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.

Get your fave SPLAT toothpastes at up to 21% off on 12.12

For more than 20 years, SPLAT has been ethically and scientifically developing professional oral care solutions for the whole family. A global pioneer in natural oral care, SPLAT is currently present in 70 European and Asian countries.

SPLAT is a family-run business that strives to create the very best products that will provide healthy oral care solutions and will promote some happiness around the world, one smile at a time.

The brand is finally in the Philippines and you can get their products for up to 21% off this December exclusively at Watsons stores or online at Watsons Lazada & Shopee or ShopSM.

Every product developed in SPLAT laboratory is targeted at the most effective solution of various oral care-related tasks. To achieve the highest efficacy of each product, SPLAT collaborated with leading dentists and specialized institutes of the whole world.

For you and your family, go for SPLAT toothpastes that use natural antibacterial agents and ingredients for gentle teeth whitening. SPLAT's toothpastes, mouthwashes and foams contain natural ingredients, essential oils and medicinal plant extracts.

SPLAT toothpastes don’t contain SLES, triclosan, chlorhexidine, aluminum lactate, peroxide, petroleum-derived products, synthetic antiseptic agents, sodium lauryl sulfate and saccharinate. These are ingredients that could potentially harm humans, animals, and the planet.

Give your kids the gift of healthy teeth and gums with SPLAT Kids Natural Toothpaste in Strawberry-Cherry and Fruit Ice-Cream flavors, which make brushing fun for kids. The natural toothpaste is hypoallergenic and safe if accidentally swallowed.

All SPLAT Bio-Active Toothpastes of PROFESSIONAL series contain patented SP. White System® to ensure safe whitening.

Each product is specifically aim at a certain oral problem; therefore, you can easily find a product, satisfying your special hygienic requirements



SPLAT Professional WHITE PLUS Toothpaste with rounded polishing particles in combination with PVP whitening component and natural papaya enzymes noticeably whiten tooth enamel, break up dental plaque in hard-to-reach places and make tooth surface perfectly smooth and white. This is a perfect choice for coffee and tea lovers.

SPLAT Professional SENSITIVE WHITE Toothpaste with hydroxyapatite and natural enzyme system
effectively break up the dental plaque and reduce sensitivity.

SPLAT Professional BIOCALCIUM Toothpaste restores enamel and reduces tooth sensitivity. Bioactive calcium obtained from eggshell and hydroxyapatite, a building component of tooth enamel. High content of these ingredients makes it possible to strengthen enamel and reduce hypersensitivity.

SPLAT Professional MEDICAL HERBS emerald-colored gel toothpaste contains extracts of sage, chamomile and hawthorn for effective gums and teeth care. Calcium obtained from eggshell accelerates mineralization and strengthens enamel.

SPLAT Professional LAVENDERSEPT toothpaste with bioactive calcium reduces tooth hypersensitivity. Lavender, rosemary, and thyme essential oils promote healthy gums. Papain natural enzyme gently whitens and polishes enamel to a shiny white.

SPLAT GREEN TEA toothpaste containing green tea extracts, sage and chamomile has a soothing effect on gums. Natural pearl contains calcium which strengthens teeth.

Enjoy discounts of up to 21% this December exclusively at Watsons stores or online at Watsons on Lazada and Shopee or ShopSM.

Get the best natural high-quality toothpastes, such as the bestselling SPLAT Professional White Plus Toothpaste and the Professional Sensitive White Toothpaste, at discounted prices only for this month at only PHP 149 and PHP148 for 50ml KIDS toothpaste with even more discounts on 12.12.

That's not all—get cash rebates and further discounts when you buy selected SPLAT toothpastes from Lazada and Shopee on 12.12 from 12am to 2am.

Get the SPLAT Kids Natural Toothpaste in Fruit Ice-Cream flavor (50ml) for Php138 with Php47 rebate. Get SPLAT Professional Biocalcium Enamel Restoration and Safe Whitening, SPLAT Professional White Plus, SPLAT Professional Maximum and SPLAT Professional Lavendersept for Php139 with a Php50 rebate.

In the Philippines, SPLAT is exclusively distributed by ABGPH Corp. and is now available exclusively at selected Watsons online and offline.

realme reunites fans with their families in heartwarming Christmas video

 

This Christmas, there truly is no better gift than the gift of family. The holiday season is the perfect time to bring families together, and reconnect with our loved ones especially during these challenging times. There is, however, an unfortunate reality that some of us do not have the means to go home to our families, and are forced to spend Christmas away from their loved ones.

This is why realme, the country’s no. 1 smartphone brand for three consecutive quarters in 2021, recently sought out Squad members with inspiring stories to give them the opportunity to be reunited with their families for the holidays. Two lucky fans were chosen and realme, in partnership with Mitsubishi Motors Philippines, finally brought them home to their families after several years.

