beep™ cardholders can now earn reward points

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Started August 22 up to November 22, 2020, beep™ users can get more out of their daily commute by earning reward points that they can redeem for beep™ load using the beep™ mobile app.

To join the beep™ Rewards promo, cardholders must simply download the beep™ mobile app and register their card. A customer may register up to five (5) beep™ cards; however, points are earned per card and cannot be combined with other cards.

Each transaction using the registered cards at participating buses, PUVs, and retail stores in NCR earns points (P1 spent = 1 point). Reward points are only available for eligible transactions using genuine beep™ cards. Trains and reloading transactions are not included.

Customers must earn a minimum of 1,000 points to be able to redeem P10 beep™ load. Redemption is done in the app and may be successfully claimed via beep™ e-load stations. There is no limit to the number of points that can be earned and redeemed. Terms and conditions apply (Per DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-103303 Series of 2020).

 

To know more about beep™ Rewards, visit <www.beeptopay.com/news/beep-rewards>.

 

beep™ for your daily commute

Contactless is the new normal and thelocal public transportation sector has adapted cashless payments accordingly.

“Cashless payments are ideal, especially at this time, because it helps us avoid physical contact with money or transport tickets where viruses may thrive. We’d like to do our part by promoting the use of thebeep™payment system not only for the convenience of passengers and efficiency for transport operators, but as a means to prevent the spread of diseases as well. We thank the commuters for their cooperation and understanding as we support the transition to new and better systems that can address the challenges we are facing today,” said Sharon Fong, Chief Commercial Officer of AF Payments Inc.

beep™ is the only interoperable stored value card that can be used for both trains (LRT1, LRT2, and MRT3) and PUVs (P2P buses, EDSA buses, modern jeepneys, and other PUVs).Customers can buy or load their beep™ card at any LRT or MRT station, EDSA bus stops and select P2P terminals,as well as inFamilyMart and Ministop branches in Metro Manila. Price of the card varies depending on the pre-loaded Peso amount, as well as on the reseller. For safety purposes, customers should buy from legitimate and authorized resellers only.

The beep™ card can be used multiple times since it is reloadable and valid for four (4) years. Those who travel frequently by bus or train are advised, whenever possible, to load as much as they can so they can just board the bus and pay, thereby enjoying the convenience and being able to practice social distancing simultaneously.

To know where you can use your beep™ card, just look for terminals or devices that have any of the official beep™ logos below.

     

                                                         

 

More information about beep™ is also available at <www.beeptopay.com> or through the customer service desk open from 5 AM to 11 PM daily (Landline: (02) 8 737 9600; Globe line: 0917-512-1319; Smart line: 0998-581-9675).

Mekeni shares 5 business tips for micro-entrepreneurs

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Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have emerged as key drivers of economic growth and employment in the Philippines; and while the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis has slowed down our economy and put many MSMEs at their most vulnerable, they remain as resilient and agile as ever.

Be a Mekeni Home2Home Partner for as low as PhP 1,500

 

There is no perfect formula when starting a small business. It is a learn-as-you-go process that is why companies like Mekeni Food Corporation are committed to mentoring and helping micro-entrepreneurs cope with the situation.

Mekeni, as one of the leading food manufacturers in Central Luzon, is empowering micro-entrepreneurs through their Mekeni Home2Home Partners Program where it is tapping external distributors to expand the brand’s reach and at the same time, provide income for starting businessmen. Together with Mekeni, these Home2Home (H2H) partners are sharing effective business tips that can guide aspiring entrepreneurs.

 

1. Find your niche

Starting a venture will make you want to do all things at once. However, spreading yourself too thin will make you miss opportunities to capture your target market. Find your niche and focus on it just like what Mekeni H2H Partner Mich did. Affected by the mall closure due to the pandemic, she had to put on hold her business and find other ways to earn a living for her family. “I went to several groceries near my place looking for Mekeni products and I found none. This prompted me to put up an online frozen food store and started selling last June 2020,” she shared. One month in operation and Mich has already five resellers. Finding a unique product has helped her differentiate her business from the competition and allowed her to excel in the market.

