Shopee and Unilever Say Yes to Equal Opportunities and Continue its Support for Local Sellers through its Positive Beauty Campaign

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Mano Amiga sellers share how Shopee and Unilever helped them grow their businesses

As more Filipinos shift to online shopping for their daily necessities, many businesses are also turning to digital platforms to widen their reach and establish a strong online presence - especially the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). To cater to the growing number of online sellers, Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, continues to partner with organizations to support MSMEs who are looking for better opportunities in e-commerce.

In 2020 Unilever and Mano Amiga, a non-governmental organization that advocates for community transformation and inclusive growth through education, first partnered with Shopee for their Beauty That Cares Campaign, to offer assistance to 25 micro-entrepreneurs. Through this partnership, Mano Amiga sellers gained a strong understanding of e-commerce and learned how to maximize the digital space’s full potential. Sellers had access to monetary funding, entrepreneurship training programs, and Shopee’s e-commerce tools to help them expand their reach. Two Mano Amiga sellers share how Unilever and Shopee supported their business growth:

Janette Lagundi of JTL Trading (https://shopee.ph/alexandermoses_0503) 

For Janette Lagundi, a mother of two, it was tough when she first started her online business. Despite having no prior entrepreneurship experience, she decided to start selling cleaning products and home decor items such as Himalayan salt lamps, to get her family through the pandemic. She admitted that it was difficult for her to adjust to selling on e-commerce platforms as she was not very tech-savvy.

Through learning the ropes at Shopee, Janette saw her business thrived. “Because of Shopee, not only are my sales increasing, my store is also gaining better recognition through plenty of promotions. I learned a lot about selling online through the training programs and masterclasses. I am determined to explore more opportunities on e-commerce, and I’m glad that Shopee and Unilever helped me adjust and adapt amid the pandemic,” she said.

She added that the support from Shopee and Unilever helped her family immensely. “This business is my bread and butter and I feel more confident in growing my business because I am more competent now. Because of this opportunity, I can provide for my children.” 

Cecilia Comia of C plus D Design (https://shopee.ph/designbycplusd) 

Cecilia Comia used to run a food business and even designed her own food stalls, but due to the pandemic, she had to shut down her food business and focus on selling decal stickers and labels instead. “We started our business in 2018 with a passion for good design and we wanted people to appreciate and see how small design details can change an entire product or experience,” she said. The strategy shift, although promising, posed some obstacles. “The competition is tough online. Reaching a wider audience and achieving effective customer engagement are both constant challenges. We are still struggling when it comes to establishing our business. The prices of our competitors are tough to match,” she added.

Shopee and Unilever provided her with the much-needed support. “Unilever’s program connected us with Shopee. It gave us an edge in terms of knowledge in selling online. Unilever’s financial assistance also helped us with our cash flow and allowed us to increase our stocks and improve our equipment.” 

To support the transition and growth of MSMEs in the digital landscape, Shopee partners with Unilever once again to give MSMEs a spotlight at their Yes to Positive Beauty Sale this May 17 to 19, 2021. The campaign is part of Unilever’s renewed purpose and commitment to bring about positive change through real actions - to do more good, not just less harm, for people and the planet. 

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “We are proud to partner with Unilever to support a cause that aims to uplift the lives of local sellers and their loved ones. Shopee believes that every Filipino entrepreneur can succeed in e-commerce as long as they have the right tools, opportunity, and platform. We will continue to collaborate with brands like Unilever to support the local communities, their livelihood, and their families.”

Dorothy Dee-Ching, Vice President for Beauty and Personal Care at Unilever Philippines, said, “Yes to Positive Beauty is a movement for all Filipinos to champion a new era of beauty and personal care that’s inclusive and sustainable. As the number one beauty and personal care company in the country, we acknowledge the part we play in being a force for good, and Yes to Positive Beauty encompasses our commitment to do this through our brands. This includes championing for equal opportunities, which we have been able to do through our continued partnership with Shopee and Mano Amiga, as well as lending a helping hand to MSMEs, especially those greatly impacted by the current crisis.”

To provide consistent support for the sellers, Shopee’s relationship managers worked closely with them to create irresistible discounts to attract more customers, and also assisted them in mapping out advertisements for their products via social media. With the sale happening in just a few days, both sellers are preparing to stock up on their inventory to meet the expected increase in demand. To support sellers like Cecilia and Janette, check out the Yes to Positive Beauty Sale this May 17 to 19, 2021. 

For more information about Unilever’s Beauty That Cares campaign, visit https://shopee.ph/m/unilever-super-brand-day. 

Shop, buy load and pay bills with ShopeePay. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Xiaomi’s entry level kings made even more accessible with Redmi 9A and 9C price drop

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Xiaomi’s young and powerful entry level kings are now even more accessible as Xiaomi announced exciting price drops for the best-selling Redmi 9A and Redmi 9C. Get a Redmi 9A 2GB + 32GB variant now for only PHP 4,490 (from PHP 4,690). Meanwhile, you can also purchase a Redmi 9C 2GB + 32GB variant at PHP 4,990 (from PHP 5,290) or the 3GB + 64 GB variant at PHP 5,690 (from PHP 5,990).

