Globe Group’s 917Ventures, Ayala Corp and Gogoro introduce new era of sustainable transport in PH

Tweet

Companies launch Gogoro Smartscooters® and Battery-Swapping Pilot in Metro Manila, announce public availability by Q4 2023

Globe Capital Venture Holdings Director Bernie Llamzon, Ayala Corporation Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Gogoro Founder and CEO Horace Luke, Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu, and 917 Ventures Managing Director Vince Yamat at the launch of the Gogoro Smartscooters^®  and Battery-Swapping GoStation ecosystem in the Philippines. 

Globe Group’s 917Ventures, Ayala Corporation, and Gogoro Inc. on Monday made history as they launched Gogoro Smartscooters® and battery-swapping in the Philippines. The companies are introducing a new era in sustainable transportation that brings together smart, convenient and accessible electric two-wheelers to customers.

The announcement was made at a ceremony at the Globe headquarters in Bonifacio Global City where the three companies also announced the commercial public release of Gogoro Smartscooters® and battery-swapping stations in Metro Manila in Q4 2023.

“We in the Globe Group are very proud to bring Gogoro Smartscooters® and battery-swapping to the Philippines, a transport ecosystem that marries mobility innovation and sustainability. This year, Filipinos will have access to these electric two wheelers and Gogoro’s convenient and cost-efficient battery-swapping technology, another first in the Philippines,” said Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu at the launch.

Gogoro’s launch is the Globe Group’s debut in the climate tech space, as it continues to deliver innovations that address Filipinos’ daily pain points. As a better transportation alternative, Gogoro aims to address commuter woes on expensive gas prices while helping curb carbon emissions, in line with the partners’ shared commitment to sustainability, and the Philippine government's sustainable development agenda.

It also marks the Philippine entry of Gogoro, a brand that has transformed two-wheel mobility in Taiwan and fostered a new smart mobility industry with a network of eco-friendly businesses and end-users. In addition to Taiwan and the Philippines, Gogoro is also operating in China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Korea and Israel. 

Horace Luke, Founder and CEO of Gogoro, said the company is excited to bring the Gogoro ecosystem to the Philippines and is committed to replicating its success in Taiwan, where Gogoro has 540,000 riders and has deployed more than one million smart batteries at 12,000 battery-swapping stations. Gogoro riders have swapped more than 450 million total swaps, 400,000 per day, and Gogoro has saved more than 627,000 tons of CO2 since it launched.

“Our partnership with the Globe Group and Ayala Corporation in the Philippines is a major milestone in our mission to transform urban transportation and provide an accessible path for riders to adopt sustainable urban mobility and play a key role in battling climate change and making the world better for all. We look forward to working together to deliver a sustainable transport system that will improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions, and provide a superior riding experience for consumers in the Philippines,” Luke said. 

At the event, the partners unveiled the first Gogoro battery-swapping station at The Globe Tower – the start of a network of Gogoro battery-swapping stations planned to be established initially in Metro Manila and eventually across the country. 

They also announced the Gogoro pilot in Globe, where 70 employees will be the first to try out the Gogoro Smartscooters® and battery-swapping. They will test the system for two months starting in May and share insights on their experience to ensure an even better customer experience once the e-bikes become available to the public later this year. 

"The Gogoro ecosystem is very convenient as its swap-and-go technology allows riders to swap out depleted batteries for charged ones in just seconds and go on their way. With the current traffic situation in the metro, these Smartscooters® will serve as an eco-friendly alternative to ease congestion while at the same time reducing carbon emissions,”  said Bernie Llamzon, Globe Capital Venture Holdings Inc. Director. 

917Ventures Managing Director Vince Yamat, meanwhile, thanked the government’s support for the shift to EVs as he cited the importance of enabling policy for electric vehicles to succeed in the country. 

It’s as easy as swap and go with the Gogoro battery-swapping station.

“The shift to EVs, particularly deploying Gogoro’s battery-swapping system, will go a long way with sustained government support that will allow private sector initiatives to prosper. Sustainable transportation projects are, after all, aligned with the government’s long-term agenda to promote environment-friendly transport options and foster digitalization as mobility needs of Filipino individuals and businesses rise,” Yamat said.  

The Globe Group, 917Ventures and Ayala Corporation consistently lead the way in utilizing technology to enhance the lives of Filipinos and safeguard the environment through their innovative change-making initiatives.

