications companies, has been part of nation building fighting alongside Filipinos for stronger tomorrow by providing world-class services. 

Now that the country is facing yet another challenging situation due to the pandemic, Eastern Communications continues its mission of empowering Filipinos by jumpstarting in the country’s capital city. 

With Manila celebrating the National Heroes Day through unveiling of murals in honor of then and today’s heroes in its newly refurbished Lagunislad underpass, Eastern Communications amplifies its strong partnership with the local government by showcasing its mural in the area – a visualization of its strong connections that stand the test of time. 

Driven by their High Tech and High Touch promise, Eastern Communications also rolled out initiatives that elevate the internet experience of every Manileño in time of pandemic.

Together with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Eastern Communications recently unveiled 34 units of “MNLKonek” digital kiosks along España Boulevard in Manila. These fiber-powered kiosks allow the public to do local phone calls, charge their phones, call emergency hotlines, and browse the internet for free. 

Likewise, Eastern Communications introduced to Manila its Eastern Home service to address the growing demand for home internet connection as more employees shift to working from home. It provides a burstable high-speed and non-intermittent residential internet service with equal upload and download speed of up to 100 mbps. 

“Eastern Communications is one with the city of Manila in providing quality internet experience to its constituents, and we are grateful that they are allowing us to be part of its efforts in the beautification of the capital city. We hope that through these initiatives, we are able to uplift the lives of every Manileño at this trying time,” shared Eastern Communications Head of Marketing Jedrek Estanislao.

To learn more about Eastern Communications, visit eastern.com.ph. 

MPTC expressways RFID campaign on track following DOTr push for cashless toll

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The Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) declared its support for Department Order 2020-012 issued by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) that requires expressway-bound vehicles to enter via cashless, contactless transactions “to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 and subsequently as a means to ensure a more efficient flow of traffic.”

In its statement of support, MPTC announced that its ongoing groupwide RFID sticker installation campaign is onstream.

DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade signed the department order last August 13, 2020 and mandated DOTr’s attached agencies to formulate procedures “to ensure the smooth implementation of the new policy.

“Our groupwide RFID roll out is on track to comply with D.O. 2020-012 and we will be ready to implement contactless toll payments consistent with the timeline,” said Rodrigo E. Franco, MPTC President and CEO. “Our expressway network that includes the North Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, Manila-Cavite Expressway, and Cavite-Laguna Expressway is primed for cashless and contactless transactions within the year”, Franco further said.

Franco added that “the MPTC tollway group will now accelerate all preparations to fully implement all-RFID (radio frequency identification) transactions in our toll plazas”.

Roberto V. Bontia, concurrently heading CAVITEX and CALAX and head of MPTC’s RFID 100 Task Force, outlined MPTC’s preparations into four key elements: (1) Infrastructure Readiness, (2) Operational and Visibility Improvements, (3) Motorist Assistance, and (4) Manpower Re-equipping and Retooling.

Bontia pointed out that the MPTC tollways are technically ready to shift from manual toll collection to full RFID-enabled system. Moreover, MPTC assures that any RFID sticker installed by its provider Easytrip Corporation, will be compatible throughout the MPTC network of expressways hence, a better customer experience overall.

Preparations are also highlighted by operational and visibility improvements, chiefly with improved RFID signages to help direct motorists during the transition. Likewise, the RFID stickers are available to online and in 24x7 onsite installation sites, to ensure that they are expressway-ready. “Getting the free RFID sticker online thru Shopee, and installing it yourself, is the truly contactless and cashless way,” Bontia remarked.

For onsite options, more installation sites have been made available. There are also arrangements for specialized groups such as trucking groups, public utility vehicles, homeowners’ associations and local government-based commuters.

Franco underscored MPTC’s policy of “supporting Sec. Tugade’s programs to improve transportation convenience for our country and people, especially the programs that will help control the spread of COVID-19, and keep our motorists, our tollway frontliners, and our employees safe.”

917Ventures launches FreebieMNL, a social gateway to discounts and vouchers

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917Ventures, the country’s largest corporate incubator and wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe, has launched FreebieMNL, a one-stop platform that combines your favorite social messaging apps with amazing deals and vouchers from the country’s top brands. 

With FreebieMNL, you get full access to tons of vouchers - from discounts to established online stores like Zalora, Shoppee, BeautyMNL, Boozy and PoundIt, to coupons and special treats from famous brands, shops and restaurants such as Bo's Coffee, Shake Shack, The Red Crab Group, The Store Specialist Group, Digital Walker, GNC, Discovery Hotels and Resorts, among others. And all of these are free as long as you sign up to their channels on Facebook Messenger and Viber.

"917Ventures is constantly looking for ways to serve and delight our customers, especially under current circumstances where many people are staying at home. By providing our customers the best deals around the country, all in one page, we’re giving them a way to discover new things and enjoy life even while on quarantine,” said VInce Yamat, 917Ventures’ Entrepreneur in Residence. “When you sign up to FreebieMNL, you’re signing up to a lifetime of freebies.”

