UBX to double workforce in 2022

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New hires to drive further growth, inclusive finance vision of UBX

UBX, the leading open finance platform in the Philippines, plans to more than double its workforce this year to strengthen its goal of developing more digital financial solutions and better serve consumers and businesses.

After gaining traction in 2021, UBX plans to continue innovating to introduce more solutions in various financial segments, including, but not limited to payments, banking services, savings and insurance, identity verification and credit scoring, as well as cryptocurrencies, among many others.

To do this, UBX is looking to boost its workforce for business development and tech with plans to add more than 200 employees within 2022.

“Despite the pandemic, we were able to grow our workforce to a little over 200 in 2021, allowing us to grow rapidly and promote our goal of making finance inclusive for everyone. We are ramping up our hiring initiatives to reach our target headcount of 500 this year, as we implement our growth strategies and expand our spectrum of financial services throughout 2022,” UBX Chief Human Resources Officer Gladys Ocampo said.

UBX, a three-year old startup backed by UnionBank of the Philippines of conglomerate Aboitiz Group, recorded impressive growth in 2021, serving over 200,000 business to business customers, partnering with more than 2,000 independent banking agents and 250 financial institutions, and recording an annual gross transaction value of P20 billion.

This upward trajectory allowed UBX to quintuple its revenues last year, a growth momentum that is expected to ripple through 2022.

As part of its core value of being inclusive, UBX hires talent that fit the skills needed for the job, regardless of one’s gender identity, educational background, training, or experience.

UBX hires fresh graduates, especially in the field of technology, and provides them with free training through its Bootcamp on programming languages such as Appian and Outsystems.

“We provide our talent with resources and tools to develop their skills and knowledge in their field. At UBX, we are not afraid of investing in our people, who, in turn, invest in us as well with their talent,” Ocampo said.

UBX plans to mount open house roadshows in key areas outside the National Capital Region (NCR) to encourage talent from the provinces to join the leading fintech innovator. It plans to scout for tech talents in Iloilo, Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro.

“We operate an open, agile, innovative, experimental, and highly collaborative environment. We are looking for people who share our mission of embedding financial services into the activities and experiences, as well as giving access to the unserved and the underserved market” Ocampo said.

About UBX

UBX is the financial technology venture studio and fund of UnionBank of the Philippines. UBX is predicated on a future where financial services are invisible: seamlessly embedded into the experiences and activities that truly matter to businesses and people. For partnerships, email us at hello@ubx.ph.

For more information about the company and this article, please visit www.ubx.ph

Mekeni street foods – Kikiam and Fish Balls - are now available in the US

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Mekeni makes waves in the US, brings street food faves to the West Coast

Mekeni Kikiam and Fish Balls now available in Island Pacific Supermarket

Mekeni Food Corporation, one of the largest food manufacturing companies in the country, has laid its foothold in the US market by bringing its packed street food products to the West Coast this January.

“If there is one thing that Filipinos living abroad miss a lot, it is probably their favorite street food. Through our partnership with Island Pacific Supermarket, one of the biggest Asian/Filipino supermarkets in the West Coast, we are bringing them not just authentic Pinoy flavors, but also the feeling that they are closer to home through our products,” said Mekeni President Prudencio S. Garcia.

Mekeni Kikiam and Fish Balls are available in 17 branches of Island Pacific Supermarket across California and Nevada. According to Garcia, this is just the start for Mekeni as they are looking into making their products available in other parts of the US.

Mekeni street food products are available in all branches of Seafood Island Supermarket

“The past two years has been challenging. What inspired us, however, to push forward with this is our desire to showcase what Timplang Atin is like to the rest of the world. We want to give them access to quality and taste that Mekeni can bring,” said Garcia.

Aside from kikiam and fish balls, Mekeni is also eyeing to bring their flagship products such as tocino, gluten-free chicken longanisa, and hotdog to the US.

Before the US, Mekeni has maintained its supply of food products to existing international markets such as Dubai, Bahrain, Brunei, Australia, Canada, and UK. Mekeni is also the first Filipino food company allowed by the Japanese government to export products to the country.

Garcia noted that by expanding their market, they also get to uplift the lives of their communities that are depending on them. “We have always been committed to helping our communities through generating jobs and creating product lines that can sustain their income. Bringing our products to the US could mean expanding our operations and employing more people across the supply chain amid the pandemic,” Garcia closed.

Locally, Mekeni also exclusively manufactures Bayani, a street food line for entrepreneurs. Its product range includes Filipino snack favorites such as siomai, siopao, squid balls, fish balls, chicken balls, and kikiam.

For over 30 years, the Pampanga-based food manufacturing company has been known for its manufacturing capabilities recognized worldwide. Mekeni is the first in Asia and the second in the world overall to receive the certificate of compliance to ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System standard.

For more information about their products, visit Mekeni’s official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mekeniph.

Love never plays by the rules Bridgerton returns March 25

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Bridgerton returns for a second season on March 25, 2022. In keeping with the tradition of the novels, season two tells the romance story of Lord Anthony Bridgerton’s quest for love. Bridgerton comes to Netflix from Shondaland and is executive produced by Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, and Chris Van Dusen. Van Dusen also serves as creator and showrunner.