The Redmi 9A is a fantastic choice for an entry-level phone – first, it has a massive 6.53” Dot Drop display screen so presentations and videos are crystal clear, plus its certified for low blue light by Germany’s TÜV Rheinland so that it’s easy on the eyes. It also comes with a 5000mAh high-capacity battery with longer lifespan to provide for years of reliable use and a MediaTek Helio G25 processor to make sure the phone runs smoothly.

The Redmi 9A also has an AI optimized 13MP rear camera. Kaleidoscope effects add fun to your videos, while Palm Shutter lets you conveniently snap photos with the 5MP selfie camera. The Redmi 9A comes in Granite Gray, Peacock Green, Sky Blue.

Meanwhile, those looking for an even more complete camera setup without breaking the bank can consider the Redmi 9C, which sports an AI optimized triple camera with a 13MP main camera, a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor so you can quickly and easily capture crisp and clear images in a variety of situations.

The Redmi 9C is also equipped with a massive 6.53” Dot Drop display for an immersive viewing experience and a 5000mAh high-capacity battery that satisfies users who want to do more and enjoy more on their phone. Redmi 9C features MediaTek Helio G35, an octa-core gaming chipset which can go up to 2.3GHz. The Redmi 9C comes in three attractive colors: Midnight Gray, Sunrise Orange and Twilight Blue.

Don’t miss this chance to purchase the Redmi 9A and Redmi 9C, which are available in Authorized Mi Stores and official retailers nationwide. To find out more about this exciting offer, please check out

Xiaomi’s official website and information portal at https://www.mi.com/ph/, or follow their official Facebook or Instagram pages for other updates.

#TeamGoodBoy encourages youth: Make a difference, join 5G Hackathon

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#TeamGoodBoy encourages the Filipino youth to innovate and come up with solutions that help address the nation’s problems. Kim Seon-ho, K-Drama star and Globe’s latest ambassador invites students, young professionals, and entrepreneurs to join the country’s first and biggest 5G Hackathon by Globe and De La Salle University’s Animo Labs.

“Join this year’s Globe 5G Hackathon so you can work on developing the uses of 5G in different sectors of the Philippine economy and society, through a series of workshops and mentorship,”Seon-ho said.

 

Categories will focus on the following innovations:

 

5G for Society - Education, Health Care, and Livelihood

To improve patient health monitoring and provide remote consultations, address mixed learning gaps and opportunities, and enhance ways of working for Filipinos’ current livelihood such as farming, fisheries, and the like.

 

5G for Industries – Retail, Manufacturing, Logistics, E-Commerce

To increase efficiency of different sectors through wide scale artificial intelligence (AI) automation and internet of things (IoT), and improve customer experience and satisfaction through personalized real-time customer insights.

 

5G for Smart Cities – Disaster risk management, Sustainability, Asset and Resource Management, Transportation

To transmit and process real time information to solve traffic, urban planning, disaster risk, and other issues.

 

“Instead of looking for answers, make choices,” this is one of Ji-pyeong’s famous lines from the drama that matches his encouragement for the youth to be part of the 5G Hackathon and to start turning their ideas and dreams into reality. Seon-ho recently won the hearts of many and gave almost everyone the ‘second lead syndrome’ when he starred as Han Ji-pyeong in the recent K-drama Start-up that features young entrepreneurs who held onto their dreams and made it to Korea’s high-tech industry.

 

Winning teams may get as much as P500,000 at the end of the competition and will have the chance to be part of Globe’s 917Ventures’ Velocity venture builders program, and work directly with Globe 5G Acceleration Lab. After a series of workshops, idea submission, mentorship and pitching competition, the top 10 finalists will move on to develop their prototypes using Globe's 5G platforms. Top teams will get to enjoy a total of half a million in cash prizes, a chance to develop their own business ventures backed by 917Ventures, Globe’s corporate venture builder, and further develop their product with Globe acceleration lab.

 

Globe 5G Hackathon will run for three months starting May 2021 and will include interactive learning sessions with technology industry leaders Novare Technologies, Intel, AWS, 917 Ventures, Huawei, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Tech Mahindra, Alibaba Cloud, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and Cascadeo.

 

The 5G Hackathon is part of the telco’s efforts to create a #FirstWorldNetwork in the country through a massive network upgrade and expansion program that includes the rigorous deployment of 5G sites to more areas nationwide, laying down at least one million Fiber-to-the-Home, and the rollout of more 4G LTE infrastructure.

 

Globe strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 9 which highlights the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. Globe is committed to upholding the 10 United Nations Global Compact principles and 10 UN SDGs.

 

To know more about the 5G Hackathon, visit https://globe5ghackathon.com/.