To learn more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.

The Psychology behind Corporate Giveaways

Tweet

Here’s how corporate gifting can establish deeper connections with employees, business partners, and customers.

The good nature that is inherent in every person always gives way to voluntary giving or sharing. In social psychology, reciprocity is a norm—when an individual receives a favor, a good deed, or a gift from another, they develop an innate feeling of wanting to give back or return the favor.

It is no surprise that the Theory of Reciprocity has become an effective strategy in marketing and human resources management across the globe. Marketing strategists have been using corporate gifting to further convince consumers to patronize their products or develop a stronger relationship with business partners. Meanwhile, human resources leads have been using the same approach to establish a deeper connection between the company and its employees. 

According to research published in The Harvard Business Review (entitled ‘The New Science of Customer Experience’), people tend to develop a greater emotional connection and have a higher satisfaction with a brand when they form a deeper relationship with that brand. That strong connection can be initiated through corporate gifts that symbolize how a brand or business strives harder to reach out and care for the recipient. The feeling of having the need to reciprocate the favor does wonders, indeed.

“Corporate giveaways do not only convey the message that you care about an individual but can also highlights your brand’s identity and business values,” said Raquel Romero, President of World Expos & Concepts, the organizers of the annual Corporate Giveaways Buyers’ Show. “The personal connection established between the brand and its employees, partners, or consumers can further be reinforced by a simple gift, which does not necessarily need to be costly, just useful.”

Building brand awareness

As a marketing tool, corporate giveaways can help boost awareness of a brand among consumers and prospective business partners. Through gift items that carry a company’s branding, a lasting impression is instantly created, and brand recall is strongly reinforced. The recipient also helps with brand exposure if they constantly use that item in their everyday lives.

Developing and strengthening customer loyalty

Research by international gift-sending company Sendoso in 2022 found that 83% of poll respondents feel closer to a brand or business that sends them corporate gifts. Referencing back to the Theory of Reciprocity, corporate giveaways can make a recipient feel more appreciated, cared for, or valued. Upon development of brand loyalty, the person also tends to recommend the brand to other people, which is a plus point for a company’s marketing program.

Improving employees’ morale

Internal corporate gifting to employees is an effective way to demonstrate how the company values the relationship it has with its workforce. These tokens of appreciation create a sense of belonging and deep connection between the company and its valued employees. It is also a strategic way to celebrate the team’s success and achievements, bolster retention rates, and increase overall satisfaction in the workplace. Aside from building trust and rapport, corporate gifts for employees help maintain their high level of productivity and loyalty.

Brands and businesses can make sourcing their year-round promotional items and gifting requirements easy by visiting the annual Corporate Giveaways Buyers’ Show, happening from June 14 to 16, 2023 at the SMX Convention Center Manila.

To learn more and pre-register for free admission, visit corporategiveawaysbuyershow.com or visit their FB page at www.facebook.com/CorporateGiveaways.

HONOR to reach more Filipino fans, opens first experience store in Cebu

Tweet

Attention to all Cebuanos! HONOR Philippines has just opened its first experience store at SM Consolacion Cebu.

HONOR Brand Manager Joepy Libo-on, Vice President Stephen Cheng, and PR Manager Pao Oga with Rulls Business Development Manager for VisMin Angel Rosas, Group Executive Bea Sy, and SM City Consolacion Mall Manager Wamilda Estrella

Talking about unstoppable, HONOR Philippines has just opened its first experience store in Cebu at SM City Consolacion, Upper Ground Cyberzone. Following its SM Fairview store opening, the leading smart devices provider vows to reach more Filipinos by the end of the year, targeting at least 100 experience stores.

The store opening was well received by Cebuanos with a jam-packed crowd interested to catch HONOR’s latest offerings. To see the full event highlights, check out this video (https://bit.ly/40CUci5).

“By having more and more avenues to cater our HONOR fans and tech enthusiasts alike, we stay true to our promise of providing better service to Filipinos. With that, expect back to back store openings, more products to launch, and big announcements from us this coming weeks,” said Stephen Cheng, HONOR Philippines Vice President.

Going regional

Right after its first two experience store openings, the leading technology brand officially teased the opening of more experience stores in Luzon, Visayas, and especially in Mindanao.