On top of the discounts, you can also expect numerous giveaways and raffles with a chance to win by simply answering surveys, referring friends or sharing posts. In the last few months alone, FreebieMNL raffled off awesome gift baskets, free prepaid load, a year’s worth of delicious pizza, and a whole year’s worth of fruits and vegetables.

To top it all off, FreebieMNL is further complemented by its awesome website - https://freebiemnl.com/ which features useful life hacks, guides to live your best digital lifestyle, and spotlights on some of the biggest trending topics of our time. It also features cool brands and up and comers that everyone should pay attention to. Of course, the website is also home to deals and vouchers. 

FreebieMNL offers users a world of vouchers, discounts and freebies all accessible through social media messaging platforms and their website. It is currently available on both Viber and Messenger. To subscribe, just click the Get Started button. Join FreebieMNL on Viber today at https://bit.ly/FreebieonViberNow and subscribe to FreebieMNL on Messenger at https://bit.ly/FreebieOnFBM.

FreebieMNL subscribers can enjoy FREE vouchers and giveaways in their marketplace.

FreebieMNL is a brand under 917Ventures, the largest corporate incubator in the Philippines and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe Telecom. Visit https://freebiemnl.com/ for more information.

Shopee Powers Growth for Filipino Brands and Sellers with Enhanced Warehouse and Logistics Capabilities: Shopee offers a full range of warehouse and fulfillment support to help brands and sellers meet increased demand and to grow their e-commerce business

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Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, steps up its logistics preparations to help brands and sellers meet the increased online demand in the peak year-end shopping season. 

As e-commerce in the region continues to flourish, there is a higher demand for quicker and secure deliveries for online purchases. Shopee offers a robust logistics ecosystem to help brands and sellers meet evolving consumer needs. This year-end shopping season, Shopee commits to strengthening its warehouse and fulfillment support for brands and sellers, enabling them to increase sales and maximize customer satisfaction even as online shopping activity peaks. 

Martin Yu, Associate Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “Quality and reliable logistics are integral to the online shopping experience. As consumers turn to and rely more on e-commerce, businesses aim to deliver more quickly and efficiently to remain competitive. With this, Shopee has built up a robust logistics ecosystem designed for quality, reliable, and scalable deliveries. We want to simplify logistics for brands and sellers by providing them with solutions that support their business needs. The initiative helps them attract more customers, increase sales, and grow their e-commerce business in the long-term.”

Optimized warehouse and inventory support

Shopee has an optimized network of warehouses that form the backbone of its logistics networks in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. They are integrated with the Shopee platform and leverages data to help brands and sellers ship out orders more efficiently. 

In the Philippines, its purpose-built Warehouse Management System (WMS) uses data to make smart recommendations to trained warehouse teams, allowing increased efficiency from product picking to dispatching. The WMS uses data to forecast demand ahead of peak shopping periods so that brands and sellers can better allocate their resources. These services help brands and sellers to optimize their inventories and ship out parcels more efficiently, which translates to increased customer satisfaction and drives business growth.

Offering quality, reliable, and scalable deliveries

Shopee has over 100 logistics partners in the region who are highly familiar with local landscapes and provide quality services tailored for consumer needs. Brands and sellers on Shopee can tap on their reliable expertise and extensive coverage to reach customers.

Shopee also has its own Shopee Xpress fleet that specializes in e-commerce deliveries. It provides additional capacity and flexibility for Shopee to scale delivery operations during busy periods, allowing sellers and brands to ship quickly and reliably out parcels during peak shopping seasons. 

Shopee’s logistics partners and its own Shopee Xpress fleet are closely integrated with its platform and warehouses. It means that sellers and brands have access to quality and reliable logistics support all year round and can easily manage and track shipments on Shopee.

Driving long-term e-commerce growth for brands and sellers

Shopee’s logistics ecosystem allows sellers and brands to grow their e-commerce business with confidence. Supported by quality, reliable, and scalable logistics on Shopee, brands, and sellers can focus their attention on other vital areas of their business, such as optimizing their product assortment, marketing, and sales. 

Shopee’s robust logistics support has enabled sellers and brands to scale their e-commerce business effectively. Across the region, sellers and brands who use Shopee’s warehouse services sell more and ship up to 4 times more parcels than before. It shows how Shopee allows sellers and brands to deliver with higher speed, reliability, and efficiency.

Shopee also enabled sellers and brands to scale their delivery operations in times of peak demand. In the Philippines, the Covid-19 pandemic increased the online demand for Home & Living, Food & Beverages, and Fashion categories. Sellers and brands offering these items on Shopee were able to ship more parcels during this time, allowing them to meet their customers’ needs and grow their e-commerce business.

Yu closed, “As the year-end shopping season arrives, Shopee will continue to strengthen its logistics support and maximize growth for sellers and brands. For users, they can look forward to greater value with exclusive free shipping promotions from our trusted logistics partners across the Philippines. In line with our vision to power the future of retail, we will keep evolving our logistics ecosystem so that our users, sellers, and brands can unlock the full potential of e-commerce in the months and years ahead.”

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