UBX chief to utilize expertise in building-up start-ups as The Final Pitch Season 6 investor judge

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UBX President and CEO John Januszczak has recently joined the latest season of long-running, entrepreneurial-themed reality show The Final Pitch as an investor judge. This marks the very first that a fintech company joins the show and reflects UBX's continuous efforts in accelerating MSME success by incubating start-up businesses in the Philippines.

As an investor judge, Januszczak brings to the judging table an expansive wealth of knowledge and expertise in building start-ups from the ground up, which comes from his experience in leading UBX in its mission to support the country’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and help them thrive in the digital economy.

As the fintech spinoff and corporate venture arm of Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), UBX has been at the forefront of incubating start-ups and business ideas in the country by utilizing innovation and co-creation to deliver pioneering solutions that enable growth and expansion, empowering entrepreneurs and enabling their businesses to achieve their full potential.

Among these solutions is SeekCap, UBX’s online lending platform and the first online lending marketplace in the Philippines. Since its launch, SeekCap has processed over P1.5B worth of business loans and has helped more than 38,000 businesses, especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when many of them needed financial support just to stay afloat.

There is also Sentro, the country’s first end-to-end e-commerce builder, which allows entrepreneurs to create their very own fully-featured online store even with little to zero tech know-how. More than 29,000 businesses in the country have successfully digitized their businesses thanks to Sentro, allowing them to thrive amid the recent growth of the e-commerce sector as a result of the pandemic.

Another industry-pioneering solution that is aligned with UBX’s efforts in incubating the next big Filipino entrepreneur is Bux, an end-to-end platform provides business owners with a wide selection of payment methods and channels depending on their needs or preference. To date, Bux has helped more than 100,000 businesses streamline their e-commerce payment process.

Through these solutions, UBX has become the biggest incubator of start-ups in the Philippines, giving burgeoning entrepreneurs secure footing in an era where being digital has become a must, made even more challenging by an unprecedented global health crisis. But these solutions aren’t the only capabilities of UBX when it comes to supporting start-ups.

“We’re very interested in investing in ideas, in founders, and talented entrepreneurs. We can invest in external or stand-alone ventures through our venture fund. We also have our venture studio which could make sense for someone who has a smaller team but needs the resources of an incubator/accelerator to bring their startup to market. UBX will provide individuals who have a great idea with a framework and assistance that will validate it and give capital and resources to bring it to scale,” Januszczak said.

PayMaya brings Php1-M 'grand aguinaldo' to QC employee and Gawad Kalinga

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For Stefan Ema Mae Corregidor, the joy of going cashless became sweeter when she learned that she won the Php1-million grand prize in the PayMayaguinaldo Raffle Promo. With this prize money, the 31-year-old employee from Quezon City is sharing and giving back the joy to her family by building a home for her mother who is currently residing in Davao City.

What made the news priceless for Stefan is also knowing that through the PayMayaguinaldo Raffle Promo, another Php1-million worth of "aguinaldo" is being given to the Gawad Kalinga School for Experiential & Entrepreneurial Development (GK-SEED) Philippines to help graduates who have set up their own enterprises accelerate the growth of their business.

As Filipinos celebrated a more somber holiday season due to COVID-19, PayMaya thought of how to make its PayMayaguinaldo promo more rewarding. First, it gave PayMaya users a chance to win 1 million pesos by simply paying via PayMaya QR and their PayMaya registered mobile number at partner merchants or purchasing prepaid load and other treats at the PayMaya in-app shop.

On top of this, PayMaya aimed to share the blessing with agri-entrepreneurs from underprivileged communities through GK-SEED Philippines. For the past three years, PayMaya has chosen GK-SEED as campaign beneficiary because of its track record in helping the youth overcome poverty through education and entrepreneurship.

“Amid the global pandemic, millions of Filipinos have joined the ‘cashless’ revolution for safer and more convenient payments. With our PayMayaguinaldo promo rewards and cashback, we provided a merrier way to pay. The experience was also made extra rewarding as our promo campaign gave our customers the means to give back to the community by helping support student scholars of GK-SEED and overall foster agri-entrepreneurship,” said Mark Dee, Head of Growth Marketing and Partnerships at PayMaya Philippines.

For Stefan, she discovered PayMaya during the community quarantine. After using the PayMaya app for government bills payments the first time, she has been continuously enjoying the convenience and rewards every time she pays bills, shops online, buys load, among others. From doing cash transactions, Stefan has also shifted to PayMaya for sending money to her loved ones and family members. It eliminated the hassles of travelling to payment centers and lining up to just to send funds.

“PayMaya helped in making my life easier amid the pandemic as it offered a safer, more convenient and rewarding way to pay for my transactions whether online or in-store. With this, I’m able to enjoy the benefits of going cashless and avoid the use of cash which can be the source of the virus.” said Stefan.

Meanwhile, for GK-SEED, PayMaya's "aguinaldo" will go towards providing a combination of live and virtual mentorship to its graduate scholars and kickstart resources to support their agri-enterprises.