After the opening of the experience store in SM Consolacion, the leading tech brand provider of smart devices is preparing to launch the stores in SM Marikina, SM Marilao, SM Makati. In the months of May and June, more experience stores will open at SM Sucat, SM Grand Central, SM North Edsa. SM Tanza, SM Southmall, SM Bacoor, and SM Sto. Thomas. 

Updated experience store openings of HONOR Philippines:

HONOR X9a 5G now in Limited-Edition Midnight Black

The new limited-edition HONOR X9a 5G Midnight Black was also showcased during the store opening. Lucky mall-goers were handpicked to participate in the viral HONOR smash challenge where the winner got to take home an HONOR X9a 5G!

This crowd-favorite sports a 120Hz Premium OLED Curved Display bringing users a large screen with an impressive screen-to-body ratio. HONOR X9a 5G has an impressive 64 MP Super Triple Camera and a 2-Day Battery Life.

Hurry and go now to the nearest HONOR Experience Store or any HONOR kiosk and partner dealer store as this HONOR X9a 5G Midnight Black comes in limited stocks only!. HONOR X9a 5G Midnight Black is also now available through your favorite online stores – Shopee (https://bit.ly/3oh9VGt), Lazada (https://bit.ly/3L0VuyT), and TikTok Shop (https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS8WXk7ow/), priced at P16,990.

If you want to win your own HONOR smartphone, it is also not too late to join the HONOR Summer Reel Contest! Interested participants can capture their best summer trip and post a video on their social media accounts with the hashtags #HONORPH, #GoBeyond, and #HONORPHSummer2023.

HONOR Brand Manager Joepy Libo-on, Vice President Stephen Cheng, and PR Manager Pao Oga with Rulls Business Development Manager for VisMin Angel Rosas and Group Executive Bea Sy

HONOR fans flock at the first HONOR experience store in Cebu

HONOR store in SM City Consolacion Cebu

HONOR X9a 5G Smash Challenge

Jampacked first day of HONOR experience store at SM City Consolacion Cebu

For more announcements, you may visit HONOR’s website www.hihonor.com or social media platforms: Facebook (Facebook.com/HonorPhilippines), Instagram (Instagram.com/honorphilippines/) and TikTok: (Tiktok.com/@honorphilippines). To check out HONOR’s complete list of retail stores, go to https://www.hihonor.com/ph/retailers/.

 

 

----------------------------

About HONOR

HONOR is a leading global provider of smart devices. It is dedicated to becoming a global iconic technology brand and creating a new intelligent world for everyone through its powerful products and services. With an unwavering focus on R&D, it is committed to developing technology that empowers people around the globe to go beyond, giving them the freedom to achieve and do more. Offering a range of high-quality smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearables to suit every budget, HONOR’s portfolio of innovative, premium and reliable products enable people to become a better version of themselves.

Old Meets New Luxury at Pontevedra Estate in Santa Rosa City

Tweet

A living space often comes most alive when there's an element of surprise. Whether it's a fascinating fixture or an unexpectedly earthy building material, a unique classic addition can create an exciting tension in one's home. It's even better when a compelling story behind objects or layers of meaning goes into the development decision.

A prime example of modern and historic interplay in a mixed-use development is the Pontevedra estate in Santa Rosa City, Laguna.

When Heritage Meets Modern Luxury

Inspired by an inviting, small riverside city in Spain that combines history, culture, and style, Pontevedra is Brittany's 34-hectare estate in Santa Rosa, Laguna, that merges old and new with residential and commercial properties embodying a modern design, timeless quality, and artistic heritage.

Like a work of art set in the heart of Santa Rosa City, Pontevedra is beautiful in its own right, with interlocking lanes and plazas and charming squares abuzz with cafes and unique restaurant concepts.

A Mission-Style Estate

The estate drew inspiration from mission-style architecture, which reminds of the Mediterranean region, well suited to this contemporary part of the city's locale, climate, and lifestyle.

Featuring an elemental material palette such as warm rubble and cut stone, carved wood accents, and earthy terracotta roof tiles, and design elements like soft arches, outdoor patios, and stone terraces, Pontevedra's architectural style is simple yet functional, with rustic charm, emphasizing allowing the finished materials and surfaces to show the hand of the craftsman.

Discoveries on Foot

Parallel to the Spanish city from which the name was derived, Pontevedra creates the impression of a sanctuary where everything is just a step away and where each district has its main courtyard as an artery, defining its character.

