The International Council for Small Business Philippines is caling all MSMEs to be part of the 3-Day Sulong Negosyante Fiesta at Resorts World Manila from June 27-29, 2022.

The International Council for Small Business Philippines is caling all MSMEs to be part of the 3-Day Sulong Negosyante Fiesta at Resorts World Manila from June 27-29, 2022.

The event will gather MSMEs, service providers, suppliers, and digital enablers. What's more, there's will be a FREE mentoring sessions from successful entrepreneurs. It will be a venue not just for learning but networking as well. This is also the perfect time to rekindle relationships with business partners in a face-to-face event. There will be coaches, mentors who will also grace the event and every one is welcome to mingle and ask questions. 

ICSB PH is also marking another milestone as it play host to UN International MSMEs Day 2022 on June 27, 2022, from 8:00AM-12NN at the Sheraton Ballroom. This is the first time that the Philippines will host the said event. This year's theme: Unlocking the potentials of MSMEs will be attended by Philippine stakeholders and virtual representatives from the UN, WB, ILO, OECD, and ICSB Global Community. 

“What’s in it for the MSMEs? We could say we can do these things online, but then again, it’s better for them to see new partners face-to-face and learn new ideas from experts,” said ICSB Founder Eric Caeg during a recent press conference with partners such as UnionBank, Resorts World Manila at other sponsors. 

During the Sulong Negosyant Fiesta, several participating brands will be raffling away a number of exciting prizes to make the event even more exciting. SunLife Philippines will be giving away P50,000 worth of insurance policies to 300 lucky attendees; Mr. Freeze Purified Tube Ice will be giving away Yelo Negosyo packages; and other surprise prizes.

To make travel to the event site easier, Grab Philippines will be offering a voucher for its users, where they can enjoy P100 off on their fare with promo code UBMSME2022. 

Those traveling to the event via their own vehicles will also get the chance to take home gas vouchers. 

Just go to this link to register for FREE: bit.ly/sulongnegosyante.

The International Council for Small Business Philippines is caling all MSMEs to be part of the 3-Day Sulong Negosyante Fiesta at Resorts World Manila from June 27-29, 2022.

9:01 PM 3-Day Sulong Negosyante, International Council for Small Business Philippines

Visa Study Says that 8 in 10 Filipinos are Interested in Using Digital Banking Services

“As more digital-based solutions and trends emerge in the market, Filipinos are more open to new innovations that make payments and banking more convenient, accessible, and seamless. There is an opportunity in the country for traditional banks and new players to launch digital banking services in the country that will better serve the needs of underserved and underpenetrated segments. We believe this will transform the banking and payments landscape in the country and at Visa, we are keen to work with all our partners to help them create better user interface and experience when they create and enhance their digital banking solutions,” said Dan Wolbert, Visa Country Manager for the Philippines and Guam.

According to Visa Study says that Eight in 10 Filipinos Are Interested in Using Digital Banking Services. Top interest drivers for Filipinos to use digital banking services include access to banking services any time of the day (68%), time saved from not having to queue at bank branches (68%), and convenience (67%).

Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, today released new findings from its Visa Consumer Payment Attitudes study[1], that shows over eight in 10 Filipinos (83%) are aware and interested (81%) in using digital banking services. However, only 32 percent of respondents are currently using services offered by a digital bank.

[1] Visa Consumer Payment Attitudes Study was conducted between August to September 2020 on 1,014 Filipinos aged 18-65 years old through an online questionnaire by CLEAR. This is part of a regional research project conducted in Southeast Asia on over 7,500 consumers across eight markets.

Filipinos interested in banking with digital banks are keen to use services such as paying bills (84%), transferring money locally (78%), making deposits and withdrawals (76%), and making payments for purchases at local retail locations (71%). However, the preference of using digital banking for traditional bank services such as investments (52%), international transfers (48%) and loans (46%) is lower.

The study also showed that Filipinos are most keen to work with a financial services brand for digital banking services (93%) and traditional banks (92%), followed by new start-ups with digital banking services (72%).

In addition, 86 percent of Filipino respondents would switch current banking services to digital banking services if the bank provided better rewards and 85 percent would do so if they can benefit from lower costs for their banking transactions. Filipinos’ interest to use digital banking services increased to 80 percent compared to 70 percent in the previous year when the same research was conducted.

Interest in Biometric Authenticated Payments

Awareness of digital solutions such as biometric authenticated payments grew to approximately 80 percent in 2020 from 60 percent in 2019. Almost eight in 10 Filipinos express high awareness and interest in using biometric authenticated payments, especially the Gen Z and affluent segments. Biometric payment is perceived as a quick (62%) and innovative (61%) way to pay. In addition five in 10 Filipinos (55%) think it is a more secure way to pay. However, usage is low at 23 percent since its accessibility depends on market availability.

