OYO helps boost Philippines tourism with its technology-enabled ecosystem

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Manila, Philippines – OYO Hotels and Homes, South Asia’s largest, China’s 2nd largest and the world’s 6th largest and fastest growing chain of leased and franchised hotels, homes and living spaces is committed to supporting the Department of Tourism (DOT) in boosting the country’s tourism industry while preserving the beauty of the Philippines through sustainable infrastructure. DOT’s refreshed ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’ campaign which encourages local and foreign tourists to explore and experience the wonders the country has to offer is being supported by OYO Hotels & Homes. OYO offers standardized, high-quality and affordable accommodations by leveraging innovative technology.

Technology is deeply embedded in OYO’s DNA and is leveraged to facilitate standardization of services, amenities and in-room experience, thereby helping maintain service standards in the Philippines. OYO has created a robust in-house stack of proprietary technology powering 20+ applications. Every aspect of OYO’s ecosystem is powered by technology right from procurement to auditing, renovation and transformation to asset owner engagement and customer experience. 

Commenting on the development, Ankit Arya, Country Head - OYO Philippines, said, “DOT’s campaign is a great initiative to further the country’s tourism and hospitality industry. It is in line with our mission of offering guests quality living spaces. At OYO Hotels and Homes, we are harnessing the power of innovative technologies to build a world class experience for our guests. Technology is at the core of everything we do and is a key growth driver for us. It powers each and every aspect of hotel management - from procuring linen to checking in a guest or ordering food or tea, coffee during the time of the stay. We will continue to invest in new innovations and support the DOT in making the Philippines a preferred tourist destination.”

From a customer experience standpoint OYO leverages data science and analytics to improve the guest experience at every step. Through AI and machine learning, OYO looks at multiple metrics from time of day, weather, location to local events, to be able to learn more and more about what kind of a room a customer prefers, and what are the search results the customer is most likely to appreciate. Data science and machine learning helps understand guest behaviour - both preferences and implicit behaviour, how they interact with search results and app and the interactions they carry out while staying at OYO properties. 

OYO’s 20+ applications including OYO OS, a global and industry-first proprietary hotel management system, Krypton,auditing app that ensures excellent guest experience, Optimus,dedicated transformation app that helps teams understand the transformation requirements of a building while giving cost estimates, budget in addition to assigning tasks and tracking the pace and more are aimed at delivering quality experience and value to its guests and partners. Backed by 400+ microsystems and 1,000 full-stack engineers spread across multiple locations, OYO is able to deliver a consistent and standardized experience to travellers 

OYO Hotels and Homes is committed to transforming the overall accommodation and travel experience by providing premium quality service at an affordable price. With an initial investment of $50 million and a commitment to extend OYO’s quality service and experience to the travellers in the Philippines, OYO continues to transform properties across Manila, Cebu, Davao, Boracay, and Tagaytay and other cities in the country. By 2020, OYO aims to establish a presence in more than 10 cities with more than 20,000 rooms in the Philippines.

About OYO Hotels and Homes:

OYO is the world’s 6th largest hotel chain operating from Tokyo to Texas and the world’s fastest growing chain of hotels, homes & spaces! With the @Leisure Group joining the chain, OYO today has footprints in more than 800 cities across 24 countries including - UK, US, Japan, China, Malaysia, Nepal, UAE, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, India and the Philippines. With over 20,000 buildings and 700,000 keys under management, OYO is backed by leading investors, including the SoftBank Vision Fund, Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed Ventures, Hero Enterprise, and China Lodging Group and has a mission to bring better living spaces for the world. For more information, log on to https://www.oyorooms.com/

WWE LIVE™ RETURNS TO THE PHILIPPINES

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WWE will return to the Philippines for the first time in three years when WWE LIVE MANILA comes to the Araneta Coliseum on Friday, September 20, 2019. 

Tickets for WWE LIVE MANILA go on-sale on Saturday, June 22 at 10AM via TicketNet.com.ph, TicketNet hotline 911-5555 and at all TicketNet outlets nationwide.