Parks, tree-lined avenues, fountains and gardens, establishments with coats of arms on their façades, squares that are full of life, and pavement cafés with a lively atmosphere punctuate the interlinked streets while the commercial district's gleaning stone-and-glass buildings are dripping with potted greenery, making it more environmentally integrated when you stroll along the streets.

Pontevedra encourages future residents to discover the different districts on foot, strolling and enjoying every corner. It invites one to walk through its most emblematic squares, feel the atmosphere of its streets, taste its delicious gastronomy, and discover its character by exploring its intimate community.

Distinct Character and Personality

Each district in Pontevedra has its character and personality, full of life, passion, creativity, and joy.

Aveiro by Pontevedra: Mesmerizing Ambiance

Pontevedra has a soon-to-rise exclusive high-rise vertical village set to deliver the best in luxury living through spaces embedded with nature and architecture.

Imagine waking up to the tweeting of birds, the sound of human voices, and the tinkle of coffee spoons, Aveiro by Pontevedra has pocket gardens peppered between private spaces throughout the building and private balconies wrapped around the building's exterior.

Viento by Pontevedra: Land of Picturesque Patios

Dotting the horizon of Sta. Rosa, Laguna is Viento by Pontevedra, a series of low- and mid-rise residential buildings amidst open courtyards and landscaped gardens, enabling the internal spaces always to stay open, letting the wind through and affecting natural ventilation.

Viento will provide a space to gather, interact, and enjoy a unique experience with unrivaled views.

Vizcino by Pontevedra: Near and Neighboring Communities

With the rise of modern infrastructure and property developments, Santa Rosa City in Laguna has become a growing urbanized region, now home to various industries. It has a lot to offer in terms of commercial and retail businesses.

Vizcino by Pontevedra brings to life a surrounding neighborhood that offers many shopping opportunities, restaurants, retail spaces, and office buildings.

Envisioned to be the estate's growth center, Vizcino will feature generously sized commercial areas for business and investment that will be complemented by residential communities and transport hubs that will cultivate a dynamic environment for ventures and entrepreneurial pursuits.

Valenza: A Mix of Modernity and History

Unique for such a busy city, Valenza is Pontevedra's 22-hectare residential community, which includes access to a quaint semi-enclosed garden that offers moments of peace away from the vibrant city that surrounds it.

Valenza features an impressive array of homes amidst a charming neighborhood, with amenities such as a pool, pocket gardens, and a basketball court, offering families the luxury of living in a serene and secure community while still having access to the comforts of the metro.

Segovia: Great Food, Great Memories

Seeking to convey a sense of the city's urban life within one smart vertical concept, Segovia is a mixed-use project that combines condominiums, offices, and restaurants, all of which contribute to a "live, work, play" lifestyle.

Located within the Pontevedra estate, a few blocks from Ramblas, Segovia has modern city views, but the decor pays homage to classical Spanish design. Segovia offers future residents the perfect retreat with a sense of rustic luxury.

Huesca: Gateway to the City

Enjoying a fabulous location in the charming Pontevedra estate, Huesca is a residential building full of nature, magic, and contrasts that are well worth a stroll.

A string of buildings that follows one after the other, Huesca is another charmer, considered the gateway to the city, with promenades.

The Iconic Strips

Pontevedra's pedestrian and quiet streets invite future residents to go shopping while strolling and enjoying the local commerce of proximity. These iconic strips feature a comfortable, green, friendly cultural promenade with more pedestrian space. A wide array of luxurious shops and places full of charm offer residents and guests a warm welcome.

Ramblas: Where the Party Never Ends

In a relatively small and comfortable radius at Ramblas, one will find every option possible to enjoy life more - a strip of quaint and quiet cafes to start the night, unique restaurant concepts, and after-hours.

La Unidad: The Green Street

Lining Pontevedra’s different districts is La Unidad, a kilometer line of parks running from Viento to Aveiro, and connecting the estate’s waterways via landscaped footpaths and water features.

Future residents can take advantage of La Unidad to explore the community, enjoy the natural surroundings and appreciate the community’s scenic beauty. It will be accented with different plantings for variety, in layered combinations of color and texture, for a natural, lush tropical look.

