December 19, 2021

Achievements, future projects take the spotlight at UnionBank’s E-TalkTales year-ender event

In celebration of its numerous accomplishments and milestones this past year, and to give a small preview of what its customers can expect in 2022, Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) held another iteration of its long-running virtual media roundtable series E-TalkTales last December 15.

During the virtual event, UnionBank Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Technology and Operations Officer, and Chief Transformation Officer Henry Aguda talked about some of the Bank's achievements for the year, while the Co-Founder and CEO of UnionBank's digital-native banking arm UnionDigital, Arvie de Vera, talked about the role that the newly formed digital bank will play in UnionBank's digital transformation journey going forward.

Aguda began the discussion by recounting how UnionBank's digital transformation journey has enabled it to brave 2020 and the equally challenging 2021. "The pandemic created this shift to digital, which we now refer to as the “new digital normal”. We changed the way we live, the way we travel, the way we interact with one another, and basically we've changed forever in terms of how we transact in the financial sector."

"But even before the pandemic, UnionBank already had this forward-looking view that digital is the way for us to move forward, and when the pandemic hit, not only did we survive, but I'm happy to say that the Bank actually thrived," according to Aguda.

He then highlighted the top 10 most notable achievements of UnionBank in 2021. These include being the only publicly listed Philippine bank to be granted a license to operate a digital-native bank; the successful groundbreaking of the UnionBank Innovation Campus, the country's first-ever learning institution focused on digital innovation; and having 21 patents for its innovative offers already approved and 18 more on the way.

Other notable achievements include the integration of Instapay 2.0 into its digital banking platform; the successful launch of the UnionBank SME Banking App; the launch of wealth management educational campaigns including the NextGen Academy; significant user growths for UBX’s platforms SeekCap, Bux, and Sentro; and the significant increase in its customer base to almost 10 million to date, from just nearly 7 million as of end-2020.

Meanwhile, de Vera provided a quick introduction to UnionDigital. UnionDigital is one of only six financial institutions in the Philippines that have officially been granted digital banking licenses by the Bangko Central ng Pilipinas to date. As UnionBank's digital banking arm, UnionDigital will focus on delivering banking and financial services to underserved sectors which the parent bank is not able to optimally cater to.

"While UnionDigital aims to empower the country's digital economy, we also aim to elevate it by bringing trust and governance into the space. We embrace innovation like a fintech, but offer all the powers, experience, and track record of a fully regulated bank,” de Vera said.

“At the heart of our work will always be the desire to provide our customers with what they want and what they need, while ensuring that they have what they need in terms of security, compliance with regulation, and proper governance," de Vera added.

In terms of what customers can expect from the Bank and its subsidiaries in 2022, some of the things that Aguda and de Vera gave a sneak preview of were the Bank's possible foray into non-fungible tokens (NFTs), several new solutions aimed at helping workers in the thriving gig economy through EON, and participating in the growing interest and opportunities relating to the metaverse, just to name a few.

UnionBank Chief Marketing Officer Albert Cuadrante capped off the event with a promise that the Bank will continue to do even better in 2022 in terms of delivering great customer experience across channels and platforms. He also reiterated that "UnionBank’s goal is not just to help people survive, but to actually enable them to thrive in this new environment through the latest financial technologies; staying true to our commitment to “Tech-up Pilipinas!”

"I hope you are as eager as I am to welcome 2022. What I can promise you is that what you heard today is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a lot more exciting news you can look forward to from UnionBank," Cuadrante concluded.

December 18, 2021

Get ready for your holiday parties with these beauty sets from FOCALLURE. Check out these top picks at Shopee's Big Christmas Sale!

There is never a wrong time or place for a classic makeup look, but a holiday party is an especially right time and place. Makeup enthusiasts frequently look for easy-to-apply, durable and affordable products for everyday makeup. 

However, finding one that fits the bill is not an easy task. Fortunately, Shopee is growing, resulting in plenty of emerging local and international brands to choose from.

Here are products that are practical makeup easier and affordable. Check out these FOCALLURE 8 Pcs Makeup Set Cosmetic Tools Kit Gift Box at Shopee's Big Christmas Sale!

FOCALLURE™ Cosmetic is an international fast-fashion cosmetics brand, offers the best quality and the best price to every customer, The trend into these products we are more efficient than the traditional brand, which benefited from more than 20 years of research and development experience and the latest popular data analysis of the perfect combination of tech.



https://shp.ee/w5xmqxr

Main products:
1. Lipstick Crayon: fashion matte texture, long-lasting, show your temperament

2. Black Liquid Eyeliner: easy to match different makeup style, no flying powder, give you beautiful eyes

3. Black 3D Mascara:long and curly,the secret of charming eyes

4. 10 Colors Eyeshadow:10 colors has 10 fashion, popular earth tone,easy to match

5. Brown Eyebrow Pencil: soft powder,easy to draw, give you a natural eyebrow shape

6. Natural Color Pressed Powder: soft and breathable powder, easily create a perfect makeup

7. Matte Lipgloss: pretty color, waterproof and longlasting, super suits for a sweet date

8. Baked Blusher:enhance your skin tone,modify and create a small V face

9. Makeup Box:make your makeup products """"home""""

If you’re in the market for your Makeup Set, check out FOCALLURE 8 Pcs Makeup Set on  Shopee!