PayMaya expands its widest bills payment offering

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Filipinos can now settle payments at over 550 billers using the PayMaya app, the most number and widest range of billers offered by a Philippine e-wallet to date – enabling consumers with a safer, more convenient, and more rewarding way to pay.

From monthly utilities like water and electricity to insurance, loans, credit cards, schools, real estate, healthcare, and government services, PayMaya enables Filipinos to pay their bills from the safety of their homes. PayMaya's Pay Bills feature also enables consumers to easily donate to their chosen cause and organizations - allowing Filipinos to perform digital bayanihan with just a few taps on their smartphones.

PayMaya's extensive list of billers spans across the country - covering utility providers in provinces including Baguio, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bicol, Cebu, Cagayan De Oro, South Cotabato, Iligan, Zamboanga, and many more. With this, Filipinos even in the farthest reaches of the country are able to enjoy cashless convenience in their pay bills transactions.

On top of this, paying bills via PayMaya also allows consumers to add another layer of safety to their essential transactions – keeping it contactless and safe from the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

“In these challenging times, PayMaya has always made it its priority to ensure that Filipinos are able to complete their everyday transactions in the safest way possible through digital payments. As more consumers turn to our platform for their payment needs, we are proud to bring this widest list and range of active billers within their reach, and provide them with a safe, convenient, and rewarding payment experience,” said Shailesh Baidwan, President of PayMaya Philippines.

Contactless and cashless payments have become the preferred payment option of Filipinos for bills payment since the quarantine measures have been implemented last year. In 2020 alone, PayMaya’s transaction volume for bills payment more than tripled from the previous year.

PayMaya sees continuous strong growth for bills payment transactions as Filipinos seek safer, more convenient, and more rewarding ways to pay through its consumer e-wallet app.

To make it more rewarding, consumers who will use their PayMaya app this May to settle two bills worth at least P1,500 each will automatically get a P50 cashback. Meanwhile, those paying their bill via PayMaya for the first time will be rewarded with a P100 cashback for a minimum spend of P1,000. If they pay for a credit card, loan, or insurance bill for the first time, they will also get an additional P50 cashback voucher, for a total of P150 reward!

With PayMaya’s wide range of billers and exclusive rewards to boot, it is easy to see why PayMaya has become the preferred payment option when settling bills. 

To enjoy the safety and rewards offered by PayMaya, download the app today using this link: https://official.paymaya.com/CAK1/425eb133.

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.

PayMaya provides more than 35 million Filipinos with access to financial services through its consumer platforms. Customers can conveniently pay, add money, cash out or remit through its over 250,000 digital touchpoints nationwide. Its Smart Padala by PayMaya network of 39,000 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.com or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Ben&Ben paint breathtaking imagery of young love on new single “Upuan”

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It’s official: Ben&Ben have finally released “Upuan,” the first single off their upcoming sophomore album to be released under Sony Music.

Written in 2019, in Dumaguete upon arrival at the hotel after one of their shows, their new song takes a nostalgic look on young love, and as Ben&Ben describe it, “the palpable romantic tension that arises from friendships that are formed by sitting next to each other, and the adventurous conversations that ensue.”

Lyrically, “Upuan” draws breathtaking imagery that interprets gestures in such lifelike ways, capturing a play of details with romantic earnestness. The band points out, “we incorporated a more visual style in the song, painting a picture for the listener and transporting them to that familiar place, of falling in love with someone they just met, whether that is in a classroom, by the beach, at a restaurant.”

It helps that they’re painting a picture in the listener’s head with ethereal arrangements and soaring choruses that swirl beautifully against a backdrop of naturalist setting: samples of birds singing, the swoosh of the waves, and even the conversation of the trees. There is magic in the way Ben&Ben fuse all these elements together to create a cinematic landscape punctuated by poetry and inventiveness. It’s effortlessly picturesque, while employing a level of commitment to make the audience feel like they’re part of the experience, as if tapping into something personal and is of utmost importance to their being.

In a joint statement, the nine-piece collective said that the music of “Upuan” was conceived during a random jamming session with no prior agenda as to how it would sound. “But to our surprise, that first jamming brought about the soul of how Upuan sounds now. The earthy, ethereal soundscapes, and that sense of sonic adventure came from the fact that we just moved in together, and being in a new place surrounded with summer vibes and nature elements, helped shape our expression of our new song. We feel very blessed to be close to nature in this season and it’s almost like a tribute to their beauty that we included them in the song.”

Written and produced by Ben&Ben, co-produced/mixed by Jean Paul Verona, and mastered by Leon Zervos, “Upuan” was recorded in the band’s home studio. Verona and sound engineer Sam Marquez helped in the recording process, giving the song its final touches.

The acclaimed hitmakers are also currently working on their second album. “Since the production of this song, we're continuously working on all the other songs that will complete it. We're really pushing forward in terms of experimentation and diversity of sound in the songs.”

Ben&Ben’s “Upuan” is out now on all streaming platforms worldwide via Sony Music.