DULDULAO DOT NET This Day & Beyond

Month: December 2019

  • BDO is the Philippines’ Strongest Bank for 2nd straight year

    BDO is the Philippines’ Strongest Bank for 2nd straight year

    BDO Unibank, Inc. keeps its #1 position in the local banking industry after The Asian Banker named it 2019’s Strongest Bank by Balance Sheet in the Philippines for the second straight year.

    The Asian Banker Strongest Banks by Balance Sheet is “the most comprehensive annual evaluation that captures the quality and sustainability of the balance sheets of the banks in the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa regions.” Banks are rated on a scale of 0-5 and ranked based on the following performance indicators: scale, balance sheet growth, risk profile, profitability, asset quality, and liquidity.

    The Asian Banker underscored BDO’s healthy balance sheet and profit as well as its low non-performing loan (NPL) ratio and high loan loss reserves to gross NPLs ratio.

    BDO recently reported growth in third quarter earnings at P32.1 billion from the previous level of P21.5 billion in the same period last year. The bank attributes its net income to the expansion of its recurring core revenues, complemented by the sustained increase in fee incomes and life insurance premiums. It translates to a Return on Common Equity (ROCE) of 12.5%, compared to 9.5% in 9M18.

    While its nine-month net income brings it closer to its full-year earnings guidance of P38.5 billion, the bank remains steadfast in capitalizing on the country’s solid economic pace and growth opportunities in underserved and emerging markets, leveraging its focused growth strategy, strong business franchise, solid balance sheet, and extensive geographic reach.

    Strongest Bank in the Philippines. BDO is named by The Asian Banker as 2019’s Strongest Bank by Balance Sheet in the Philippines for the second straight year. BDO’s Walter Wassmer (2nd from left), senior executive vice president and head of institutional banking group, received the award from The Asian Banker’s (from left to right) Foo Boon Ping, managing director; Faith Masekesa, senior research; and Wilson Chia, international resource director on October 10 at the Shangri-La at the Fort.

    The Asian Banker evaluates strength “based on a belief that a strong bank demonstrates long-term profitability from its core businesses.” Through its yearly Strongest Banks by Balance Sheet, the Singapore-based publication provides financial intelligence by assessing banks and financial holding companies in emerging and mature markets with a substantial amount of activity in commercial banking.

    About BDO Unibank, Inc.

    BDO is a full-service universal bank which provides a wide range of corporate and retail banking services. These services include traditional loan and deposit products, as well as treasury, trust and investments, investment banking, private banking, rural banking, cash management, leasing and finance, remittance, insurance, retail cash cards, credit card services, and stock brokerage services.

    BDO has one of the largest distribution networks, with more than 1,300 operating branches and over 4,400 ATMs nationwide. It also has full-service branches in Hong Kong and Singapore as well as 21 overseas remittance and representative offices in Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

    BDO ranked as the largest bank in terms of total assets, loans, deposits, and trust funds under management based on published statements of condition as of June 30, 2019. For more information, please visit www.bdo.com.ph.

    BDO Unibank, Inc.
    BDO Corporate Center
    7899 Makati Avenue
    Makati City 0726, Philippines
    Tel +63(2) 8840-7000
    www.bdo.com.ph

    Reference:

    Chesca Ortega
    PR and Events Specialist
    Roar Agile Communicators Corp
    roar.ph chesca.roar@gmail.com

  • How to Enjoy Secure and Convenient Shopping This Holiday Season

    How to Enjoy Secure and Convenient Shopping This Holiday Season

    PayPal gives 5 practical tips for safe online shopping 

    Christmas is officially in the air. The parols are out, Jose Mari Chan is dominating the airwaves, and Filipinos are checking off items on their holiday shopping lists. The festive season also brings with it the stress of navigating heavy traffic and long lines at retail stores. That’s why many opt for online shopping instead. 

    Ecommerce continues to gain popularity in the Philippines,1 with convenience and security being the key drivers for this trend.2 And why not shop online? The bargains are there, the selection is vast, and payment is convenient. 

    With online shopping expected to increase in the weeks leading up to December, opportunistic cyber criminals will be looking to prey on vulnerable online shoppers. According to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, the Philippines was the fifth-most targeted country after Algeria, Nepal, Albania and Djibouti. This was attributed to the general carelessness and lack of online security awareness among Filipino Internet users, leading to a large number of drive-by download attacks.3 

    But being aware of these threats can ensure that your time spent after Boxing Dayis with loved ones and not customer service representatives. PayPal, one of the world’s leading commerce enablers, offers practical tips on staying safe while shopping online this season. 

