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Coca-Cola teams up with Grab to boost growth, digitalization in Southeast Asia 

BEVERAGE manufacturer Coca-Cola Co. has partnered with superapp Grab to drive growth and digitalization in Southeast Asia.

In a statement on Thursday, Coca-Cola said that its regional partnership with Grab will allow for collaboration on impact initiatives to boost digital skilling for merchants and promote convenience and various beverage choices for consumers.

The partnership will improve Coca-Cola’s extensive offline retail presence and Grab’s online network. It will cover six Southeast Asian countries: Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and Vietnam.

“At Coca-Cola, we are transforming our business model for the digital age. This new multi-market partnership extends our online reach and enables us to stay ahead of changing shopper trends as we drive customer value and growth through digital enablement,” Coca-Cola ASEAN and South Pacific Head of Offline to Online Sam Way said.

Under the partnership, Coca-Cola will help retailers within its distribution network to set up digital storefronts on GrabFood and GrabMart to expand their consumer base.

“Grab also plans to support interested merchants on its platform to become distributors of Coca-Cola, expanding their product offerings and increasing their sales opportunities. Both companies will also offer digital literacy and e-commerce training to enable merchants to upskill and further optimize their business for growth,” Coca-Cola said.

Further, the partnership will utilize Grab’s superapp advertising capabilities to offer new ways for Coca-Cola to connect with customers.

Coca-Cola will also use Grab’s platform solutions such as GrabExpress to address supply chain inefficiencies and GrabPay cashless payment.

“Coca-Cola will also tap into Grab’s merchant-partner network and scale to drive trials of zero-sugar beverages to make it easier for consumers in the region to choose the beverages that fit their needs,” the company said.

“This partnership also reflects our shared commitment to support merchants to further grow their business through digitalization and financial services. By enabling them to capture new and unmet consumer demand, we enable them to provide better services to our users. This in turn strengthens brand love for Grab and Coca-Cola,” Grab Regional Head of Merchant Saad Ahmed said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Meet the woman shaping post-pandemic cybersex

THE FOUNDER of Raspberry Dream Labs, Angelina Aleksandrovich, poses for a photograph with a VR headset she gives volunteers for her cybersex experience using XR, a combination of virtual and augmented reality, haptic stimulators, sounds and scent, amid the coronavirus disease 2109 (COVID-19) pandemic in London, Britain, February 24, 2021. — REUTERS/STUART MCDILL

LONDON — Interest in cybersex is soaring as the pandemic has left people subject to lockdowns and travel bans and unable to seek intimacy in the usual ways, according to experience designer Angelina Aleksandrovich.

At the same time, the pandemic has also pushed people’s willingness to use a tech solution to an all-time high.

Ms. Aleksandrovich runs a collective called Raspberry Dream Labs which creates multi-sensory cybersex experiences which allow people to enjoy intimate moments together even when they are not in same place.

“Because of COVID a lot of people understood how we can use technology and virtual reality in exciting and expanded ways,” Ms. Aleksandrovich told Reuters.

Whereas VR used to be dismissed as something just for gamers it has gone mainstream and is being used in intimacy and dating, she added.

In an industrial unit in North London two volunteers demonstrate her prototype experience combining virtual reality (VR), augmented reality and even smell, delivered through a collar worn around the neck, a head set, and hand-held sensors.

The volunteers see each other as outline human forms through their headsets and can caress each other without ever actually touching.

The experience involves haptic stimulators positioned over erogenous zones, something that could eventually be incorporated into soft robotic “underwearables,” said Ms. Aleksandrovich.

She argues that as we are happy to allow technology into many aspects of daily life, such as health or finance, we should include the bedroom.

A report in 2019 by US market research firm Arizton said the global market for sexual wellness products is expected to reach around $39 billion by 2024.

Asked what she made of her cyber sex experience, volunteer Victoria Gillett said, “I love it — it is definitely an experience.”