The reunion was featured in a heartwarming video posted on December 5 on realme Philippines’ official Facebook page and YouTube channel. The video also features the winning entry from the brand’s recently concluded #realmeWithYou Christmas Songwriting Contest where aspiring musicians and composers got the chance to compose their own title lyrics for realme’s official Christmas track.

This initiative is in part of the brand’s #realmeWithYou holiday campaign that aims to spread the love and give back to its loyal fans for their unwavering support. “The holiday season is all about love and togetherness. We hope that through this simple gesture, we were able to help make Christmas more special for our ever supportive fans, and be one with them in the most wonderful time of the year,” shares Austine Huang, realme Philippines’ VP for Marketing.


To get the latest updates and announcements from the country’s no. 1 smartphone brand, Facebook page at http://facebook.com/realmePhilippines and visit the official realme website at https://www.realme.com/ph/. #realmeWithYou

The 4As Philippines PR Kit for CreativeFest & Kidlat Awards 2021

The 4As believes that imagination and inventiveness

should always be celebrated, in whatever form or scale. Thus, we have the CreativeFest and the Kidlat Awards.

Last year, in the middle of the pandemic, the festival's theme, Stories Don't Stop, echoed the relentless, creative spirit against challenging times.This year's theme, Creativity Unlocked, is again a call of defiance, creating stories from our dining rooms, living rooms, and bedrooms. Despite cramped spaces, limited movement and physical interaction, we've proven that the creative mind knows no boundaries and that great work is undoubtedly possible.

We will learn from a diverse group of storytellers worldwide how they've overcome obstacles: a creative leader rising above personal tragedy, a performer emerging from a culture of exclusion to mainstream acceptance, an innovative coach sharing her insights on mental exhaustion, to name a few.

We deliberately skipped the annual Kidlat Awards last year, because we felt that winning an award at that time was not as important as creating and learning. This year, Kidlat is back to recognize two years' worth of work exploding like lightning, not from the skies but our homes.

Our celebration this year is made possible by industry

talents who have dedicated months planning the event on top of running their businesses. A big thank you to CreativeFest Chairperson JC Valenzuela and his team at Propel Manila for generously sharing their talent and resources, and Kidlat Awards Chairperson Russ Molina of Seven A.D. and his committee of heavyweight creatives, assisted by our production partners Plan B.

At 4As, creativity means business, and the CreativeFest and Kidlat Awards are all about celebrating the business of creativity. Join us on Nov. 24 and 25 for the festival and Nov. 26 for the awards show, and see how creativity thrives when the world is locked up or on lockdown.

After the successful virtual run of CreativeFestNOW
last year, the Philippines 4As (Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies) is once again bringing back CreativeFest from November 24 - 26, 2021. With the theme CREATIVITY UNLOCKED, this year’s CreativeFest highlights the relentless power of creativity to move not only businesses and individuals but the whole world, especially in the context of today’s ever-changing creative landscape. While the past year has had its diculties and challenges, we’ve also seen creativity persevere. That in the face of limits, creativity can unlock its best work — finding and creating solutions, bridging gaps, and being a force of good in the world. The three-day online festival will be filled with some of the biggest creative names from all over the world, culminating with the grand comeback of the Kidlat Awards.

CreativeFest is the country’s biggest gathering of creative minds, local and global experts, and thought leaders from dierent industries across continents. So expect nothing short of three days of back-to-back inspiring talks, extraordinary stories, masterclasses, idea-sparking roundtable discussions, and keynote speeches from our remarkable lineup of speakers — all coming together at an online festival that celebrates the power of creativity to move business, people, and nations.

She’s here for only one reason — to SLAY!
That’s right, get ready to unlock your creativity
with our illustrious keynote speaker, Manila Luzon!
This Fil-Am international drag icon, recording artist,
and comedian has taken the world by storm with her
endless creativity. Don’t miss her talk as she shares
her knowledge and expertise on the art of drag and
how to fully unlock your creativity.

When creativity strikes, Alice Chou isn’t far behind.
Alice is a lion, Sherpa, and a prime number rolled
into one.

As one of Taiwan's greatest creatives ever, she
guides new hires to the global stage, and her prime
pursuit of creative excellence can't be divided. Part of
Adweek’s Creative 100 and selected in "Women to
Watch," she holds the highest award-winning record
in Taiwan’s ad history, bagging the country’s first
Cannes Lions Grand Prix and garnering accolades in
ADFEST, Adstar, and other Asia-Pacific awards.

Undeniably the world’s most revered benchmark for
creative excellence, the Cannes Lions is THE pinnacle
for most creatives. With 30,000+ entries every year
across 28 Lion Awards, the Cannes Lions champions
creativity like no other.