    1. Only shop on secure websites.Start at a trusted site. Search results can sometimes lead you astray, and sales on other sites might look enticing, but make a few checks before giving up your info to any website.  

    Look out for the padlock icon on sites and ensure that they start with “https” before entering your account information and password. This means that the site is secure and any financial or personal details that you provide are encrypted. 

    To be extra careful, a quick check to see if this website has a social media presence can uncover reviews to see if there are concerns raised by other customers. 

    Also, beware of misspellings or sites using a different top-level domain (.net instead of .com, for example)—those are some of the oldest tricks in the book. 

    1. Use a strong password.A secure, unique password for each of your online accounts is never more important than when banking and shopping online. A strong password should be: more than 8 characters long; use upper case, lower case, a number, and a special character; not a word or date associated with you; a combination of words with unusual capitalization, numbers, or a special character; and most importantly, something you can remember. 

    But even a perfect password isn’t perfect. Another option is to use a password manager to create virtually uncrackable passwords for you. It’ll also keep track of them and enter them, so you don’t have to think about it. 

    1. Opt for 2-factor authentication.Having 2-factor authentication can prevent loss of confidential information & can prevent data from being hacked. This security measure has been used to control access to sensitive data and systems, and online services are increasingly introducing 2-factor authentication to prevent their users’ data from being hacked. It also prevents fraudulent transactions when someone tries to transact using your data. 
    1. Use Trusted Online Payment Systems.Link your credit card to your PayPal account to not just shop securely, but to also enjoy rewards such as cashbacks and rebates as well. Aside from being able to link multiple credit cards to your account, using PayPal to complete your online purchases keeps your financial details more secure while still enabling you to enjoy the rewards associated with each card (contact your card issuer for details). 

    PayPal’s Buyer Protection policy also covers eligible purchases, should anything go wrong with your purchase. 

    1. Beware of Phishing Emails.During key shopping periods like the Christmas season, you are likely to be swamped with festive e-mailers from your favorite online stores telling you about their fabulous promotions. While it may be tempting to click through, keep a lookout for tell-tale signs that it could be a phishing email. 

    PayPal’s world-class cyber defence centre provides coverage 24/7, 365 days a year. Through coordinated efforts, the company has successfully shut down 500,000 fraudulant websites annually. Lookout for potential red flags, such as poor grammar or spelling, and URLs and domains that don’t match the sender before clicking through the links. 

    About PayPal 

    PayPal has remained at the forefront of the digital payment revolution for more than 20 years. By leveraging technology to make financial services and commerce more convenient, affordable, and secure, the PayPal platform is empowering 300 million consumers and merchants in more than 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy. For more information, visit paypal.com. 

    Reference:

    Catherine Llanes

    Media Relations Manager

    T. +63 2-332-10-31 loc. 103

    M.+63 919 005 2173

    M2COMMS | M2SOCIAL | M2LIVE | PROI

  • RCBC, Multisys to bring an all-in-one virtual banking app

    RCBC, Multisys to bring an all-in-one virtual banking app

    Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) has partnered with software and IT solutions provider, Multisys Technologies Corporation, to power the country’s first financial inclusion accelerator virtual bank, DiskarTech. PLDT invested P2.15 billion in Multisys for a 45.73% interest last year.

    Through DiskarTech: Kasosyo sa Asenso, RCBC will soon bring banking services and products closer to unbanked Filipinos and grassroots communities. This is in line with the commercial bank’s efforts to further promote financial inclusion in the country.

    With Multisys, DiskarTech will become an all-in-one app where users can easily make payments to more than 20 government services and over 2,000 billers, transfer funds via InstaPay, and avail of social services. It will also enable banking consumers to take out loans, buy airtime load and gaming ePINS, as well as apply for insurance and cash in and cash out via respective agent partners.

    “We are confident that with our collaboration with Multisys, we would be able to bring inclusive digital banking services to more Filipinos and uplift their lives,” said Lito Villanueva, RCBC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer.

    RCBC EVP and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer Lito Villanueva (right) and Multisys President and CEO David Almirol, Jr., seal a partnership that will make the DiskarTech: Kasosyo sa Asenso into an all-in-one app to bring banking products and services closer to unbanked Filipinos. Looking on are PLDT Chairman and CEO Manny Pangilinan, RCBC Chairperson Helen Yuchengco-Dee and RCBC President and CEO Eugene Acevedo.

    “This is a strategic engagement as it covers the most extensive features and services that RCBC developed and championed, truly the first and the best in the industry,” said David Almirol, Jr. Multisys President and CEO.