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

Jump start your learning and productivity with an exclusive bundle from ASUS and Microsoft

ASUS Philippines, together with Microsoft, launched their latest campaign to upskill students both in hardware and software. Both ASUS and Microsoft aims to provide empowerment for all students, whether in the face-to-face setup or continued distance learning.

The current best laptop for K-12 students, ASUS BR1100, has got even better with its exclusive Microsoft 365 Personal bundle. ASUS BR1100 is the perfect online learning solution thanks to its features such as AI noise-cancelling microphone, 3D Noise reduction web camera, and dedicated mute button to name a few. It also comes in two models: The traditional clamshell ASUS BR1100C and the premium flip ASUS BR1100F that has a touch-enabled display. The ASUS BR1100F also has a precision stylus included to get every detail just right when drawing, note-taking, or marking up documents. This can also help students let their creativity flow as well as assist them on their traditional writing skills.

The Microsoft Office 365 Personal provides powerful apps needed in school productivity with security features for their documents. Students can enjoy their theme writing with MS Word, produce excellent presentations using MS PowerPoint and complete research data with MS Excel.

The ASUS BR1100 and Microsoft 365 Personal exclusive bundle starts at PHP 18,625 and also comes with a free ASUS EOS bag as well. The promotional event started last December 01, 2021, and will last until January 15, 2022 or while stocks last.

Both ASUS BR1100C and ASUS BR1100F will have this exclusive bundle and it is currently available over at the official ASUS Expert Series Flagship Shopee store.

ASUS also launched the ASUS Edukasyon School Partnership Program, which aims to assist schools and learning institutions in the modernization of their IT facilities and to support teachers and students so they can excel more both in teaching and in learning. Partner schools will enjoy development funds, computer laboratory decoration, learning seminars for educators and students, among others.

For more information regarding the ASUS Edukasyon School Partner Program, you can head over at the microsite (https://asus.edukasyon.ph/school-partner). Also stay tuned for more news on the incredible ASU­S for Business products on the ASUS Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ASUSph/) and the ASUS for Business website (http://asus.com/ph/Business). For inquiries, you can also send us a message on ASUS for Business page (https://www.facebook.com/asusforbusinessph/).


Businesses commit to more sustainable paths forward post-pandemic


With the continuing battle against plastic pollution in the country, Philippine business leaders highlight their initiatives and show support for the Extended Producer Responsibility.

Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR is an environmental policy approach introduced in the 1990s for accelerating the transition to sustainable waste management and a circular economy and more and more businesses worldwide are on board.

EPR relies on two factors - improvement of product design and recyclability and improvement of waste management systems - and businesses here in the Philippines have stepped up to the challenge, taking sustainability seriously, by working on both upstream and downstream measures to address the plastic crisis.

Coca-Cola Philippines is continuously moving forward with its “World Without Waste” campaign, a global effort of the Coca-Cola Company that aims to successfully recycle used bottles to new ones. In the Philippines, Coca-Cola’s one-billion-peso recycling facility is already nearing completion with a target to be open this year.

Meanwhile, Nestle Philippines which aims to make 100% of its packaging recyclable by 2021 recently launched its “Tibayanihan” project. This project upcycles used foil packs of its powdered milk into plastic school chairs and tables. This project is for the benefit of elementary schools in the vicinity of NestlĂ© factories and distribution centers.

On the other hand, Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. is working on its “War on Waste” initiative to accomplish its goal of achieving 100% recyclability in its packaging by 2025. Currently, Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. is working with the government for the release of their new recycled PET bottles.

Unilever Philippines is committed to transforming all of its plastic packaging into a reusable, recyclable, or compostable material. To do this, Unilever Philippines has a “Misis Walastik” campaign, a community-based waste collection program that gives incentives to the people who surrender sachets and other single-use plastics. The program is present in over 370 barangays across Metro Manila and nearby provinces through partnerships with LGUs, private organizations, and other stakeholders in the waste value chain.

NutriAsia also introduced to the public the concept of refilling stations to reduce single-use packaging through its pilot program “Bring Your Own Bote (BYOB)”. People can visit the first BYOB site in Bonifacio Global City and bring their reusable bottles and ask for a refill of NutriAsia products. The company is also looking at expanding the project to other key cities in the Philippines.

Like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Unilever are also looking into recycled plastics rather than relying on virgin plastics for their products and alternative delivery systems and waste collection - creating a more circular economy.

Businesses taking the lead and taking responsibility for their products like what these companies are doing is a great foundation for EPR and something that could be replicated by others but with support from the government in terms of mandatory legislation and proper implementation.

EPR is also gaining traction with legislators in Congress with House Bill 9147 or The Single-Use Plastic Products Regulation Act and Senate Bill 2425 or the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2021 which both seek to enact mandatory EPR.