And for #CreativeFest2021, meet the woman
who leads the research and design for each of the
specialist Lion Awards—Susie Walker. She leads the
team for research and design, engaging with 3,000+
global companies who vie and claw their way to the
illustrious Grand Prix.

With 17 years of experience in creative communications
and culture, Susie has stories to unlock your best ideas.

Plug in to the sound of creativity with a bonafide
music and audio legend, the leader of Hit
Productions, a Cannes-winning studio and 19-time (!!!)
Production House of the Year—Vic Icasas!

Track every milestone in this decades-spanning
journey that has made audio such a powerful tool in
unlocking creativity. And better yet, look forward to its
bright, bright future in advertising and more!

UnionBank UPAY for MSME: Helping level the playing field for the country’s growing number of MSMEs

Filipinos are now utilizing digital payments more than ever. Last month, the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported that digital payments made up 20.1 percent of all transactions in 2020, more than double the figure from two years ago of 10 percent. This strong momentum is creating opportunities particularly for
enterprising Filipinos who engage in e-commerce.

To help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country capitalize on this growing trend,

Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), the region’s digital trailblazer and the country’s foremost
bank for MSMEs, has launched a groundbreaking feature that will make e-payments easier and secure
not only for customers but also for MSMEs—the new UPAY for MSME.

This was unveiled at the Bank's 12th E-TalkTales media event, wherein UnionBank Vice President and MSME Segment Head Jaypee Soliman, and UnionBank Merchant Acquiring and Payment Gateway Head
Gerry Austria led discussions on the critical role of digitizing payments in the country's fast evolving market.

Soliman began the discussions by talking about the state of digital payments in the country, citing the significant growth in the number of Filipinos who utilize these payment solutions. This is an indication that Filipinos are now more open to the idea of becoming a cash-lite society.

“This shows how the consumers are now transacting digitally. They are ready. They are there. The number of Filipinos having e-wallets and bank accounts continue to grow. But the question is, are the MSMEs ready to accept digital payments"

This is where UPAY comes in. UPAY is a groundbreaking digital payments solution designed to make acceptance of multiple payment options accessible to MSMEs. It offers a fully integrated, single platform payment collection complete with other features that can make inbound payments easier for entrepreneurs, including the option to generate payment links with multiple collection channels, and
the option to generate InstaPay QRPH for digital and physical channels.

"UPAY for MSMEs is a payment gateway that is embedded in our MSME Business Banking App.

Businesses of all sizes and types now have the power to generate payment links, request payments, send it to their customers and provide multiple payment options, all these reconciled and credited to a single UnionBank account" Soliman said.

What makes UPAY convenient for accepting payments is that customers can choose their preferred payment channel either via Unionbank Online, InstaPay, Other Digital Wallets, Credit/Debit Cards and even over-the-counter through UnionBank’s expansive network of partner channels nationwide.

"When we conceptualized UPAY for MSMEs, we wanted to do away with all the different hassles that
the merchant is experiencing to set up his payments, one of which is having to connect to a point-of-sale
system, having to have different devices, having to have to download different apps" Austria said.




"Second, it's the efficiency in doing business. You don't need to be in your physical store to actually have a customer pay you. You can actually be vacationing somewhere else and someone wants to buy a product which they saw through your post on Instagram or Facebook. You can actually just create a payment link and send it to that customer, so it's very convenient for both the merchant and the customer" Austria added.

Through the new feature, UnionBank wants to level the playing field for MSMEs by making the feature accessible to them, which was previously only available to the bigger merchants as part of enterprise platforms that are too technologically demanding and expensive for smaller players.


For more information about the company and this article, please visit

www.unionbankph.com/msme/upay

SM Megamall is going " Bright 2021 " this Christmas

 

SM Supermalls are bringing out your holiday spirit with exciting deals, scrumptious feasts, and snap-worthy spots where you can create and share wonderful moments with your loved ones dahil siguradong #ChristmaSayaAtSM.

SM is bringing out the fun at every SM Supermall. Celebrate with SM in the most wonderful season of the year where you and your family is certified to have a safe and fun Christmas #TogetherAtSM. #EverythingsHereAtSM

Christmas may be different from years past, but the meaning behind this season remains. Although the pandemic has forced us to downsize our traditionally large Noche Buena gatherings, we have hope in better days ahead that will allow us a merrier celebration – the blessing of once again being able to gather with fully-vaccinated loved ones around the same Christmas tree.

SM Supermalls brings this same celebration to its shoppers with a series of memorable Christmas celebrations, all while implementing strict #SafeMalling protocols.