Fans attending WWE LIVE MANILA will be able to see their favorite WWE Superstars including Roman Reigns™, Kofi Kingston™, Charlotte Flair™, Finn Bálor™, Asuka™, Elias™, Xavier Woods™, Big E™, Shinsuke Nakamura™, Rusev™, Kevin Owens™, Bayley™, Carmella™, The IIconics™ and many more! *

WWE LIVE MANILA is presented in partnership with Wilbros Live, a leading concert and live events promoter in the Philippines. “Wilbros Live is thrilled to bring WWE LIVE back to Manila this year,” said Winston Llamas, Executive Producer of Wilbros Live. “This one-night-only action-filled show is a must-see for all families and friends! 

“We are excited to return to Manila where the passionate WWE Universe can see their favorite WWE Superstars live,” said Chris Marsh, Vice President and General Manager, WWE Asia Pacific. “Our fans can look forward to experiencing another action-packed night of family-friendly entertainment that will create life-long memories. 

#WWEManila2019

FWD Life Insurance innovates employee experience with WorksForMe program

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At a time when work-life balance and personal time-off days have become strong buzzwords for employees, FWD Life Insurance (“FWD Philippines”) has gone beyond the tried-and-tested route and rewrote the employment rule book, enhancing its brand and business in the process.

Considered one of the fastest-growing insurance companies in the Philippines, FWD Philippines launched “WorksForMe” in 2018, its enhanced employee benefits program designed to help the organization’s workforce celebrate life while they work.

Through the program, FWD employees can now say, “At FWD, I can choose what works for me!” “WorksForMe is the outcome of collaborative efforts to improve benefits for our employees, after surveying what the challenges and areas of improvement were,” said FWD Philippines Chief People and Culture Officer Rozanne Parungo. “It all boils down to providing better experiences for our employees.”

Making Brand Advocates out of FWD Employees

There is a business principle that people-oriented leaders of organizations strive to adhere to: in order to best serve customers, employees need—first and foremost—to be empowered and to be motivated. They also need to stay fit to carry out their functions.

It all starts with top leadership intent on helping promote the health and well-being of a vital component in the organizational wheel: its people. Indeed, FWD Philippines’ unique people-oriented employee benefits program WorksForMe has the solid backing of senior leadership team, headed by President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Grimes.

Adapting to the Changing Times

“FWD pioneered the WorksForMe program to advocate work-life balance while empowering and giving our employees the flexibility to choose what works for them,” added Parungo. “Our new and improved employee benefits program is a testament to how we adapt to the changing times, strongly encouraging our people to live the brand spirit and “get ready to live” for themselves and their families.”

Part and parcel of FWD’s WorksForMe program are special leave entitlements for employees. As part of the program, employees’ vacation leaves (VL) can be rolled over during the next 12 months of the succeeding year. The longer the employee stays with the company, the more VLs they earn. Upon reaching the employee’s third year of tenure, an additional VL will be given, and one more every year thereafter up to a maximum of 24 total VLs annually, hence recognizing the employees’ loyalty.

Sick leaves, on the other hand, can be used up to the end of the year. Unused SLs can then be banked and converted to VL, as the employee elects. This benefit feature gives the employees the option to utilize their unused leaves in a way that is more suitable to them.

Pioneering Flexibility, Enhancing Productivity

The benefits do not stop there. Employees may work from anywhere (WFA) up to five (5) days for each quarter. All that is required is manager approval as well as availability of appropriate tools to perform tasks at the same productivity level offered by the office environment.

Flexible work arrangements have also received the FWD top-level management’s nod of approval. They show extra consideration for people’s mobility or commuting problems, as well as varying peak performance time. At FWD, employees can start their work day as early as 7 a.m. or as late as 10 a.m., with corresponding end of shifts at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively. This flexibility is aimed at not only lessening the employees’ commute or transit time to and from the office, but most importantly enhancing their productivity level.

Parungo said, “The work schedule options allow our employees to be flexible and to be innovationfocused at the same time.”

Giving Back, Paying It Forward

FWD Philippines’ “Community Care Time-Off” serves the dual purpose of encouraging its workforce to pursue their passions through community service. Employees are given two (2) paid time-off days to give back to their communities.

In order to be entitled to the allotted paid time-off days a year, employees need to take part in FWD’s existing Community Care programs or perform charitable work/community service. Reinforced by the company’s own Community Care employee passion group (committee), employees are encouraged to take part in various efforts, internal or otherwise, supporting the community and contributing to their betterment.