“We’d like to thank PayMaya for the continued support for our young students who are the greatest gems of our institution. This 'PayMayaguinaldo' will help strengthen our mission in empowering agri-entrepreneurs to build a better and stronger country,” said Mark Lawrence Cruz, GK-SEED School Director.

Getting your own PayMaya account and enjoying the rewards of going cashless is very easy. Just download the PayMaya app at https://official.paymaya.com/CAK1/425eb133 and register an account to find out what it’s like to go cashless with the fastest, safest, and most rewarding way to pay for anything online and in stores! Remember, for your everyday needs, don’t pay cash. PayMaya!

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, communities, and government. Through its enterprise business, it is the largest digital payments processor for key industries in the country including "everyday" merchants such as the largest retail, food, gas, and eCommerce merchants as well as government agencies and units.

Through its app and wallet, PayMaya provides over 28 million Filipinos with access to financial services. Customers can conveniently pay, add money, cash out or remit through its over 200,000 digital touchpoints nationwide. Its Smart Padala by PayMaya network of over 37,000 partner agent touchpoints nationwide serves as last-mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved with access to digital services. To know more about PayMaya's products and services, visit www.PayMaya.comor follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

Jolina Magdangal Discovers A New Jolly Way of Snacking! Sweet, Crunchy, Sarap! #MAISnack Ka Na!

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To say that being a mother is the most rewarding role any woman can have is an understatement. Nothing compares to the sheer joy of watching your child grow up into a jolly, healthy youngster. However, one cannot deny the fact that being a mom is not without its challenges. And any mom will tell you that one of the biggest challenges is what snack to serve especially these days when kids are at home 24/7.

For Jolina Magdangal, pop icon, singer, actress, TV host, wife, and more importantly, mother to Pele (7 years old) and Vika (2 years old), preparing the right kind of snack has always been a bit of an issue, especially with the busy schedule that she keeps.

“It’s difficult sometimes,” Jolina discloses. “There were instances when I didn’t know what to serve Pele anymore. And you know how kids are, they don’t like having the same thing. It’s a good thing there’s Jolly Corn!”

As the newest face of Jolly Corn, Jolina did not only discover a new jolly way to snacking but also afforded her the opportunity to give Pele a quick and easy, healthy fun snack that they can both enjoy.

“The quick to open Jolly Corn is the perfect merienda treat: just open the tab, get a spoon, and #MAISnack ka na!,” Jolina says.

The sweet, crunch, sarap Jolly Corn is not just enjoyed straight from the can, which Pele absolutely likes, but it can also be prepared in many ways: as dessert, part of a salad, or with your main dishes.

Some of the more popular recipes with Jolly Corn include Cheesy Corn, where cheese powder is sprinkled on warm Jolly Corn and eaten as snack; Mais Con Yelo, a cold dessert using shaved ice and condensed milk; and Maja Blanca, a favorite Filipino dessert with coconut milk. Buko salad and vegetable salad are also best prepared with Jolly Corn, and buttered corn with carrots is the perfect side dish with main dishes.

Jolina, who has 1.7M Instagram followers and is also a popular talk show host, is grateful for being the new endorser of Jolly Corn. “Thank you to my new family, the Jolly Family. Enjoy na enjoy ang buong family namin dahil laging #MAISnack na kami! Sweet, crunchy, sarap!” she quips.

Jolly Corn is available in all supermarkets, groceries, public markets, and convenience stores nationwide and on Lazada, Shopee, and Acemarket.ph. Follow Jolly Eats Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/JollyFoods for more information and recipes.

Fly Ace Corporation is one of the leading food and beverage consumer goods companies in the country today. Propelling limitless multiple-category growth by bringing the best of the world closer to Filipino consumers, Fly Ace Corporation’s portfolio of food and beverage products includes house brands and exclusively distributed brands. To learn more about Fly Ace, visit www.flyacecorp.com.

JOLLY is a canned fruits and vegetable line marketed and exclusively distributed by Fly Ace Corp. For more updates, visit jolly.com.ph or like its official Facebook fanpage or follow via Instagram (@jollyeatsph).

Ensuring safety inside and out this 2021 with Grab and HELLA

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Manila, Philippines - The year 2020 underscored the immense priority that should be placed on everyone’s health and safety. This 2021, HELLA, a leading European manufacturer of auto parts, partners with Grab Philippines to ensure transport safety inside and out.

Last year, Grab instituted various health and safety protocols for its operational services to help protect its drivers and consumers. Despite facing risks, partner drivers continue to be at the frontlines to provide services needed by the public. As an extra layer of safety and to also reward their hard work and contribution, HELLA partners with Grab to offer its drivers more benefits. This enables them to reduce costs and equip their vehicles with the parts that matter.

“Grab has been providing essential services to many Filipinos over the course of the varying quarantine classifications. With the immense pressure and demand placed on their partner drivers, HELLA wants to thank them by providing them with exclusive access to quality, reliable, and more affordable aftermarket parts. This will not only help them keep their vehicles in check but also provide protection to their livelihood and source of income while they continue to serve the greater community,” said Jason De Leon, HELLA Country Manager for Philippines.