Finger scan as one of the biometric authentication methods is most popular amongst Filipinos (59%) especially for making bill payments or purchases at the convenience stores. This is followed by facial recognition (31%) and retina scan (16%).

Visa Study Says that 8 in 10 Filipinos are Interested in Using Digital Banking Services

2:32 AM banking, Digital Banking Services, feature, Featured, Visa

Press Conference and the Official Launch of Asia Leaders Awards 2021

Today, May 20, 2021, at the Manila House Private Members Club, The Asia Leaders Awards launch their press conference for the upcoming Asia Leaders Awards 2021 attended with selected awards committee, honourees, media, and some bloggers. This year's theme is Hope and Optimism. Choosing leaders who are shining more in times of pandemic through their Corporate Social Responsibilities to reach out to those even beyond their communities.

Dr. Elton See Tan, Avin Ong, Harvey Ong, Grace Bondad Nicolas, Rick Sobreviñas, Tan Yu III

These are from the business sector and the committee chose some from the public officials who are also doing their job but making a difference. Those who are not afraid to fold their sleeves and help out. 

See the nation's greatest leaders in Business, Public Service, and Academe. Chairman Rick Sobreviñas of the American Association of the Philippines announced the two honourees from the academe; Historian Ambet Ocampo and Ron Mendoza of Ateneo De Manila University. 

“Ron Mendoza is the Head of the School of Government at the Ateneo, MPA from Harvard and PhD in Economics from Fordham University. Before this, he was the Head of the Development Department at AIM, responsible for 40% of all the research publications of all the Professors at AIM, truly exceptional educator.”- Rick Sobreviñas 

The Press Conference is attended by two young leaders of this generation; Avin Ong of Fredley Group of Companies with their famous Macao Imperial Tea and Harvey Ong of Alfamart. 

When asked how did Macao Imperial Tea manage to keep the business strong despite the pandemic:  

“You have to be creative, innovative, adaptable to change.” - Mr. Avin Ong, Fredley Group of Companies

What I loved most about Macao Imperial Tea and their management is their ability to coup up even this pandemic. Since no one is allowed to dine in or minimal capacity, their ability to do other strategies like ordering online, have their discounts coupons, and more so that customers will remain loyal to them. 

Harvey Ong, Chief Operations Officer shared an overwhelming story also. Going to work during the first days of the pandemic, Harvey chanced upon one of their Alfamart employees, walking on the streets, full of sweat. He has been walking for 3 hours already when he saw him. He asked the employee, why not just file a leave for that day, The employee answered: "our team needs me to be there." 

Awards committee in attendance; Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez, Makati Tourism Foundation Secretary-General Tan Yu III, BNI Premier President and Filipino Chinese Chamber of the Philippines Vice President Dr. Elton See Tan, Rick Sobreviñas, and Grace Bondad Nicolas of American Association of the Philippines. 

Major sponsors include:

• Grab
• J&T Express
• Asian Tigers Mobility
• AsiaPrime Corporation
• Jollibee Group
• Eastern Communication
• Bounty Agro Ventures Inc
• Alfamart
• Fredley Group of Companies
• Frontrow Enterprise

Asia Leaders Awards is the only acknowledgment and recognition-giving body with organizations and embassies as part of the awards committee is the largest business awards event in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. Its purpose is to promote the Philippines as a premier business hub in Asia and beyond. The event is considered a must-attend occasion for business and government leaders across the nation and beyond. 

For more details, visit www.asialeadersawards.asia.

Press Conference and the Official Launch of Asia Leaders Awards 2021

12:50 AM Asia Leaders Awards 2021, feature, Featured, Press Conference of Asia Leaders Awards 2021

AAA Cosmetics and Trading Company: Sagot Ko, Puhunan Mo

The Co-Founder and Brand Chief Executive Officer, Grace Bondad Nicolas reiterated that this is for those employees or workers displaced by this pandemic, a very specific group. 

According to her, “We already did some testing to different individuals from different backgrounds and we decided that those who were working before and lose their jobs has more will and determined to earn. It’s a circle, they need to reorder from the free resellers' package we provided in order for this program to be successful for themselves. Other sectors can apply but still need to be approved.” 

In order to help more those employees who are displaced by this global health crisis, AAA Cosmetics and Trading Company with brands; Immune CEE Vitamin C +Zinc, GlutaGlow Slimming Drinks, GlamHigh Cosmetics By Andria, and GracefulSkin Essentials came up with “Sagot Ko, Puhunan Mo or SKPM Project.