 

2. Utilize available resources

Businesses have learned to adapt by utilizing available resources due to the COVID-19 crisis. Mich used her social media accounts to post advertisements which helped her gain more customers. Mekeni, too, has to remain agile and resilient even though they are a big corporation. They immediately launched the Mekeni Home2Home online delivery via Facebook and Viber and later on launched the reseller program. This allowed more Filipinos to own a business in the comfort of their homes with just a small capital.

 

“We’re seeing a lot of micro and small businesses opening these days and a lot of them are using the Internet to expand their ventures. I believe that being resourceful is important these days. This, as well as offering high-quality products, and putting the customers’ welfare as their priority, will help them succeed,” said Prudencio Garcia, president of Mekeni.

 

3. Be specific with your goals

For Mekeni H2H partner Jocel E-Oy, all she wanted was to own a business so that she can help her family. “Mahirap ang buhay namin sa Davao kaya't naisipan kong mag-business at sakto tinulungan ako ng Mekeni through Mekeni Home2Home Partners Program (Life is really hard here in Davao that is why I thought of starting my own business. Good thing, Mekeni was able to help me through the Mekeni Home2Home Partner Program),” she shared. Her usual net income is P2,000 per day, which doubled when the pandemic started, or more or less P120,000 if she has sales every day for 30 days.

Through her online business, Jocel shared that she was also able to help her resellers achieve their goals. “Ito na ang naging livelihood nila at nakakatuwa na nakakabili na ulit sila ngayon ng diaper at pang gatas ng anak nila. Kaya nagpapasalamat kami sa Mekeni (This has also become their [resellers] livelihood and I am so glad that they’re able to buy diapers and formula milk for their kids. This is why we are so grateful to Mekeni),” she added.

 

Having specific goals will help you in getting your business off the ground. These goals should be realistic, quantifiable, and achievable.

 

4. Stay connected to a strong business community

Not only that it will expand your horizons but having a strong business community who will mentor you can greatly contribute to your success. For Mekeni, sharing their experiences with micro-entrepreneurs as well as creating products that are geared towards them can help them weather any storm. “Our Bayani products are meant to help our micro-entrepreneurs. This line of products is priced affordably, which is perfect for entrepreneurs with small capital but looking for quality products. Our Bayani products are also highly profitable as these are street snacks loved by most Filipinos,” said Garcia.

 

Shiela Alfons, a reseller in Davao, shared that with Mekeni’s wide product range, they were able to expand their business amid during the pandemic and “even served those who temporarily lost their jobs by giving them an alternative source of income.”

 

With this, their communities are assured that they have a strong support system like Mekeni that will help their business grow.

 

5. Start today

If you really want to succeed in your business, stop making excuses and start today. Do not let it hold you back because you will never know how many lives you are going to change with the product or service that you are going to sell. As Mekeni H2H partner Jocel puts it, “Magsimula na po tayong mag-online selling habang may opportunity. Diskarte lang talaga. Sabayan ng sipag at maraming dasal. (Let’s grab the opportunity and start online selling. You just have to be clever. Accompany it with hardwork and lots of prayers.)

 

The crisis is challenging the survival of micro-enterprises and limiting their growth. But, with the help of companies such as Mekeni, many micro-entrepreneurs are allowed to get back on their feet and uplift the lives of their loved ones.

 

If you are interested to be a Mekeni Home2Home Partner, you can send a message through Mekeni’s official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mekeniph.

 

TikTok Superstar Zendee and the #TalaChallenge Parody That Started It All

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First discovered as a random girl singing videoke in the mall in 2012, Zendee has recorded albums, sung in concerts, and even performed on the Ellen Degeneres Show. But true stardom for Zendee started on TikTok. It was on this platform where she was able to shine as a unique creator, and where she has been loved and accepted by her audience as her authentic self.