Christmas reimagined. To help reignite and uplift the hearts & spirits of Filipinos this holiday season, SM has reimagined safe bonding experiences with dazzling indoor and outdoor attractions that allow for picture-perfect shopping and dining activities for the whole family from November 5 to January 6. There will be Christmas markets, parks and villages, Santa appearances, character meet and greets, Christmas medleys, magical firework displays & drone shows, and other surprises. You can also look forward to an online Simbang Gabi which you may attend with your loved ones via SM Supermalls’ official Facebook page on https://facebook.com/smsupermalls/.

Noche Buena favorites during SM Holiday Resto Week. Noche Buena is the hallmark of every Filipino’s Christmas Eve celebration. Now that you’re able to celebrate with your loved ones, make this year’s Christmas spread more festive with delicious meals & treats available at SM. From December 13-25, you can look forward to SM’s Holiday Resto Week and enjoy special treats, promos, and exclusive deals from your favorite restaurants and food merchants.

Explore, shop, and win at SM Christmas Saya Village. Though online shopping has become more accessible during the pandemic, we still find ourselves missing the experience of being physically present at the SM Malls. With that in mind, SM has made shopping and dining much more safe, convenient, and exciting by launching the SM Christmas Saya Village! Register online at smchristmasayavillage.ph or through SM Supermalls’ Facebook page to join this fun tech experience where you can play and create your own avatar to immerse yourself in a virtual Christmas zone at SM– from dining & shopping, to exquisite Christmas centerpieces and a fun play area! Plus, you can collect coins to redeem tons of exciting deals and vouchers from SM. Just be sure to pre-register from November 5-14 so you can enjoy an online shopping experience on a whole other level! This promo, which will run from November 15 to December 25, is not to be missed!

Share smiles with SM Bears of Joy. This pandemic has taught us to share what we have with those who have less. Every year, SM Supermalls and Toy Kingdom come together to give shoppers a chance to share the holiday season cheer with children in need. Starting November 12, shoppers can purchase the bears at P200 per pair – one to keep, and one to be donated to charity. This simple act of kindness can go a long way, especially during a time when empathy is needed most.

ndeed, Christmas has evolved with the times, but knowing that SM has our happiness and safety in mind, we are able to relive great holiday memories with our loved ones in the malls we call home.

SM implements strict #SafeMallingAtSM protocols nationwide and offers an equally convenient online shopping option with the SM Malls Online app on the Google Play or App Store. For more information, visit http://www.smsupermalls.com and follow @smsupermalls on all social media accounts.

SM Aura Premier Lights Up A Christmas To Fall In Love With

 

In true fashion to the BGC-based upscale mall, saying that the holidays will be grand is something of an understatement. Going with an extravagant theme of reds and golds with shimmering bright lights, SM Aura Premier invites all to experience a Christmas that makes one feel like they’ve popped into their very own Christmas romance movie, like a wonderful scarlet dream.

What’s so wonderful about these movies is that, apart from being aesthetically beautiful, they evoke heartstring tugging feelings of hope, wonder, joy and love. These are the very same emotions that SM Aura Premier is bringing this holiday season.

As mallgoers visit SM Aura Premier to complete their Christmas lists, they’re greeted not just by the glimmering mall decorations. An abundance of seasonally festive offerings are also in line to experience, enjoy and love.

The Christmas tree centerpiece features giant red trees, Broadway-light adorned archways and larger-than-life romantic swans. Integrated into this is a safe designated dining area that’s decorated to match. The mall-based Christmas tree tradition is made more special as visitors are allowed to just admire but to also dine among and within a move set-like experience.

The opportunity to dine and get fancy is heightened with a by-reservation-only high tea service. Hosted by the mall’s newly opened store, T2, which is an Australian tea brand, will be open to accept reservations and to serve their selection of delectable teas in their exquisite teaware. The Royal High Tea with T2 will be available from Thursdays to Sundays of December 2021.

The Christmas tree set-up will also play host to a Santa Meet & Greet. The much awaited appearance of the iconic Christmas symbol of laughter and love is a yearly tradition and will return to SM Aura Premier on December 24th and 25th, 3pm onwards.

These immersive experiences aren’t just contained at the centerpiece vicinity. An equally spectacular experience awaits at SM Aura Premier’s Skypark at Level 5. At 7pm on all Sunday nights of December and December 25th itself, a jaw-dropping show will entrance and excite all who visit the Skypark’s red carabao sculpture. They can stop and enjoy the choreographed audio and visual performance, titled Nights of Dazzling Music & Lights.

All the holiday features and activities aren’t the only offerings to fall in love with. There are amazing deals and discounts from participating stores around the mall. This can even be enjoyed online through SM Supermalls’ new shopping app, SM Malls Online which SM Aura Premier is now a part of, just in time for the holidays. From November 1st until the end of December, app customers can enjoy a discount of 15% OFF when they use the special code: SMAURA.

For more information on SM Aura Premier’s holiday offerings, visit @SMAuraPremier on Facebook and Instagram

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