“There is so much going on and it takes a while to take it all in. When it finished I kind of wasn’t ready,” said fellow volunteer Aaron Vandeyar. — Reuters

BSP, PhilSA, DoST install satellite internet services for two rural banks

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and other agencies have test deployed satellite internet services for two rural banks to help boost their operations and give their clients better access to financial services in remote areas.

The central bank, the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), and the Department of Science and Technology-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DoST-ASTI) started the test deployment of satellite internet service provider iOne Resources, Inc. at the Progressive Bank of Malvar and Rural Bank of Cuenca.

In a statement on Thursday, the central bank said the test deployment intends to assess the performance and reliability of satellite internet services under local weather conditions.

The BSP through Circular 1128 last year told banks to do a yearly assessment of the impact of environmental and social risks on their operations. This would include an assessment of a bank’s capability to withstand disruptions, resume operations and continue to provide services.

As the country is struck by around 20 tropical cyclones annually, the Department of Finance earlier said the country loses an average of P48.9 billion due to climate events.

“We believe in the capability of satellite technology to enhance connectivity in rural areas, thereby expanding the capacity of banks to provide digital financial services and promote greater financial inclusion in unserved and underserved areas,” BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla said.

According to the central bank, about 33% or 533 of 1,634 municipalities still do not have bank branches operating within their areas.

Based on the BSP’s 2019 Financial Inclusion Survey, internet penetration in the country is also uneven across Luzon (60%), Visayas (40%), and Mindanao (30%).

The BSP earlier expressed its support for Executive Order (EO) 127 signed last year by President Rodrigo R. Duterte which gave telco players and other businesses wider access to all satellite systems to boost internet access and connectivity, especially in rural communities.

EO 127 was supported by the Financial Inclusion Steering Committee, which is headed by the BSP, the National Economic and Development Authority, the National Telecommunications Commission, and the government’s task force for pandemic response.

“The BSP is optimistic that with EO No. 127 and other market-enhancing policy reforms being introduced, satellite broadband services will become more accessible and affordable, which will further boost digital financial inclusion in the country,” the central bank earlier said.

Digital payments made up 30.3% of all transactions in 2021, based on the latest central bank data.

By 2023, the BSP hopes that 70% of adult Filipinos will have an account with a financial institution.

It also targets a cash-lite economy in 2023 where digital payments make up 50% of total transactions both in terms of volume and value. — Keisha B. Ta-asan

Haus Talk income triples to P15M on property sales

HAUS TALK, Inc. reported that its attributable net income nearly tripled to P15.25 million in the second quarter from P5.37 million last year driven by a surge in its real estate sales.

Its topline for the April-June period jumped by more than seven times to P193.63 million from P26.42 million a year ago.

Real estate sales became its revenue driver after the company acquired properties in Biñan and Bacoor, and developed its Celestis 1 and 2, and Mariveles projects, which pushed inventories by 14.3% to P411.21 million.

Real estate sales accounted for P189.52 million of revenues, higher by eight times than the previous year’s P23.41 million.

However, costs jumped to P107 million, more than 16 times higher than P6.64 million last year. Operating expenses also quadrupled to P34.21 million from P8.46 million year on year.

Year to date, the company’s attributable net income rose to P16.56 million, more than twice the P6.99 million recorded a year ago.

In the first half, its topline rose to P385.72 million, more than four times of last year’s P88.77 million.

Haus Talk’s primary purpose is to acquire land, engage in land and housing development and participate in the government’s mass housing program.

It completed its initial public offering on Jan. 17. Its subsidiaries include Tradition Homes, Inc. and Lifestyle Development Corp.

On Thursday, shares in Haus Talk declined by 2.06% or P0.02 to 95 centavos apiece. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

DMW to rate recruiting agencies by compliance

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said on Thursday it plans to rate employers and recruiting agencies based on their track record of compliance with labor standards and treatment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

In a statement, Migrant Workers Secretary Susan V. Ople said the scheme involves a “white list” of compliant recruiters and employers.