About Bridgerton

From Shondaland and Creator Chris Van Dusen, the second season of Bridgerton follows Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), the eldest Bridgerton sibling and Viscount, as he sets out to find a suitable wife. Driven by his duty to uphold the family name, Anthony’s search for a debutante who meets his impossible standards seems ill-fated until Kate (Simone Ashley) and her younger sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran) Sharma arrive from India. When Anthony begins to court Edwina, Kate discovers the true nature of his intentions — a true love match is not high on his priority list — and decides to do everything in her power to stop the union. But in doing so, Kate and Anthony’s verbal sparring matches only bring them closer together, complicating matters on both sides. 

Across Grosvenor Square, the Featheringtons must welcome the newest heir to their estate while Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) continues to navigate the ton whilst keeping her deepest secret from the people closest to her.

Bridgerton is a romantic, scandalous, and clever series that celebrates the timelessness of enduring friendships, families finding their way, and the search for a love that conquers all. The series also stars Adjoa Andoh (Lady Danbury), Lorraine Ashbourne (Mrs. Varley), Harriet Cains (Philipa Featherington), Bessie Carter (Prudence Featherington), Shelley Conn (Mary Sharma), Nicola Coughlan (Penelope Featherington), Phoebe Dynevor (Daphne Basset), Ruth Gemmell (Violet Bridgerton), Florence Hunt (Hyacinth Bridgerton), Martins Imhangbe (Will Mondrich), Claudia Jessie (Eloise Bridgerton), Calam Lynch (Theo Sharpe), Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton), Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte), Luke Thompson (Benedict Bridgerton), Will Tilston (Gregory Bridgerton), Polly Walker (Portia Featherington), Rupert Young (Jack), and Julie Andrews as the voice of Lady Whistledown. The series is inspired by Julia Quinn’s novels.

Watch the teaser here

More on Bridgerton visit:

Netflix.com/Bridgerton

Twitter: @bridgerton

Instagram: @bridgertonnetflix

Compete with the Best in the Region with Shopee Code League

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From March 14 to 26, tech enthusiasts can upgrade their programming skills and connect with like-minded individuals from across the region

As the digital landscape continues to grow exponentially in the SEA region, Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, launches Shopee Code League (SCL) to help upskill coders through workshops and challenges designed to enhance programming abilities. This initiative is available to tech coders of all levels from across the region.

Shopee Code League is a 2-week league that features a series of exclusive online training sessions organized by Shopee and two rounds of coding competitions that let participants solve algorithmic puzzles designed by the Shopee Engineering team. Attended by over 17,000 participants and 300 partners from eight locations across the region in 2021, the competition initially had three different tracks: Data Science, Data Analytics, and Programming. This year, to cater to the need of more coders keen on learning about algorithms, SCL will focus on offering the following topics: Python Programming, C++, Go, Data Structures and Algorithms, and Dynamic Programming.

Shopee Code League 2022 is open to all interested individuals and top performers can win cash prizes amounting to SGD 25,000 (more than ₱950,000). Participants also stand a chance to join Shopee to grow their careers in the tech landscape.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “We are excited to support a new generation of tech leaders and enthusiasts who want to learn and improve their skills through Shopee Code League. The initiative proved to be successful each year and we will continue to enhance our programs so that our participants can take full advantage of the opportunities Shopee is offering. We are inviting all tech talents to join and learn how to maximize their potential.”

Registration for the Shopee Code League is ongoing until February 28, 2022. 

For more information about the Shopee Code League, please visit https://careers.shopee.ph/codeleague/.

Get ready to capture your summer moments in portrait with OPPO Reno6 Z 5G, now at Php17,999 from Smart Prepaid and TNT

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Get a headstart on your summer preparations by scoring a new smartphone with powerful camera features to capture #EveryEmotionInPortrait at a steal price!

Global smart device brand OPPO announces a special promo with mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc (Smart), offering the latest Reno6 Z 5G through Smart Prepaid for Php17,999, slashed off from its original price of Php19,999.

From now until March 31, 2022, get this exclusive discount when you purchase Smart-exclusive Reno6 Z 5G units through selected OPPO concept stores and partner dealers.

The OPPO Reno6 Z 5G is a content creator’s dream thanks to its 64MP Triple Camera Setup that helps capture your true emotions and best moments under the sun. It also has features like Bokeh Flare Portrait, AI Palette, and AI Highlight Video which enhance your photos automatically.

You can unwind by streaming a new show or playing your favorite mobile game with its wide AMOLED display from anywhere. The Reno6 Z5G also has a 4,310 mAh battery and a 30W charger which powers up the phone to 100% in 52 minutes.

Enjoy all your favorite online activities with the OPPO Reno6 Z 5G powered by Smart, the country’s fastest 5G mobile network according to Ookla, the global leader in mobile and broadband intelligence.

Experience and capture every emotion in portrait with the OPPO Reno6 Z 5G, available through Smart Prepaid and TNT where you can get the P2,000 off, up to 10GB free data plus calls and texts. Meanwhile, you can also avail of OPPO Reno6 Z 5G via Smart Signature M for postpaid. For more information, visit the OPPO Philippines Facebook page or Smart website.

DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-136497 Series of 2022