GCash, Dasmariñas LGU seal partnership for cashless payments

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Continuing its goal of making government transactions faster and safer for millions of Filipinos, GCash, the country’s leading mobile wallet, recently signed a memorandum of agreement with the City Government of Dasmariñas, Cavite to help residents adopt safe and convenient digital financial solutions.

(From left) GCash Luzon public sector team lead Rosemarie Abarquez, South Luzon public sector account manager Emilio Ylanan , Dasmariñas City Mayor Hon. Jenny Austria-Barzaga , GCash AVP and head for public sector and partnerships Lhen Pavia and Dasmariñas City administrator Ariel San Gabriel

The signing of the agreement was led by City mayor Jeniffer Barzaga and GCash AVP & head of public sector and partnerships Lhen Pavia.

Under the partnership, payments to the various offices and departments of the Dasmarinas Local Government Unit’s (LGU) can be paid faster and more efficiently through the GCash Pay Bills feature within the app.

“We at GCash, have always put emphasis on the importance of partnerships with the public sector in order to reach out to the unbanked and underserved communities and equip them with digital financial solutions for easier, safer, and more secure transactions anytime. We look forward to more partnerships with LGUs to help Filipinos have better lives,” says Pavia

With its shared goal of promoting digitalization in communities nationwide, Mayor Barzaga says, “This collaboration with GCash signifies our commitment to embrace digitalization so we enhance government services and serve our constituents better.”

Dasmariñas City joins smart cities like Victorias, Bacolod, and San Fernando, Pampanga which has now enabled digital payments and has educated its employees and constituents on the features and benefits of using e-wallets such as GCash.

Through strong collaborations with LGUs and key partners, GCash helps empower communities across the nation, especially the unbanked, taking its financial inclusion vision into a reality.

The GCash app is available for free on Google Play, and the App Store.

For more information, visit https://www.gcash.com

Sing your heart out once more: Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” returns to select cinemas in a special sing-along version

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Relive Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” in a special sing-along edition, arriving in select Philippine cinemas on August 16. Sing the film’s best songs with your friends and family, and enjoy the retelling of a classic tale at your favorite cinema.

Experience this incredible, timeless tale, alongside exciting and emotional songs from the film, now with sing-along lyrics. This special edition of the film encourages everyone to sing their hearts out and enjoy each moment from the first number to the last. It’s definitely a treat for moviegoers experiencing the film for the very first time, or for ones who want to re-watch the entire tale once more.

Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is the story of Ariel, a beautiful young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. However, she also lives in a place where mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, especially being King Triton’s daughter.

Determined to explore the vast world above the sea, she sets off and meets the dashing and handsome Prince Eric and falls for him. After this fateful meeting, Ariel follows her heart and makes a deal with Ursula, an evil sea witch. This gives her a chance to be part of the world on land but ultimately places her life and the fate of her father’s crown in jeopardy.

The film stars singer and actress Halle Bailey (Ariel), Jonah Hauer-King (Prince Eric), Tony Award®-winner Daveed Diggs (the voice of Sebastian), Awkwafina (the voice of Scuttle), Jacob Tremblay (the voice of Flounder), Noma Dumezweni (Queen Selina), Art Malik (Sir Grimsby), with Oscar® winner Javier Bardem (King Triton), and two-time Academy Award® nominee Melissa McCarthy (Ursula).

Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is directed by Oscar® nominee Rob Marshall, and produced by two-time Emmy® winner Marc Platt, three-time Tony Award® winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, Emmy winner John DeLuca, and Rob Marshall, with Jeffrey Silver serving as executive producer.

The film also features an incredible soundtrack and score composed by Academy Award winner Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman, and produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Listen to the full soundtrack on Spotify here.

Don’t miss the special sing-along screening of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” when it arrives in cinemas.

For more updates, you can also follow Disney Studios Philippines on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. #TheLittleMermaidPH

Enstack Helps SMEs Conquer the Roadblocks of Digitalization, Supporting Government Drive

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In his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. emphasized the importance of digitalization as a catalyst for economic growth and closing the digital divide in the Philippines. With the digital economy contributing 9.4% of the GDP, amounting to a 3 trillion pesos in 2022, and 42% of retail payments already done digitally last year, the government is steadfast in achieving the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' (BSP) 50% digital payment target this year. As part of this vision, the government has introduced the e-commerce roadmap, launched the eGov app, and is actively advocating for National IDs, anticipating their future benefits.

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SME Store Builder Addresses Digital Payments Challenges Faced by SMEs and Helps Accelerate Digital Sales Strategies through "Build-a-Biz" Competition

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Despite these significant strides, the journey to digitalize Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Philippines remains challenging. Recognizing the obstacles faced by Filipino small business owners, SME store builder Enstack leverages its extensive knowledge of the difficulties experienced by over 100,000 merchants on its platform to provide an effective solution that businesses can implement today. Their diverse merchant base ranges from fashion, health and beauty, and home and living retail sellers to food business owners and service providers, many of whom previously lacked a proper business management tool to facilitate growth and success.