The DMW will also maintain a blacklist of foreign employers and recruiting agencies found to have committed violations, including exploitation and abuse of OFWs.

Ms. Ople said the DMW hopes to tailor employment contracts to each destination country’s labor laws and migration policy.

She also warned against fraudulent recruitment offers that could cause workers to be trafficked.

“We also appeal to our countrymen to be more discerning about such bogus offers, and to report illegal recruiters and human traffickers to the DMW,” said Ms. Ople.

On Monday, the DMW ordered the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency to suspend a department order that required rehired and directly hired OFWs to pay compulsory insurance premiums.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) had issued Department Order No. 228 requiring employers and migrant workers to pay for insurance coverage, subject to a full refund on the day of arrival at the destination.

DoLE said the measure was meant to serve as a “protective insurance mechanism against OFWs contracting the coronavirus.”

Ms. Ople cited the improving global health situation and the high vaccination rates among OFWs as a reason to suspend compulsory insurance coverage. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

What to see This Week (08/19/22)

A SCENE from the film Nope

Nope 

TWO siblings who run a California horse ranch discover something wonderful and sinister in the sky, and the owner of an adjacent theme park tries to profit from the mysterious, otherworldly phenomenon. Directed by Jordan Peele, the film stars Keke Palmer, Daniel Kaluuya, and Steven Yeun. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman writes, “Jordan Peele’s Nope is a tantalizingly creepy mixed bag of a sci-fi thriller. It’s a movie that taps into our fear and awe of UFOs, and for a while it holds us in a shivery spell. It picks the audience up and carries it along, feeding off spectral hints of the otherworldly.” Film review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer gives it a score of 82% and an audience score of 68%. 

MTRCB Rating: R-13

Fall

FOR best friends Becky and Hunter, life is all about conquering their fears and pushing their limits. But after they climb 2,000 feet to the top of a remote, abandoned radio tower, they find themselves stranded with no way down. Now Becky and Hunter’s expert climbing skills will be put to the test as they desperately fight to survive the elements, and deal with a lack of supplies and vertigo-inducing heights. Directed by Scott Mann, the film stars Grace Caroline Currey, Virginia Gardner, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Mason Gooding, Julia Pace Mitchell, and Jasper Cole Director. Rolling Stone’s K. Austin Collins writes, “Fall is a straightforward survival thriller with just enough personality to glue you to your seat. The situation is ridiculous. Friend wants to help friend grab life by the horns and figures only a free-climb up the innards of an abandoned tower, planted dead-center in the middle of a desert, with little in the way of fellow humans, or chances of aid, or phone reception, will get the job done. Hilarity necessarily ensues. Fall knows what we want to see. It gives us the quaking bolts as weight gets applied to the tower’s ladders for the first time since probably the Kennedy era, heightened bouts of wind, and aerial shots that make survival seem impossible.” Film review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer gives it a score of 73% and an audience score of 77%.

MTRCB Rating: PG

Mastercard and Atome launch new credit card

ON THURSDAY, partners Mastercard, Inc. and Atome Philippines announced the launch of the Atome Card in the Philippines, with applications accessible via mobile with no minimum income needed.

“The Atome card provides cardholders with an Atome line of credit that can be used to pay online and in-store retailers by simply presenting their Atome Card during checkout,” the partners said in a press release said.

It noted that the credit card contains a credit line of P200,000 payable in 45 days. It will not charge annual fees, sign-up fees, or other hidden charges.

Using a virtual or physical Atome card, holders can shop in-store or online wherever a Mastercard is accepted.

“Mastercard is delighted to partner with Atome on this innovative product that will contribute to building a cash-lite society and drive financial inclusivity by serving more than 70% of Filipinos who are unbanked or underbanked, and do not qualify for credit cards,” Simon Javier Calasanz, country manager of Mastercard Philippines, was quoted as saying in the press release.