SKPM is to provide an initial FREE capital or investment in a form of the AAA Cosmetics and Trading Company Products Mix for the chosen or approved individual to sell. Since most doesn’t have an extra budget to invest, the Group Chairman, Andrew Troy Nicolas explained, “We like to help those workers displaced by this pandemic, they have the will to work and yet doesn’t have a choice since their companies were also affected and need to remove them. We like to help out and for them to continue to help their family.” 

Mechanics are as follows:

1. Apply via AAA Cosmetics and Trading Company Facebook Page to submit necessary proofs of work displacement 

2. Wait for approval within a week 

3. If approved, Orientation & receive the products to sell in SRP 

4. Reorder less profit 

This is the Corporate Social Responsibility and project of AAA Cosmetics and Trading Company. 

For more information; www.aaacosmetics.Asia or 09778978877/ 028 2193503, manila@aaacosmetics.Asia.

AAA Cosmetics and Trading Company: Sagot Ko, Puhunan Mo

5:49 PM feature, Featured, www.aaacosmetics.Asia

Andrew Troy Nicolas: Meet the Man Behind the Tag Media Group

Let's meet Andrew Troy Nicolas, the CEO and the man behind the Tag Media Group. For years of being an IT in the Center of the business world, Wall Street, New York City, USA, Andrew Troy Nicolas shifted to help the rising Tag Media and Public Relations eventually became Tag Media Group that manages concerts, advertising, marketing, public relations and campaigns of different companies from different industries in the Asia Pacific. 

Troy as his team calls him, is the one handling the management of all IT related items and monitoring it like the social media accounts, multiple websites under the company and even some of the content. He is making sure that all has a positive impact in the lives of the clients and followers. 

His expertise is Business Intelligence (BI), checking everyday the data as the basis of the actual position. BI comprises the strategies and technologies used by enterprises for the data analysis of business information. BI technologies provide historical, current, and predictive views of business operations.

As the Group CEO of Tag Media Group, he approves the launching of AAA Cosmetics and Trading Company (GlamHigh Cosmetics, Graceful Skin Essentials, Immune CEE, GlutaGlow Slimming Drinks) last November 2020. As per analysis, even during pandemic, there’s still a demand from consumers who are into weight loss, those who are always in online meetings, for health and wellness and still to beautify or improve their personal appearances since most are staying home so more focus on their physical appearance and well being. As of this writing, the company has more than 100 distributors nationwide with few already in Milan and Taiwan. Targeting at least a thousand at the end of this year, not bad business during Pandemic. 

According to Troy, “It’s all about big data and actual projections. We will also continue our AG Builders and Developers, the construction company under Tag Media Group. We’re hiring right now since clients, even afraid of this pandemic still likes to secure their family with a home as their legacy. The brands under AAA Cosmetics are still new but there’s a lot of inquiries. The events are still here even online as we wanted to still be relevant and the followers we have likes to learn more and to see what’s new so we have Cocktail Hour under Asia Leaders Awards, the show with the honourees of ALA to present their lighter side of success. We’re not stopping and keeps on innovating.”

The signature events under Tag Media and Public Relations (Asia Digital Marketing Expo, Asia HR Expo, Asia E Commerce Expo, Dwelo, Asia’s Best Singing Competition)  might be in halt because of this global health crisis but Asia Leaders Forums and Awards (ALA) are still thriving with the support of its stakeholders and organising committee. Announcement of honourees will be this May 20, 2021 and awarding ceremony will be on November 11, 2021 at Embassy of Singapore. 

For more information, visit Tagmedia.Asia and Asialeadersawards.Asia.

Andrew Troy Nicolas: Meet the Man Behind the Tag Media Group

4:44 PM Andrew Troy Nicolas, feature, Featured

Get Ready for the Asia Leaders Awards Cocktail Hour

Cocktail Hour will be launched on May 3, 2021, at Asia Leaders Awards Facebook Page with Renan Ponce Morales who is the Managing Director of Paragon Group of Companies, Inc. Lots of online shows right now due to the inability to have physical activities as mandated by the government that usually tackle heavy discussions about business and leadership. 

Asia Leaders Awards theme for this year is hope and optimism. Same as the color of the year, yellow and gray. A marriage of color conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting. Two independent colors highlight how different elements come together to support one another. What we all need right now. Support and Unity. 

This year, Asia Leaders Forums and Awards will present the exemplary leaders in the Philippines with a twist, to discuss anything under the sun, their advocacy and passion. No more of those mind-setting heavy presentations about the usual business scenario or discussions about their companies, we have a global health crisis, we’re in a survival mode. 