Since the program’s launch, FWD employees have volunteered in the company’s host of Community Care partners Humanity & Inclusion, Special Olympics, and Tanging Tanglaw Solar Lolas Project. Beyond these initiatives, employees have likewise supported organizations that drive feeding programs, rehabilitation of the Pasig River, and even marathons whose proceeds go to charities, amongst others.

“Our values guide our actions, and so do our policies and practices,” Parungo said. “Engaging and letting people thrive and prosper is one of our key priorities. We want to constantly encourage our employees to support and take part in achieving FWD’s Community Care vision: to empower people to live fulfilled lives.”

Driving Positive Change for and with Employees

FWD employees are now as motivated as ever to go beyond their comfort zone and reach out to members of the community. “I feel my world is bigger because I get to explore and be in love with other activities outside work – like running, hiking, and volunteering for the environment,” FWD employee TJ Catapang shares.

WorksForMe gives current and future employees a better sense of what makes FWD a very good workplace to be part of. By contributing to its employees’ well-being through this program, FWD Life Insurance is not only living up to its vision of “changing the way people feel about insurance,” it also innovates employee experiences as it aims to truly become an employer of choice in the Philippines.

To know more about how FWD Philippines empowers its employees to "get ready to live", visit www.fwd.com.ph/en/join-us/.

About FWD Philippines

About FWD Philippines FWD Life Insurance Corporation (“FWD Life”) is the first life insurance company licensed by the Insurance Commission of the Philippines under the new Insurance Code. FWD launched its commercial operations in September 2014. By March 2017, FWD Life is the highestcapitalized life insurer in the Philippines with PhP 2.3 billion in paid-up capitalization.1 FWD Life now ranks 8th in the life insurance industry in terms of new business annual premium equivalent.2

FWD Group spans Hong Kong & Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, and Malaysia, offering life and medical insurance, general insurance, employee benefits, Shariah, and Family Takaful products across a number of its markets. Established in Asia in 2013, FWD is the insurance business arm of investment group, Pacific Century Group. In the Philippines, FWD has 14 business hubs located in key cities nationwide with its headquarters in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

FWD is focused on creating fresh customer experiences, with easy-to-understand products, supported by digital technology. Through this customer-led approach, FWD aims to become a leading pan-Asian insurer that changes the way people feel about insurance.

For more information please visit fwd.com.ph.

1 www.insurance.gov.ph > Statistics > 2018 > Based on Paid-Up Capital

2 www.insurance.gov.ph > Statistics > 2018 > Based on New Business Annual Premium Equivalent

Choose to feel good with Unlimited Spaghetti at Pancake House

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When you’re struggling with a long day, feeling crummy, or just feeling ‘meh,’ sometimes all you need is comfort. An old song that reminds you of your childhood, a trip down memory lane looking at funny Facebook photos. But sometimes, all you need is a nice, warm plate of your favorite comfort food.

As part of its Choose to Feel Good campaign, Pancake House is making one of their bestselling classics the staple comfort food for the month with its Spaghetti-All-You-Can promo, available from June 10 to 15 and June 24 to 29. 

For only Php 299, diners can enjoy two hours of unlimited servings of Pancake House’s solo Spaghetti with Meat Sauce with a side of garlic bread and iced tea during the promo dates, giving all our inner kids-at-heart a chance to enjoy Pancake House’s lip-smacking pasta dish, over and over again. 

Yes, spaghetti mustaches included. 

“As we celebrate our 45 anniversary this June, we want more Filipino diners to enjoy some of their favorite dishes. Our Spaghetti with Meat Sauce is one of the specialties that people keep coming back for. We want them to relive some of their favorite memories and create new ones with our Spaghetti-All-You-Can promo,” said Pancake House Senior Marketing Manager Cherry Hernandez. “We hope that making this delicious, heartwarming offering available to more diners gives them another reason to Choose To Feel Good at Pancake House.”

Whether you’re taking a breather after a long day or just simply choosing to feel good, treat yourself to unlimited spaghetti at Pancake House this June!

For more information, please visit facebook.com/.