“For merchants, this also means increased sales and better conversion rates, extending the benefits of digital commerce to more consumers and businesses in the Philippines,” he added.

An application, available on the App Store and on Google Play, also makes it possible for holders to track consumption and payment schedule.

“The launch of the Atome Card marks an exciting new chapter for Atome, as it’s the first financial service we offer apart from Buy Now, Pay Later. With no annual fees and minimum income requirements, the Atome Card will give many underserved segments in the Philippines access to a flexible credit facility, the first such innovative solution across the region with more markets to come in the next few months,” said Atome Payment Partnerships Director Magic Tang.

Atome launched in the Philippines in October last year, with over 600 online and offline retail partners, which include SM Store, Zalora, Suyen Corp., Primer Group, Agoda, Converse, Giordano, Rustan’s, Timex, National Book Store, Time Depot, Anker, Garmin, Uratex, Fitness First, Skechers, Toby’s, Bayo, Pretty Looks, and Boozy.

In the region, it is also affiliated with over 15,000 online and offline retailers in nine other markets, namely: Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, China, and Japan. — Diego Gabriel C. Robles

EasyCall returns to profit as revenues soar

LISTED telecommunications company EasyCall Communications, Inc. returned to a net attributable profit in the second quarter of the year after losing P1.64 million in the same period last year.

The company reported an attributable net income of P1.9 million for the second quarter of 2022.

Revenues for the period soared 425.2% to P107.03 million from P20.38 million previously.

Expenses increased 566.2%to P86.6 million from P13 million in the same period a year earlier.

For the first half, the company’s attributable net income surged 498.4% to P11.37 million from P1.90 million previously.

Revenues for the first six months reached P239.08 million, up 457.3% from P42.90 million in the same period in 2022.

According to the company, its positive financial results are primarily due to its ongoing initiatives in managed connectivity, technology and data services, as well as the acquisition of Transnational E-Business Solutions Inc. (TESI) earlier this year.

“With TESI as part of EasyCall Group, we have been able to ramp up our digital transformation efforts, and we are really looking forward to continuing this journey of exploring new opportunities and elevating our service offerings in connectivity and technology solutions,” EasyCall President Zaki Khaled Antoni Delgado said in a statement. — Arjay L. Balinbin

How income inequality compared across regions in 2021

AROUND 2.3 million Filipinos have been plunged into poverty between 2018 and 2021, as the coronavirus pandemic left lasting scars on the Philippine economy, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Read the full story.

Home income inequality compared across regions in 2021

China Bank makes employees eligible for LinkedIn upskilling

BW FILE PHOTO

CHINA Banking Corp. (China Bank) said it has purchased licenses to use LinkedIn Learning for all its 9,800 employees, to help with their upskilling and reskilling via the professional networking platform.

Starting Aug. 16, all China Bank employees will have access to LinkedIn Learning, an online educational platform with more than 18,000 courses covering hard and soft skills.

“As we pursue our digital transformation, investing in new technologies to make China Bank an agile, modern organization, we are not forgetting that people are the catalysts of this transformation,” China Bank Chief Finance Officer Patrick D. Cheng said in a statement on Wednesday. 

“The business landscape is changing faster than ever; thus, it’s crucial that we continuously upskill China Bankers to stay competitive and relevant in this digital age,” Mr. Cheng said.

LinkedIn Learning makes those who complete its coursework eligible for certification and professional credit.

China Bank calls its program Learning EDGE (Empowered talents Driving Growth and Excellence), with the main benefit seen as the efficient upgrading of skills at scale.

“Ease of use and mobile capabilities are essential in training. Learning EDGE, available anytime on any device, will help us keep our people stay sharp with the skills needed for their roles now and in the future,” China Bank Human Resources Group Head Maria Rosanna Catherina L. Testa said. 