It will be between the leaders with the resident host, award-winning and talented entrepreneur and comedian Frida Nepomuceno, daughter of master impressionist Willie Nepomuceno. Very fitting to make the show as unique as possible to showcase the lighter side of success as a squeeze from the guests. 

Renan Ponce Pascual-Morales, or “Bespren” as what his friends and constituents normally call him, is the current President of the National Movement of Young Legislators in Region 3. He founded the Bestfriend ng Bayan Foundation in 2015 which provides assistance to rape victims, out-of-school youths, women caught in sex trafficking and prostitution, People With Disabilities (PWDs), and senior citizens who are neglected.

Renan is a former professional car racer, an N-1 champion, and F3 Formula Drive. After his racing career, he started to focus on different advocacies to help uplift the lives of his countrymen. He became a public servant and a town councilor in Nueva Ecija. Later on, he also got involved in supporting different sports groups such as Basketball and Volleyball Tournaments, Persons with Disability Paraplegic Athletes, and the Philippine Memory Sports.

The announcement of finalists will be on May 20, 2022, with the presentation of the whole awards committee and Gala night will be on 11-11-21. 

To know more and want to nominate; visit their website at www.Asialeadersawards.Asia.

Get Ready for the Asia Leaders Awards Cocktail Hour

7:16 PM feature, Featured, Frida Nepomuceno, Renan Ponce Morales, www.asialeadersawards.asia

Meet the Woman in the Asia Leaders Awards 2021

“I’m from the province (Laguna) who moved to the big city, for years of staying in the US and roaming in Wall Street and Broadway, I told myself that it’s all about campaigns and good branding and that’s why we have Tag Media Group, we like to disseminate the information fast and to promote the leaders to be emulated. It’s all about inspiration. To be at Asia Leaders Awards is the highest honour especially with these leaders with me. As they say, surround yourself with good people. Helping out is natural for us, it’s being human and with Asia Leaders Awards, promoting these leaders in the world and what they do and accomplished are part of promoting the talent and strength of the Philippines.” - Grace Bondad Nicolas 

Asia Leaders Awards (ALA), the largest in the Asia Pacific will continue to acknowledge these companies and leaders. Thanks to the awards committee who in spite of all their busy schedule and own challenges are still here to support. 

There are 13 high-profile and empowered individuals as part of the awards committee but there’s only one woman in the pack who represents the American Association of the Philippines that caught the attention of many though in so many organizations she’s with, always standing tall. 

This year Asia Leaders Awards is all about hope and optimism. Showing how these leaders are reaching out to others to give back and at the same time bouncing back big time not just for their own organizations but for the community. Though ever since this global health pandemic, they were already there helping out. A slow clap from everyone for continuing what they started amidst this chaos worldwide. 

Meet Engr. Grace Bondad Nicolas, the President of Asia Leaders Awards and leading different organizations as part of its top management team and in charge for ALAs campaigns since she’s the co-founder of Tag Media Group, one of the leading marketing, advertising, public relations, and consultancy in the Philippines. 

For this year, it’s about the nation in unity. Here are the complete awards committee; 

• H.E. Gerard Ho - Ambassador of Singapore 

• H.E. Jaroslaw Szczepankiewicz - Ambassador of Poland 

• H.E. DongMan Han - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Korea 

• H.E. Rizany Irwan  - Deputy Ambassador of Malaysia 

• Ebb Hinchliffe - Executive Director, American Chamber of Commerce 

• Ricardo Sobreviñas  - Chairman, American Association of the Philippines 

• Grace Bondad Nicolas - Vice President, American Association of the Philippines 

• Dr. Elton See Tan - President, BNI Premier 

• Robert Laurel Yupangco - Vice President, Philippine Korean Chamber 

• Andrew Troy Nicolas  - Group CEO, Tag Media Group 

• Edward Ling - President, Malaysian Chamber of Commerce Inc.

• Tan Yu III - Secretary-General, Makati Tourism Foundation Inc  

• James Jimenez  - Spokesman/Director, Commission of Elections 

A marriage of color conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting. Our theme for this year is coinciding with the colors of the year; Yellow and Gray. Two independent colors highlight how different elements come together to support one another. What we all need right now. Support and Unity. 

The announcement of finalists will be on May 20, 2021 with the presentation of the whole awards committee and Gala night will be on 11-11-21. 

To nominate; please visit their website at www.Asialeadersawards.Asia.

Meet the Woman in the Asia Leaders Awards 2021

6:04 PM Engr. Grace Bondad Nicolas, feature, Featured, www.asialeadersawards.asia