--------------------------------------------

About Brittany Corporation

Brittany is the luxury residential and leisure arm of the country's largest homebuilder Vista Land & Lifescapes, Inc. Besides Pontevedra, Brittany offers a fine selection of home designs, high-end condominiums, and lot-only properties in excellent locations, such as Portofino in Alabang, Forresta in Daang Hari, Augusta, and Georgia Club in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Crosswinds in Tagaytay, and Bern in Baguio.

For more information on Brittany Corporation's collection of luxury properties, visit www.brittany.com.ph. You may also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Landco Promotes Sports Tourism in Batangas

Tweet

Through Resort Estate Club Laiya’s One-Year Hosting of Philippine Beach Volleyball Teams

Club Laiya, Landco’s Resort Estate in Batangas, serves as the official training camp of the country’s beach volleyball teams. The tourist and leisure destination becomes more vibrant and teems with excitement as the practice sessions of beach volleyball players are anticipated to attract sports enthusiasts and fans.

The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and Landco Pacific Corporation inked the one-year partnership agreement from January to December 2023. Under the agreement, two beach volleyball courts were built at Club Laiya, with 10 of the 18 members of the national men’s and women’s teams to hold camp seven days a week in Batangas. The rest of the national athletes who are still students will be in Laiya on weekends.

Alongside heralding Club Laiya as a beautiful backdrop for active sports at the beach and a venue for sports tourism, the partnership is an opportune time to strengthen the support for Philippine beach volleyball athletes. In the recent Volleyball World Beach Pro Tours Futures, the Philippine team won gold and silver in the women’s competition.

“We gladly and sincerely appreciate this partnership with Club Laiya on the beach volleyball training camp,” PNVF President Ramon “Tats” Suzara said. “The timing is perfect, now that we achieved a breakthrough on the global beach volleyball stage.”

“It’s our privilege at Landco to support the Philippine national beach volleyball teams in Club Laiya as they undergo rigorous training and are set to make the country proud when they compete in upcoming international tournaments. Alongside our advocacy of enabling the youth to realize their full potential in sports, the practice sessions of the national beach volleyball team at the white sand beach of Club Laiya also help in promoting sports tourism in Batangas,” stated Landco Pacific Corporation President and CEO Erickson Y. Manzano.

“We welcome the national beach volleyball teams as they hold their training camp in Club Laiya where they also enjoy the facilities managed by Millennial Resorts. They are billeted at the unique accommodations of Cocoons and to meet and balance the demands and discipline of their sports, they can cross-train or opt to unwind at the swimming pool of Club Laiya Beach Club and have their hearty meals at Capt. Barbozza restaurant,” said Patrick Gregorio, Senior Tourism and Hospitality consultant for Millennial Resorts Corp. and former Secretary General, Philippine Olympic Committee.

Only two and a half hours from Metro Manila and adjacent to Landco’s Playa Laiya, the sun-kissed 23-hectare Club Laiya is a master-planned and premier resort community. The sprawling property features a mix of private residential lots, buildings, commercial spaces, and tourist hubs. Each provides distinct experiences and opportunities that are part of one unified development of Landco Pacific Corporation.

Club Laiya is a top-notch choice for investors and property owners drawn to the vibrant energy of Laiya beach as a favorite tourist spot for those who love to socialize and engage in an active outdoor lifestyle, with all the conveniences of modern life.

Together with Landco Resort Estates CaSoBe (Calatagan South Beach), Club Laiya is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) registered for the properties’ sustainability program.

At Club Laiya, investors can choose from the Seaside District, offering mix use residential and commercial lots that are closest to Laiya’s powdery white sand beach; the Premier District, the gated resort and lush forest community with a scenic view of Laiya’s mountains and greenery; the soon to be built Plaza Laiya; and soon to be launched The Spinnaker, the stunning, medium-rise beachfront premium condominium, with terraced levels and luxurious cuts, featuring an exclusive 4th level infinity pool, and positive Miami vibes.

Millennial Resorts, the hospitality arm of Landco, operates and manages the leisure and hospitality facilities of Resort Estates Club Laiya: the unconventional accommodations of the Cocoons and Camperisti; Captain Barbozza Restaurant and Bar; and the soon-to-be-built The Isle, a multi-purpose event center.

For more information about Landco Pacific Corporation and its Resort Estates Club Laiya, visit their website or Facebook page.