Beginning last December, Grab drivers can avail of a wide range of HELLA  parts such as horns, bulbs, wipers, and dash cams at select retail stores and detailing workshops. Exclusively available to this partnership, drivers can get up to 30% discount for every HELLA part that they purchase and receive special partnership freebies.

“As we help our economy and businesses to recover from the impacts of the pandemic, safe and reliable transport solutions and delivery services will remain important factor for many of our kababayans. We are excited to be working alongside HELLA in providing our drivers and delivery riders with means to help maintain their vehicles so that they can serve our customers and businesses safely and more efficiently,” said Grab Philippines Head of Transport and Shared Services Ronald Roda.

The exclusive promo extends until May 31, 2021. Grab drivers can access the full list of participating retail stores and detailing workshops via the HELLA website. (https://www.hella.com/hella-sg/assets/media/Grab-HELLA_Philippines_Special_promotions.pdf)

HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA, Lippstadt: HELLA is a global, family-owned company, listed on the stock exchange, with almost 40,000 employees at over 125 locations in some 35 countries. The HELLA Group develops and manufactures products for lighting technology and electronics for the automotive industry and also has one of the largest retail organisations for automotive parts, accessories, diagnostics, and services within Europe. With nearly 7,000 people working in research and development, HELLA is one of the most important innovation drivers on the market. Furthermore, with sales of 6.6 billion euros in the fiscal year of 2016/2017, the HELLA Group is one of the top 40 automotive parts suppliers in the world and one of the 100 largest German industrial companies.

HELLA Asia Singapore Pte Ltd: Strategically located in Singapore, HELLA Asia Singapore Pte Ltd is the regional headquarters for the Independent Aftermarket and Special OE segments in the Asia Pacific region. Established in August 2001, HELLA Asia Singapore has since gained a strong foothold with regional presence offering to its customers the benefits of global expertise supplemented by local market knowledge. The company offers an extensive range of lighting, electrics, electronics, universal range, thermal management and brake systems for passenger cars and commercial vehicles.

Grab is Southeast Asia's leading Online to Offline (O2O) mobile platform, providing the everyday services that matter most to consumers. Grab Provides access to safe and affordable transport, food and package delivery, mobile payments and financial services. Grab’s core product platform includes transport solutions for drivers and passengers with an emphasis on convenience, safety and reliability, as well as its proprietary mobile payment platform, GrabPay.

SB19 stakes its claim to global domination with larger-than-life single “What?”

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After exciting the public with impressive teasers that raised the bar to global standards, SB19 finally unravels a new music era that not only elevates their sense of creative aptitude and sonic ambition but also uncovers their range and discipline as thespians of their own craft.

Released today via Sony Music Philippines, their new single “What?” stakes its claim to global domination with a contagiously massive sound that’s larger and louder than life. Veering away from the glossy, dance-pop tunes and anthemic ballads of Get In The Zone, SB19 are pushing the envelope production and songwriting-wise on their latest track, as they command supremacy of P-Pop’s explosion in the global market without resorting to formulaic tricks and pandering to trends.

This time, the acclaimed boy band are transcending the genre that positioned them to become the formidable stars that they are now: comfortable with the convergence of personalities, styles, and influences — while embracing a musicality that is hard to pin down and refuses to be categorized. “The song ‘What?’ is really different from what we have done before,” main rapper and lead vocalist Pablo shares in a statement. “This one has a more aggressive take to it compared to our previous songs, so I really had to force out the ‘oomph’ in the voices of the members. I was really meticulous with the recordings, but so were they. That's why we would record 'til morning and until everyone was satisfied with their parts. The feeling had to be there.”

SB19’s very own Pablo, who is also credited as one of the songwriters and producers of SB19’s latest song, reveals that “What?” proves that they’re “not just here to play games or act cool.” He admits, “A lot of people still doubt us, denouncing everything that we do and everything that we're trying to achieve. We love what we do, that's why we do it respectfully. ‘What?’ is about self-love and empowerment. Each of us has our own flag. We should be proud of it and raise it as much as we can. As SB19 and as individuals, we know that we're not the best at everything, but that shouldn't stop us from what we want to achieve.”

The release of the song comes with a visual accompaniment that marks a triumphant return to the band’s groundbreaking aesthetic and empowering message. The music video of “What?” shows SB19 in battle mode as they claim freedom in a fictional, post-apocalyptic war zone, and exude an aura of power and longevity to go along with its cinematic appeal.

SB19’s “What?” is the first single off the award-winning group’s yet-to-be-revealed but highly anticipated follow-up to their debut album, Get In The Zone. The song will be available on all digital platforms worldwide this March 9, 2021 (7:00pm Manila time) via Sony Music Philippines.

 

Stay tuned for SB19’s live launch performance, which will air on the band’s Facebook and YouTube pages at 7:30pm, Manila time — on the same day.