    RCBC has been building a robust digital ecosystem with over 30 partnerships and collaboration across government agencies and private organizations to push DiskarTech in local communities.

    Reference:

    Abbey Malvar

    Public Relations Department

    Strategic works, Inc.

    +639. 17.708.8346

    abbey.malvar@stratworks.ph

    2nd Floor Zaragoza Building, 102 Gamboa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City PH

  • Jolly Kids go on a magical holiday adventure with Jollitown Christmas Parade

    Jolly Kids go on a magical holiday adventure with Jollitown Christmas Parade

    This December, the festive season is about to get merrier as kids build their own holiday-themed parade in the latest set of Jolly Kiddie Meal toys—the Jollitown Christmas Parade!

    With the newest set of connectible toys from the country’s number one fast-food chain, jolly kids can truly experience the joy of Christmas as they go on a magical parade with Jollibee and Friends.

    With Jollibee wearing a Santa hat and leading the way, kids can push his cab to see him sway forward and backward as the base lights up. They can also go ‘round with Hetty as they push the base of her cab forward to watch her spin on top of a Christmas ball.

    Jolly kids can push Popo’s cab to watch him bob up and down as he delivers Christmas gifts. They can also watch Twirlie sing merrily and twirling on stage by pushing her base forward to see her spin. Finally, no holiday is complete without a dazzling Christmas tree! Kids can place Yum at the base and push the stage to see him spin in front of the jolly Christmas tree.

    Collect all six Jolly Kiddie Meal toys with every purchase of a Yumburger (P80), Yumburger Meal with Drink (P100), Jolly Spaghetti (P95), Jolly Spaghetti Meal with Drink (P105), 1-piece Burger Steak (P95), 1-piece Burger Steak Meal with Drink (P105), 1-piece Chickenjoy with rice (P122), or 1-piece Chickenjoy Meal with Drink (P137), each coming with its own Jolly Joy Box.

    Let your jolly kids celebrate the Christmas spirit with Jollibee and Friends this season! Help them build their Jollitown Christmas Parade with the newest set of Jolly Kiddie Meal toys available until December 31, 2019 only. Hurry and start collecting all six toys today by visiting the Jollibee branch nearest you!

    Reference:

    John Paulo Ondra Caparros

    Public Relations Department

    Strategic works, Inc.

    +63.893.7472 | +639. 17.158.7918

    john.caparros@stratworks.ph

    2nd Floor Zaragoza Building, 102 Gamboa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City PH

  • Make Cooking Fun With Modern Technology

    Make Cooking Fun With Modern Technology

    Whether you’re a busy career-focused millennial or a parent juggling work and family, it can be tough to find time to cook. Luckily, modern technology offers many useful tools that make preparing a gourmet meal at home easier and more efficient than ever. Your phone is your gateway to becoming a skilled amateur chef, as you can use it for everything from looking up recipes to keeping track of the time when you have a dish in the oven or a pot on the stove. Follow the tips below and discover ways you can use technology to make meal prep more fun and convenient.

    Find inspiration for recipes online

    One of the most fun parts of cooking for yourself is the diversity of dishes you can prepare. You’re no longer limited to the prepared meals you find at the supermarket. You can experiment with cuisines from around the world, creating an Indian curry one week and an Irish beef stew the next. Use your phone or tablet to search recipes online. There are many resources available. Food Network apps offers thousands of options to choose from, for example, while the award-winning Green Kitchen app is geared specifically toward vegetarian meals. When you pull up recipes on your hand-held device, you can easily consult them as you cook.

    Get ideas from local restaurants

    You can also find inspiration right outside your front door. If you have a local restaurant you love to frequent, scan their menu for ideas. Some of the food and drink recipes may have a unique local flavor that you want to emulate. You can even source your ingredients locally by finding a farmers market in your area. Simply drop an email to the restaurant to ask if they would be willing to share their recipe. If it’s top secret, you can turn the task of trying to replicate it into a game.

    Create a digital shopping list for advanced planning

    There’s nothing fun about getting halfway through a recipe only to discover that you’re missing an essential ingredient. Trust technology to help you plan in advance. The MealBoard app lets you combine recipe management, grocery and pantry management, and meal planning in a single place. Download it to your phone, and you will be able to refer to it when you’re out at the grocery store. You can even add your own recipes to the app.

    Turn to technology to make your cooking healthier

    Substitutions are a great way to make your cooking healthier. The American Heart Association recommends certain swaps to decrease the amount of sugar, sodium, and fat in your favorite dishes. For example, instead of whole milk, you can use low-fat milk, while instead of butter, you can use soft margarine or liquid vegetable oil. To simplify the process of substituting ingredients, use the Substitutions app. It provides a comprehensive list of what you can substitute for commonly used ingredients.