 Zendee’s Interview}

https://www.youtube.com/embed/dOQDpotfyM0"

Zendee first went viral on TikTok because of her parody of the popular #TalaChallenge. She posted her version, Gala, at the height of the enhanced community quarantine in the Philippines. The post gained thousands of likes and comments, and even local celebrities shared their own takes on the #galachallenge.

 

https://www.tiktok.com/@zendeeofficial/video/6814618436321185026?lang=en

Since then, Zendee’s following has grown at an amazing rate - 4.9M in only 6 months. This opened up the opportunity for her to start her musical journey on the app, lip syncing at first, and eventually sharing her own content as a singer. She believes that TikTok is a great place for all musicians and songwriters to showcase their talents and reach the right audience. She also shares that the app’s awesome filters and clear audio are helpful tools that she is able to use as a singer.  

Not afraid to express herself, Zendee uses music to voice her opinions. She also shares practical life advice on her feed, reaching out to her audience with her saucy but bubbly personality. The TikTok community, for her, is like a family that supports anything that you want to do, just like her music. And, because she has felt the love from the community, she makes sure to show her appreciation, and make her followers feel that she loves them right back.

https://www.tiktok.com/@zendeeofficial/video/6851916304794832129

To anyone who wants to start on their own journey as a content creator on TikTok, Zendee imparts five tips that have worked for her - Be yourself, share what you know, inspire others, stay positive, and most of all, have fun. 

You, too, can share your video creations as part of the #itstartsonTikTok hashtag challenge, or even take it a step further by creating a hashtag of your own. Download TikTok today on your iOS and Android devices to get started.

iACADEMY chosen by Alibaba Business School as first PH school to implement digital, e-commerce college courses

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As iACADEMY strengthens its international linkages, the Makati-based school has been recently chosen by Alibaba Business School’s Global Digital Talent Program to implement digital and e-commerce driven business college courses. Under this program, the GDT team will train the professors of iACADEMY with its e-commerce courseware that will be incorporated in iACADEMY’s business course subjects. 

Alibaba inks partnership with iACADEMY, the first Philippine school to implement digital and e-commerce college courses. 

L-R: Ms. Zhang Yu, Partner and Vice President of Alibaba Group, and Ms. Vanessa Tanco, President and CEO of iACADEMY

The Alibaba GDT(GET) Network is part of Alibaba's mission to make it easy to do business anywhere. Established in October 2008, the Alibaba Business School is currently focused on implementing Alibaba Group's e-commerce training and education system, which has in the past decade nurtured millions of e-commerce practitioners and entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, iACADEMY, a school known for its specialized courses on Computing, Business, and Design, has also inked partnership with several international companies over the past few years in a bid to position the school as a major player in digital transformation and innovative education. Just last year iACADEMY was designated Center of Excelence in Asia by one of the biggest Animation Software providers, the first partner shool of the world’s cloud computing giant company and a curriculum development partner of one of the top accounting firms in the world. Now, as the school opens its new school year, it also open its doors to another international partnership that will surely be a game changer.

This month, iACADEMY has signed a partnership with Alibaba Business School to implement the Alibaba Global Digital Talent (GDT, was named as GET) Program that will enable and empower students and entrepreneurs by providing skills and talents, thereby allowing them to maximize the potential of digital technologies for business growth. 

Based on the framework of the Alibaba Business School, the GET program was established to collaborate with universities and training institutions worldwide to train talents for the digital economy. Partner educational institutions like iACADEMY, as one of its newest members in the Alibaba GDT Network, will get to carry out its GDT Program Curriculum where students will be trained and acquire knowledge on digital economy and digital entrepreneurship. 

Apart from this endeavor, the Alibaba Business School recently hosted the GDT Global Challenge 2020 and announced their top three finalists with one of the second place winners from the Philippines. This challenge encouraged students to develop innovative digital solutions that can help people, business, and institutions in adapting with the new normal. 