Super app Enstack paints a realistic picture of why digital payment acceptance remains low among SMEs and how they can facilitate progress:

Premium P2M Payment Fees: Existing high transaction fees averaging 3% for Person-to-Merchant (P2M) payments pose a significant challenge for small businesses, increasing their operational costs and driving them towards less scalable Person-to-Person (P2P) payment methods. Recognizing this roadblock, Enstack removes payment barriers and offers lower and more manageable transaction fees, empowering all businesses to seamlessly receive digital payments to enhance growth and expansion opportunities, while alleviating the financial strain on SMEs.

Cumbersome Merchant Payment Account Setup: According to the World Bank, it requires an average of 33 days[1] to set up a business in the Philippines compared to its Southeast Asia neighbors who range from 1.5 days (Singapore) to 16 days (Vietnam). A large part of this is the time-consuming process of setting up merchant payment accounts due to paperwork and complex requirements, which impedes small businesses from entering the digital payment landscape, expanding their customer base, and increasing revenue. Enstack works closely with its payment partners to simplify the onboarding process, requiring only an ID and Proof of Billing to start accepting debit and card payments, while online bank transfers and wallet payments can be facilitated with just an ID from the merchant.

End-to-End Tools Optimizing Digital Payments: While some businesses have adopted digital payments, many still grapple with manual processes in matching and reconciling orders to payments. Labor-intensive and error-prone, this can result in inaccuracies in both cash and inventory management. Enstack not only provides quick store setup, but also a seamless checkout process, capturing payments for each order made on any of its online or offline sales channels and automatically tagging them to the respective orders for streamlined tracking and management.

"Our mission goes beyond overcoming digitalization roadblocks; we are dedicated to leading Filipinos into a thriving e-commerce ecosystem while helping SMEs turn their business dreams into reality. We share the government's vision of a digitally empowered nation and aim to provide every Filipino business, regardless of size or industry, access to the tools and resources they need to succeed in the digital landscape. By providing practical solutions tailored to the unique challenges faced by SMEs, we aim to empower them to embrace the benefits of online commerce and maximize their growth potential," said Macy Castillo, CEO and co-founder at Enstack.

In line with this mission, Enstack is staging its Build-a-Biz competition. Designed to accelerate the adoption of digital sales strategies among SMEs, the competition offers a cash prize of ₱1 million pesos to the SME with the highest grossing sales completed through the Enstack app by the end of the year. For more information, go to www.enstack.com/bab.

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About Enstack

Enstack is a leading small business store builder that offers comprehensive end-to-end commerce solutions, with a primary focus on simplifying the process of building and launching online stores for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The platform empowers entrepreneurs to establish a robust online presence and drive business growth through its powerful omnichannel storebuilder. With seamless integration of payment and logistics solutions, Enstack ensures a streamlined experience, enabling users to focus on core business activities while delivering an exceptional customer experience.

For more information, please visit www.enstack.com

[1] https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IC.REG.DURS?locations=PH-SG-TH-ID-VN-MY

Affordable TechLife Products to Help you Slay your Independent Lifestyle Get them at great deals this TechLife 8.8 Sale on Lazada and Shopee!

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Living on your own at a young age can be empowering as it comes with great responsibility. There are everyday tasks you need to do to manage your own home, on top of your other work and outside obligations.

Luckily, today’s rapidly developing technology can help you get things done more conveniently and efficiently. Universal tech brand, TechLife, affirms this, having more than 100 concept stores and kiosks nationwide as well as online stores which sell a wide range of affordable accessories, appliances, devices that cater to one’s daily needs.

Whether you’re a university student or a young working adult who is already living independently, here are some TechLife essentials that can help boost your lifestyle both at home and on-the-go:

TechLife Air Fryer. Those who live alone would most likely need to cook or prepare their food from time to time, and using an air fryer has proven to be a game-changer in these situations. This air fryer has a 1.3L capacity as well as 3D hot air circulation technology to allow the heat to spread thoroughly around the food being cooked in its non-stick frying basket and tray. It also has double-knob controls for precision in cooking time and temperature.

TechLife Electric Pot. An electric pot is also very useful for quick and easy meal preps at home. Having a 1.5L capacity, this wide and portable electric pot makes cooking or boiling efficient with its 360° even heating and two adjustable modes at either 220W or 600W. The material used for this electric pot is non-stick, and it comes with a steamer and tempered glass lid.

TechLife Rice Cooker. With its 1.2L capacity, this portable and compact rice cooker will let you enjoy perfectly cooked rice each time. It even has nine available multi-function cooking modes that vary from cooking rice, porridge, stews, cakes, to simply keeping food warm.