    Beware of going over your data usage

    When you start relying on technology to make cooking more fun, you will likely be using your phone more frequently. But surfing for new recipes that excite you can quickly eat up your data usage, especially if you’re away from home. This will result in added charges if you aren’t careful. Make sure you don’t exceed your limit by reviewing wireless phone plans and finding the right one for your needs. For example, if Verizon is your provider, the “Play More Unlimited” plan is ideal for streaming music and videos, while the “Do More Unlimited” plan is best for productivity.


    Photo Credit: Unsplash.com

    When you take advantage of the above tech tips, cooking will quickly become enjoyable. You will also reap the health benefits that come with preparing your own meals, such as being able to proactively manage your own portions. With your trusty mobile device, you will make cooking more fun—and more nutritious.

    Reference:

    Eric Kelly of My Dadventures eric@mydadventures.com

  • Catch the Shopee 12.12 Grand Christmas Show with Jose Mari Chan and win over ₱1 Million Worth of Giveaways on Shopee Live

    Catch the Shopee 12.12 Grand Christmas Show with Jose Mari Chan and win over ₱1 Million Worth of Giveaways on Shopee Live

    Users can look forward to all-day sitewide free shipping with ₱0 minimum spend for the Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale on Dec 12 .

    Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, invites everyone to catch its 12.12 Grand Christmas Show starring Jose Mari Chan on December 12. Viewers can tune in to the 15-hour stream on Shopee Live starting at 9AM for a chance to win over ₱1 million worth of giveaways including an iPhone 11, JBL Bar 2.1, Xiaomi Electric Scooter, and more.

    Ruoshan Tao, Head of Marketing, Shopee Philippines, said, “As Christmas draws closer, we are excited to enhance the Shopee Live experience to engage and entertain our Flipino users. Shoppers can look forward to another fun and interactive show where they can win Shopee coins, vouchers, and product giveaways. We invite everyone to make the most of our deals and promotions as we close 2019 with our final sale of the year.”

    Consumers can look forward to special appearance by Shopee brand ambassador, Jose Mari Chan at the 12.12 Grand Christmas Show. Viewers will be treated to a live performance by Jose Mari Chan in real-time as he performs his iconic Christmas songs. He will also be unboxing a special Shopee Balikbayan Box with over ₱100,000 worth of products. One lucky viewer will stand a chance to win the entire box of giveaways.

    Key highlights of Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale on December 12

    On December 12, Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale promises a full day of exciting promotions. Key highlights include:

    All-day sitewide free shipping with ₱0 minimum spend

    50% off deals: Score amazing deals across categories where consumers can get an iPhone 11, Nintendo Switch, and Avision 50” TV at 50% off.

    Hourly Flash Deals: Users can look forward to an upsized session of flash deals to score their favorite products for as low as ₱9.

    Shopee Shake: There will be 8 sessions of Shopee Shake with exciting prizes including an iPhone 11, McDonald’s Shake Shake Fries, and Shopee coins from a pool of 2 million.

    Shopee Catch: Shopee Catch players can win from a pool of over ₱1 million worth of coins and vouchers.

    ₱1 Game: Users can look forward to amazing prizes in Shopee’s ₱1 Game including an iPhone 11 Pro Max, Xiaomi Mi 9T, and Samsung Galaxy A70.

    Up to 90% off from leading brands and more: Pampers, Pantene, Safeguard, Olay, Enfagrow, Unilever, Maybelline, Nestle, INSPI, and more will be giving exclusive discounts up to 90% off. Electronic brands including Vivo, Tigernu, Globe, and Huawei, as well as lifestyle brands like SM Store and Bosch will also be offering special discounts to Shopee users.

    Find out more about Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale at https://www.shopee.ph/12-12.

    Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

    Catherine Llanes

    Media Relations Manager

    M2_EmailSig2

    T. +63 2-332-10-31 loc. 103

    M.+63 919 005 2173

    M2COMMS | M2SOCIAL | M2LIVE | PROI

  • Define your style with the trendy Vivo S1 Pro

    Define your style with the trendy Vivo S1 Pro

    Gone are the days when styles were black and white—when choosing a style equated to a long-term commitment to live and breathe that chosen lifestyle. Today, finding one’s style is a constant flux. Monday could be business-fashionday, Tuesday can be chill-joggers-shirt day, while Wednesday could be a throwback-90s-style day. However you decide to go about with your style, you need a phone that can match any get-up in your state of “style exploration”.