“We are honored to be the first school in the Philippines to implement this program with the Alibaba Business School. This is just one of the many initiatives that iACADEMY will be pushing as we strengthen our international presence and linkages,” said Vanessa Tanco, iACADEMY’s President and CEO.

“The Alibaba GDT Program will certainly add a great value to our business courses in iACADEMY. This will further cement our position as an ever-dynamic and innovative business school in the Philippines,” Cecilia Sy, iACADEMY’s Vice President for Academic Affairs underscored. 

To formally ink the deal between the Alibaba GDT Network and member international universities including iACADEMY, an online half-day program commenced on September 22 to foster an inclusive dialogue on digital talent cultivation and harness countries‘ readiness to engage in the digital economy. Senior executives from Alibaba, government leaders of member countries, and other leading experts and scholars of digital industries will also grace the event via online platform.

Golden Haven, The Most Beautiful Memorial Parks From The Country’s 3rd Largest Real Estate Company

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Golden Haven Memorial Parks are serene resting places for our dearly beloved that have gone ahead. Nothing honors their memories more than laying them to rest at Golden Haven, the real estate developer of what are touted to be the country’s largest and most beautiful memorial parks. 

Golden Haven’s impeccably designed memorial parks create a tranquil have for all who visit.

Golden Haven’s impeccably designed memorial parks combine elegant architecture with verdant greenery to create a tranquil haven for families who come to visit. In such vast, picturesque settings, the living celebrates the lives of people they have loved and lost while creating new, lasting memories with the family. Golden Haven continues to innovate on memorial parks and how to make them as much functional as they are aesthetic.

Take for example the Golden Haven in Amadeo, Cavite, the first-ever eco-memorial park currently in development in the Philippines. Not only will it provide a beautiful locale for remembering loved ones gone by but it will also offer outdoor attractions for visiting families to bond over with. Such outdoor activities include a butterfly pavilion, various nature trails, and even a miniature zoo. Its countryside vibes make it refreshingly conducive to reliving happy memories while appreciating the beauty of nature. 

More than just celebrating the lives of loved ones gone by, families can create lasting memories together in these picturesque settings.

On the other hand, the 10-hectare Golden Haven at Cagayan de Oro, a fully operational Golden Haven park, boasts a stunning recreation of the famed Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To boost its international flair, the park is built around the theme, Gardens of the World. Greetings in various Asian languages welcome guests at the park that features themed enclaves such as the Japanese Zen garden, the Gardens of America, the Tuscan Hills, and more. 

Pegged as the most beautiful memorial park in the country, Golden Haven Park in Cebu is located just a few minutes ride from the city. This mountaintop sanctuary can leave one in awe, with its enchanting natural surroundings blending seamlessly with its various Italian-inspired amenities like the Pope John Paul II Memorial Hill, the Garden Plaza, and the Imperial Gardens, among others.

These are just three of more than thirty premier offerings of Golden Haven all over the country, making it the largest and the most beautiful chain of memorial parks not only in the country, but quite possibly, within the Southeast Asian region as well. 

Golden Haven Park in Cebu is a mountaintop sanctuary that leaves visitors in awe of its natural surroundings and Italian-inspired amenities.

With more sites being built, Golden Haven moves closer to its goal of having a Golden Haven memorial park in every person’s hometown, allowing its clientele to enjoy life’s peaceful dusk, in the comforts of familiar ground.

“It is our hope that the vastness and tranquil beauty of Golden Haven’s memorial parks continue to motivate the living in making their visits a regular habit instead of a yearly event,” said Red Rosales, president of Golden Haven. “Weekend visits can afford families the chance to bond safely with each other while savoring memories of the dearly departed.”

The 10-hectare Golden Haven at Cagayan de Oro boasts a stunning recreation of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

With its modern, refreshing take on the memorial park, there is clearly no better choice in the deathcare industry than Golden Haven.

Golden Haven is a subsidiary of publicly listed Golden Bria Holdings Inc., currently positioned as the 3rd largest real estate company in the country in terms of market capitalization valued at more than 200 billion pesos.