The bank conducted a trial run of the platform in July with over 500 employees.

“As the world recovers from the fallout of the pandemic and looks towards a skills-first economy, companies like China Bank are future-proofing their businesses and helping employees to be successful through continuous learning,” LinkedIn’s Head of Asia, Talent & Learning Solutions Frank Koo said.

“LinkedIn’s unique position as the world’s largest professional network allows us to quickly spot market trends and create relevant content for learners. By investing in its people, China Bank can effectively and efficiently plug any vital skill gaps, retain and attract top talent, and be at the forefront of navigating change in these fast-evolving times,” Mr. Koo added. — Keisha B. Ta-asan

Stuff to do (08/19/22)

MaArte Fair returns to The Pen

Manila welcomes back MaArte Fair, the fundraising bazaar that benefits the Museum Foundation of the Philippines, on Aug. 19 to 21. The foundation’s mission is to raise funds and awareness for the National Museum of the Philippines and its network. The overarching theme of MaArte at The Pen 2022 is to celebrate the Filipino creative soul. MaArte will recognize not just traditional Filipino craft and design but also bring to the fore contemporary Philippine design in the fields of fashion, furniture, and accessories. The fair’s highlights include apparel and accessories, contemporary furniture and home décor, and heirloom, jewelry, and traditional textiles. Part of MaArte is “SLIM at The Lobby: A Special Exhibition,” curated by Mark Lewis Higgins, which will be on view until Aug. 27. The exhibit features a vignette of ensembles by National Artist for Fashion Design Salvacion Lim Higgins (Slim), with dresses dating from 1952 to the early 1980s. Also, part of the fair are a number of talks which will be held at the hotel’s Salon de Ning. On Aug. 19 (2 p.m.) Sheryl Ebon-Martinez give talk titled “A Teapot’s Journey: A Brief History,” about her fascination with tea and how this led her to become a potter at the age of 40. On Aug. 20 (2 p.m.), Nazareno/Lichauco’s Rita Nazareno (Zacarias 1925) and Gabby Lichauco (Open Studio) will share their insights, experiences, and practices regarding today’s Philippine contemporary craft and design landscape in a talk titled “Philippine Design and Craft by Nazareno/Lichauco.” On Aug. 21 (2 p.m.), Mark Lewis Higgins will facilitate a talk titled “Paris and Manila: A Tale of Two Cities: The Golden Age of Haute Couture on the Opposite Sides.” Admission to the talks is free.

Pawchella: A Benefit Concert in honor of Animal Welfare

PAWSSION Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming of rescued animals, is holding a benefit concert on Aug. 20 at Bonifacio Global City to raise funds for and awareness of stray animals in the country. The concert will be held at 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig from 2-9 p.m. on Aug. 20. Sud, Orange and Lemons, and Bini among others, have agreed to perform for free in support of the cause. While the concert is free, patrons can register here at https://www.jotform.com/221738904606459 and pledge a month’s worth of food, shelter, and medicines for P1,500 and get access to the VIP area during Pawchella and a bottled coffee flask from Stay Up Espresso Bar. Founded in October 2018, Pawssion Project has since sheltered, rescued, spayed & neutered, and rehomed over 5,000 animals. The organization is now appealing for funding through various activities in celebration of International Homeless Animals Day (IHAD). Pawssion Project’s IHAD campaign and festivities began with a kick-off event on Aug. 14 in the BHS Central Amphitheater featuring, sunset yoga, acoustic sets, and demos of low-cost services, accompanied by a special IHAD Adoption Drive in Market! Market!. An Art Exhibit featuring the harsh realities of stray animals was set up in Bonifacio High Street on Aug. 15 and will run until Aug. 20. For more information on Pawchella and Pawssion Project, follow Pawssion Project on Facebook and Instagram.