TechLife Power Bank 10000mAh. When you head out, it’s good to make sure that all your devices are charged, but it will also help to bring a reliable power bank just in case. This slim and compact portable battery is equipped with two-way 10W fast-charging, supports two input ports that can be charged via micro-USB or type-C, and has two output ports that allow charging of up to two devices at the same time. It also comes with a protective chip that helps avoid overcharge, over-discharge, and short circuits.

TechLife Notebook. A slim and lightweight productivity device suited for those always on-the-go. At only 1.52kg and 19.3mm thin, this already comes packed with specs and features that students and young professionals need for the daily grind: an 11th Gen Intel Core i3 Processor, built-in Windows 11 Home, and an adequate amount of ports for added ease of use and connectivity. These include HDMI, USB 2.0, USB 3.2 and USB Type C.

TechLife Notebook S. Perfect for those looking to upgrade their gear, the TechLife Notebook S is a compact and powerful laptop built for work and play. Take it anywhere and stay productive throughout your day with its long-lasting 6600mAh Battery with 60W Charging. Sharpen your focus through its minimalist design and an ergonomic keyboard layout. Its large 16:10 screen with narrow bezels is also fit for a clear and immersive viewing experience.

Catch them at great deals this coming 8.8!

Throughout the Lazada 8.8 Super Sulit Sale from August 8 to 12, 2023, you can get these affordable and practical products at discounted prices. Additionally, those who will purchase the TechLife Notebook or TechLife Notebook S early during the sale can get a FREE TechLife Multi-Sleeve Bag!

Lazada 8.8 Super Sulit Sale
Item	SRP	8.8 Discounted Price
TechLife Air Fryer	PHP 3,499	PHP 2,399
TechLife Electric Pot	PHP 1,799	PHP 1,199
TechLife Rice Cooker	PHP 1,999	PHP 1,349
TechLife Power Bank 10000mAh	PHP 799	PHP 459
TechLife Notebook	PHP 24,999	PHP 22,999
TechLife Notebook S	PHP 29,999	PHP 28,499

For the customers who prefer buying through the Shopee platform, worry not as you can also score discounts during the Shopee Otso Otso Sale until August 9, 2023.

Watch out for flash deals on Shopee because on August 8, from 12AM to 2AM, the TechLife Power Bank 10000mAh can be scored for only PHP 399. Meanwhile, from 2AM to 8AM on the same day, fans can avail the TechLife 12W Charger + Cable for only PHP 199.

Shopee Otso Otso Sale
Item	SRP	8.8 Discounted Price
TechLife Air Fryer	PHP 3,499	PHP 2,499
TechLife Electric Pot	PHP 1,799	PHP 1,299
TechLife Rice Cooker	PHP 1,999	PHP 1,499
TechLife 12W Charger + Cable	PHP 399	PHP 219
TechLife Electric Kettle	PHP 1,299	PHP 888

Check out these must-haves on TechLife’s Lazada or Shopee stores, and follow the brand’s official pages on Facebook and TikTok for more updates.

Elevate your lifestyle this HONOR 8.8 Sale and get up to 30% discount on selected items!

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HONOR Philippines just dropped its 8.8 Sale where you can get up to 30% discount on selected items. Enjoy exciting bundles and FREE shipping nationwide on Lazada, Shoppe, and TikTok Shop from August 8 to 11, 2023!

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Itching to upgrade your gadgets? It’s time to elevate this HONOR 8.8 Sale and get up to 30% off on selected items with FREE shipping nationwide on 

Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok!

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“It’s the perfect time to elevate your lifestyle and avail of our smartphones, laptops, tablets, and accessories for up to Php 2,350 off this HONOR 8.8 Sale. Check out your dream gadget until August 11 via our partner online stores Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop,” said Stephen Cheng, HONOR Philippines Vice President.

Aside from the 30% discount, exciting bundles await shoppers too! Get a FREE Magic Keyboard worth Php 5,990 when you buy an HONOR Pad 8, and a FREE Premium HONOR bag worth Php 2,000 for every purchase of HONOR MagicBook X 14 or MagicBook X 15.

HONOR’s latest flagship HONOR Magic5 Pro will come at a discounted price of Php 57,690 from Php 59,990 with freebies HONOR Band 6+ and HONOR Earbuds X3 Lite worth Php 6,000.

What are you waiting for? Get these and more when you check out via Lazada (https://bit.ly/3ZsS0Jx), Shopee (https://bit.ly/3J1Zv5n), and TikTok Shop (https://bit.ly/3IMaizo) from August 8 to 11, 2023.

For more information and announcements, you may visit HONOR’s website www.hihonor.com or social media platforms: Facebook (Facebook.com/HonorPhilippines), Instagram (Instagram.com/honorph/), and TikTok: (Tiktok.com/@honorphilippines).