BRIA Homes aims to dominate mass housing in Laguna

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Laguna, one of the most progressive provinces south of the metro, has long been considered a prime residential location, thanks to its proximity to Metro-Manila. The growing business and employment opportunities in Laguna have also spurred the locals—and townsfolk from neighboring municipalities—to seek work in the province. And because of Laguna’s rich history and cultural heritage, it has likewise become a popular tourists’attraction.

It is no surprise, then, that even people who work in the metro and nearby provinces are looking to settling down in Laguna. Due to this exciting development, BRIA Homes, the fastest-growing mass housing developer in the Philippines, acknowledges the demandfor superior quality but affordable homes in this prosperous province. 

BRIA Homes acknowledges the demand for superior quality but affordable homes in the prosperous province of Laguna. To address this need, BRIA Homes offers six propertydevelopments in Laguna, all featuring modern housing options that range from rowhouses and townhouses to single firewalls. To know more about BRIA Homes, call (0966) 277 5944, like “Bria Official” on Facebook, and follow “@TheBriaOfficial” on Twitter and Instagram.

To address this need, BRIA Homes offers six property developments in Laguna to prospective homeowners which are available in Calamba, Calauan, Sta. Cruz, San Pablo, and Alaminos.

Those searching for homes in Calamba can check out BRIA Homes Calamba, a community located in Brgy. Bañadero with 33 hectares of land, offering 2,556 units; or Bria Homes Calamba Executive, located in Brgy. Majada Out, which sprawls on 17 hectares of land, offering 1,269 units.

BRIA Homes Calauan, another BRIA community in Laguna, is located in Brgy. Mabacan. It stands on 12 hectares of land and offers 1,401 units. Its strategic location along the Calauan-San Pablo Highway makes it a nice investment for future homeowners.

For residents eyeing a home in Sta. Cruz area, BRIA Homes Sta. Cruz is located on theCalumpang-Sta. Cruz road in Barangay San Jose, and offers 1,359 units on 11 hectaresof land. 

BRIA Homes, the fastest-growing mass housing developer in the Philippines, remains unstoppable in its bid to develop more residential communities across the country. In the case of Laguna, BRIA Bay will soon rise for residents looking for homes in the Bay area. To know more about BRIA Homes, call (0966) 277 5944, like “Bria Official” on Facebook, and follow “@TheBriaOfficial” on Twitter and Instagram.

BRIA Homes has also launched a 19-hectare housing development in San Pablo. This BRIA community is located in Barangay San Gregorio, San Pablo, Laguna, which offers2503 units.

In Barangay Del Carmen in Alaminos, BRIA Homes offers a community set on 10 hectares, with a total of 1,191 residential.

Homeowners can enjoy the facilities of each subdivision which includes a covered basketball court, landscaped gardens, parks, and playgrounds. To ensure safety and security, BRIA Homes provides 24-hour security system, CCTV cameras and a perimeter fence around the subdivision.

Future BRIA homeowners in Laguna have a wide set of affordable housing options, ranging from rowhouses, townhouses, and single firewalls. 

BRIA Homes’ rowhouses include Elena and Elyana, which have a floor area of 22 and 24 sqm., respectively, and a lot area of 36 sqm. each. Elena’s price ranges from P500k to P520k, whereas Elyana’s price ranges from P520k to P550k. A Bettina two-storey townhouse has a floor area of 44 sqm. and a lot area of 36 sqm., ranging from P800k to P1M. Alecza, a single firewall, has a floor area of 36 sqm. and a lot area of 81 sqm., with prices ranging from P1.2M to P1.5M.

Because BRIA Homes wants all ordinary Filipinos to acquire their own high-quality abodes, BRIA remains unstoppable in its bid to develop more residential communities across the country. In the case of Laguna, BRIA Bay will soon rise for residents looking for homes in the Bay area. 

BRIA Homes is a subsidiary of GOLDEN BRIA Holdings, Inc., considered the third largest real estate company in terms of market capitalization valued at more than P200B. The fastest-growing mass housing developer in the Philippines, BRIA Homes is primed to bring affordable house-and-lot packages and condominium units closer to ordinary Filipino families. This is the goal that drives every single employee in the company, for which the ultimate fulfillment is seeing a client happily moving into Bria’s homes. 

To know more about BRIA Homes, call (0966) 277 5944, like “Bria Official” on Facebook, and follow “@TheBriaOfficial” on Twitter and Instagram.