Newport World Resorts hosts Star Wars exhibit

NEWPORT MALL’S latest exhibition “Far, Far Away” features a unique toy and art collection by Imagine Nation Studios (INS). Characters from the Star Wars films are reimagined as toys, decked out in street culture outfits. Among the figures are Trooper Boy, Vader Boy, Fett Boy, C-3PBoy, and Spray2-D2. The large figures are made of fiberglass, while their smaller counterparts are resin. Adding to the intergalactic experience are contemporary paintings inspired by the film franchise such as Trooper Money, Vader Money, and Dog Day After. The “Far, Far Away” exhibition is open until Sept. 4, at the GF Newport Mall. Selected pieces are available for purchase through the INS contact person at 0905-410-9411 or e-mail ins.designteam@gmail.com. 

Spending a day at Tiendesitas Pet Village

SINCE IT opened in 2005, the Tiendesitas Pet Village has earned a reputation as a pet paradise with its clusters of stores that cater to pet needs. It suggests one’s pet get a health check at Animal Care Specialists; then go pet shopping at Pet Co., which offers pet furniture, wet and dry food, starter kits for new puppies and kittens, pet accessories, diapers and clothing, health supplies, and grooming products. The Tiendesitas Pet Village also has an open space for pets called the Paw Park, where it hosts regular play dates like Pet Meetup events with dog trainer Lestre Zapanta. Pets can be groomed by professionals at the DivineLife where staff will trim their excess floof, cut their nails, detangle matted fur, clean their ears and sacs, and brush their teeth. There is also Petville by Purple Groom  where pets can have a nap while you shop. Petville will look after pets on an hourly basis, daily, or weekly.  Pets get perks when they become a member of the Ortigas Malls Elite Pet Society. Applicable in all Ortigas Malls — Tiendesitas, Greenhills and Estancia Mall — the membership gives pets their unique pet ID, exclusive freebies, pet shopping discounts, and a cake on their birthday when a stamp card is completed. Download the Ortigas Malls mobile app available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store to register.

Mondelez partners with Megaworld for waste collection drive

FOOD manufacturer Mondelez International has partnered with Megaworld Corp. for a waste collection initiative involving the latter’s malls.

The new partnership launched on Aug. 17 will involve a year-long waste collection drive in five Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, particularly Eastwood Mall, Lucky Chinatown Mall, McKinley Hall, Uptown Bonifacio, and Arcovia City. The collection drive began on Aug. 15 in Eastwood Mall.

“Our goal is to make snacks with better packaging, to make it easier to recycle; to use less packaging by optimizing our pack sizes; and supporting improved systems through the collection of as much plastic as we put into the environment,” Mondelez International Country Manager for Corporate and Government Affairs Joseph R. Fabul said in a statement on Thursday.

Further, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls Head Graham Coates said that the company is continuously looking for ways to incorporate environmental consciousness in its township and lifestyle properties.

“Sustainability is in one of our core thrusts as a company, we are always open to collaborating with organizations which promote the same values,” Mr. Coates said.

The new partnership is a continuation of the initiative started by Mondelez and social enterprise Plastic Flamingo (PLAF) in 2020.

Mondelez and PLAF have collected 43,000 kilograms of post-consumer plastic that were repurposed into upcycled products from 2020 to 2021.

“We have worked with the PLAF since 2020 to collect post-consumer plastic for reuse and recycling. Since then, the plastic we have collected has been turned into outdoor furniture which were donated to the City of Parañaque and into eco-boards which are sold by the PLAF to fund further collection activities,” Mr. Fabul said.

For 2022, the partnership is eyeing to collect and recycle another 20,000 kilograms and turn them into usable eco-boards.

“Our work at PLAF consists of collecting, segregating, transforming and designing plastic for reuse. We make practical construction materials out of plastic, like eco-lumber and eco-boards. This ensures that we are able to recycle plastic and at the same time help reduce the use of precious resources like wood or minerals to make furniture or even shelters,” PLAF Chief Operating Officer Erica A. Reyes said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave 

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