There seems to be continuing progress for the adoption of an EPR scheme in the Philippines. Discussions on the specific EPR model and stakeholder groups' roles are being conducted. A recent study by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) presented a customized EPR scheme for the Philippines. It proposes a mandatory EPR scheme for all product packaging with a three-year transition phase for obliged businesses to redesign their product packaging and eliminate unnecessary plastics. In their proposed scheme, the responsibility of implementing the scheme for building high-quality recycling capacity should be assumed by an industry-led, non-profit Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), acting as the system operator, with strict monitoring and control systems carried out by the government.

The government now faces the task of passing the EPR bill with the implementing rules and regulations. Businesses, on the other hand, continue implementing their solutions to address plastic pollution.

With all this progress, WWF Philippines is releasing a follow-up report in January 2022 which presents a detailed customized EPR model and roadmap for the Philippines to guide and help prepare stakeholders for what could come. We hope this consolidates all these efforts to stop plastic pollution in the Philippines.

COMCO Southeast Asia Bags Diamond and Silver ASEAN PR Excellence Awards and Gold Marketing Events Award


As COMCO Southeast Asia culminates its Blazing Sapphire 5th Anniversary celebration with the launch of COMCO Middle East & Africa and COMCO AOX League of Enterprises, the trailblazing regional integrated communications agency also bags Best PR Agency in Southeast Asia - Silver Award and Best COVID-19 Response - Diamond Award for its work with Jobstreet Philippines at the 2021 ASEAN PR Excellence Awards, and a Gold Award for its work with Eastern Communications at the Marketing Events Awards 2021.

The agency’s work with brand partner Jobstreet Philippines for the #TogetherAhead initiative won a Diamond Award in COVID-19 Response in the ASEAN PR Excellence Awards for its efforts in supporting job seekers and hirers during the pandemic, while COMCO SEA’s longtime partner, Eastern Communications, won a Gold Award in Best B2B Brand Experience Category in the Marketing Events Awards for its Link VIP Club Loyalty Events which featured an educational webinar series, online magic show series and virtual thanksgiving event to help businesses learn about digital transformation and uplift their spirits during the pandemic.

COMCO Southeast Asia's Write to Ignite Blogging Project is also a finalist at the ASEAN PR Excellence Awards for Best Comm Use of Social Media and Best PR Campaign in ASEAN while Jobstreet's #TogetherAhead initiative is also a finalist as Best PR Programme in ASEAN.
In its 5 years, COMCO Southeast Asia has won recognition from various prestigious local, regional and international award-giving bodies, garnering a total of 85 awards and has worked with over 70 brands in diverse industries including Eastern Communications, JobStreet, Sunlife ASCP, Teleperformance, Xiaomi, Defensil, Lista.ph, World Vision, WWF, Lenovo and Lamoiyan Corporation’s Licealiz plus its recently won accounts from inter-agency pitches such as global bioresearch and pharmaceutical company Takeda, well-loved milk brand Alaska, international footwear Skechers, global technology company Emerson’s Copeland, development organizations United Nations (UN) Office for Project Services and United Nations Population Fund, (UNFPA) and premium artisan chocolate Theo and Philo.


In 5 years, COMCO Southeast Asia has worked with 70 brands or accounts and has won 85 awards from local and international award-giving bodies

The ASEAN PR Excellence Awards is a biennial event organized by the Jakarta-based ASEAN PR Network (APRN) in collaboration with World Communications Malaysia (World Comm) and Institute Public Relations Malaysia (IPRM). As a globally recognized organization, the APRN’s ASEAN PR Excellence Awards serves as a distinctive badge to recognize and celebrate achievements in public relations practice in the ASEAN region.

The Marketing Events Awards is organized by leading Asian news agency Marketing-Interactive. Designed to discover, recognize and reward the very best in event marketing, the Marketing Events Awards is open to entries from across Southeast Asia, South Asia and ANZ regions.

To know more about ComCo Southeast Asia, visit www.comcosea.com. Follow them on social media: facebook.com/comco.southeastasia on Facebook, linkedin.com/company/comco-hq and @comco_sea on both Instagram and Twitter.





About COMCO Southeast Asia
COMCO Southeast Asia is a powerhouse and global award-winning integrated communications agency formed by the coalition of premier brand architects, inspired storytellers, and communication trailblazers in the region. Based in the Philippines and with affiliate network presence in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, COMCO SEA takes the lead in the innovation of premier brands and growth of up-and-coming businesses through the emerging global disciplines of New PR – a strategy based, content-driven, and channel-agnostic way of doing PR, and Smart Social – a holistic, authentic and integrated approach in the maximization of digital and social channels.

At the core of COMCO SEA is its unique brand of Meaningful Storytelling based on its corporate mantra and the mission to Ignite Brand Love, Social Change, Talent Growth and Regional Collaboration. In just 5 years, the Agency has done groundbreaking works for more than 70 local, regional and international brands including reputable development and humanitarian organizations. COMCO SEA has been awarded twice as Agency of the Year 2nd Runner-up at the IABC Philippine Quill Awards, Finalist for Boutique PR Consultancy of the Year in Asia at Campaign Asia Pacific’s PR Awards Asia, Best PR Agency in Southeast Asia - Silver Award at the ASEAN PR Excellence Awards, and 85 metals from various local, regional and international award-giving bodies.

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