    With its sleek and unique design, the Vivo S1 Pro is the perfect phone for you to define your style. Its bold and lavish Knight Black and Fancy White colorways matches any “OOTD” you wear wherever you choose to wear it.

    As smooth as your “getup”, ease-of-access has never been easier with the S1 Pro’s 8GB RAM and in-display fingerprint scanner. The phone, conceived by leading global technology company Vivo, also showcases a 6.38-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display perfect for viewing photos or watching your favorite flick.

    Finally, to help capture memories and aid you in cementing your style, the S1 Pro boasts of state-of-the-art front and back cameras. Its unparalleled front-cam enclosed in a water-drop style notch captures ultra-clear photos with its 32 mega-pixel camera. On the other side, the very stylish and one-of-a-kind diamond-shaped rear camera of the Vivo S1 Pro consists of a 48MP main, 8MP secondary, 2MPwide-angle, and 2MP macro camera—a camera quartet unmatched in the mobile phone market.

    Retailing for P15,999, the smartphone can be pre-ordered online and in-store from November 21 to 29. It will be available at all authorized Vivo outlets nationwide starting November 30.

    About Vivo

    Vivo is a leading global technology company that is committed to creating trendsetting smart mobile innovations and services. Devoted to forming a vibrant mobile internet ecosystem, Vivo currently owns and operates an extensive network of research operations, with R&D centers focusing on the development of cutting-edge consumer technologies, including 5G, AI, mobile photography, and next-generation smartphone design.

    Currently, Vivo has over two hundred million users enjoying its mobile products and services around the world. It is present in 18 markets globally and features offline retail stores in over 1,000 cities worldwide. In the Philippines, Vivo is among the top 3 smartphone brands in terms of market share with 1.5 million users nationwide.

    For inquiries, visit vivoglobal.ph or check www.facebook.com/vivoPhilippines, www.instagram.com/vivo_philippines/, and https://twitter.com/vivo_phil.

    Abbey Malvar

    Public Relations Department

    Strategic works, Inc.

    +639. 17.708.8346

    abbey.malvar@stratworks.ph

    2nd Floor Zaragoza Building, 102 Gamboa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City PH

  • Vivo launches fashionable S1 Pro that suits every style

    Vivo launches fashionable S1 Pro that suits every style

    “Preppy”, “Hipster”, “Gamer”, “Laid Back”—today’s generation have continuously been embracing a plethora of styles. People from all ages and different walks of life can frequently be seen breaking barriers and deviating tradition to express themselves in their own unique ways.

    Catering to this inception of numerous styles fashioned by different people under the same atmosphere, Vivo, the leading global technology company, recently launched the stylish S1 Pro at the Conrad Hotel, Manila.

    The event, graced by Vivo Philippines executives, product distributors, and media partners, featured a lavish and colourful venue with two interactive zones that called for guests to explore their style.

    “The Styling Suite”, a fancy-looking open-air dressing room with several hair and make-up artists, allowed guests to get the best look and end up with a stunning makeover. To complete the look, there was also a “Styling booth” where guests tried out different outfits from Forever 21.

    Of course, the main highlight of the night was the unveiling of the newest line in the Vivo S series. Through product talks and TVC premieres, guests learned that the Vivo S1 Pro was truly a phone fit for any and every style the user chooses to explore.

    Its unparalleled 32MP front camera is perfect for selfie-lovers. For those more comfortable with shots taken with the rear camera, the Vivo S1 Pro sports a magnificent diamond-shaped rear quad camera set-up consisting of a 48MP main, 8MP secondary, 2MPwide-angle, and 2MP macro camera that perfectly capture “OOTD” shots.

    For gamers, the S1 Pro also boasts of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor and 8GBRAM/128ROM—a medley of specs synonymous to average game-ready laptops. The phone also has a gaming mode where users will be stripped off of notifications which may hinder the full-on phone-gaming experience. Meanwhile, for minimalists who simply use the phone for communicating, watching, and browsing, the S1 Pro’s 6.38-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display, along with the same RAM/ROM specs, brings smooth and seamless use for a hassle-free experience.

    Part of the launch was a fashion show which proved that the phone’s sleek, but unique design, whether in Knight Black and Fancy Sky colorways, is perfect for every style and every occasion. Models in different collections from Forever 21 paraded a beautiful runway, each flaunting the newest Vivo S1 Pro—cementing the fact, that the S1 Pro is the ultimate phone which encourages users to “explore your style”. Retailing for P15,999, the smartphone can be pre-ordered online and in-store from November 21 to 29. It will be available at all authorized Vivo outlets nationwide starting November 30.

    Erika Garcia / 0956 523 1018 / Strategic works, Inc.