Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events: press

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Wednesday, October 21, 2015

DOE Assures Adequate Supply of LPG and Fuel Amidst Typhoon Lando

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The Department of Energy (DOE) assures of adequate supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and fuels nationwide. In reports submitted to the DOE, LPG suppliers and oil companies relayed minimal damage sustained by facilities and adequate supply in areas hit by typhoon Lando (International name: Kuppo) over the weekend. However, oil companies stated that gas stations in flooded areas will have to clear debris and check their pumps prior to the resumption of their operations.

“Supply remains sufficient for petroleum products. However, gas stations in areas without power may still be suspended inasmuch as electricity is needed for gasoline pumps to function,” DOE OIC- Secretary Zenaida Y. Monsada said.

The DOE is coordinating with electric cooperatives to prioritize the restoration of power to gas stations to ensure continuity of works in the affected areas. “We are closely coordinating with the oil industry for the stable supply of petroleum products and resumption of retail activities to restore normalcy in businesses and households as quickly as possible,” OIC-Sec. Monsada added.

For updates on energy supply and power restorations, please visit the DOE social media accounts: Facebook:/doe.gov.ph; and Twitter: @doe_ph.

China’s Ministry Of Commerce Decides on Enabling Integration Of Substantial Portions Of HGST And WD Subsidiaries

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Western Digital Corporation announced a decision from China's Ministry of Commerce ("MOFCOM"), which enables the company to integrate substantial portions of its HGST and WD subsidiaries under Western Digital Corporation ("Western Digital"). As a unified entity, Western Digital's extensive technology capability, deepened patent and product portfolios, and talented global team will further drive its ability to innovate and lead in the changing data storage industry.

The agency's decision is the result of an ongoing dialogue regarding the "hold separate" restriction associated with Western Digital's acquisition of HGST in March 2012. As part of the agreement with MOFCOM, and in order to leverage the rich storage industry heritage of each long-standing brand, Western Digital will continue to offer both HGST and WD product brands in the market and maintain separate sales teams for two years from the date of the decision.

"The decision announced today positions us for continued growth and long-term value creation," said Steve Milligan, chief executive officer of Western Digital. "HGST and WD are an exceptional combination, and together, we will set the pace for innovation in this dynamic and evolving industry."

Integration activities will begin immediately and are expected to continue over the next 24 months. Western Digital expects the integration of corporate and other key functions, including research and development, heads and media operations, engineering and manufacturing, will result in significant opportunities for growth, synergies and cost savings consistent with the levels previously outlined by the company.

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As the country’s leader in providing innovative digital services, Globe Telecom is supporting the Mondato Summit, an exclusive thought leadership forum on mobile finance and commerce.

On October 20th and 21st, the Mondato Summit Asia will be held at the Makati Shangri-la where leading experts and their peers come together in an intimate setting to undertake substantive dialogue to uncover actionable insights and advance common objectives. The event will gather decision-makers and influencers focused on the mobile finance & commerce (MFC) ecosystem in Emerging Asia. This is the first Mondato Summit Asia to be held in the Philippines. Last year, the forum was held in Singapore.

“Globe believes that innovation can be applied across a range of various platforms not only in technology but also in mobile finance and commerce. In supporting the Mondato Summit, we hope to bring in the innovative spirit of stakeholders in mobile finance and commerce. To help our nation move forward, there is a need to promote greater social inclusion and faster adoption to ICT to support our ability to transform society,” said John Rubio, President & CEO of Globe Fintech Innovations Inc.

Mondato Summit is expected to deliver indispensable knowledge, practical solutions, stimulating engagement, and invaluable contacts in a quest to help stakeholders navigate the fast growing, but highly fluid and complex, MFC space. The Summit format is designed to encourage interaction and create opportunities for department heads from banks, telcos, retailers, investors, development finance institutions/donors, policy makers/regulators, innovative start‐ups, media and others, to discuss real problems in the MFC space, and propose actionable, collaborative solutions.

Power Mac Center Inspires Tech-Savvy Bicol Youth

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Power Mac Center, the premier Apple partner in the Philippines, recently supported the 2nd Bicol Youth Technology Expo (BYTE) held recently at the Pili Capitol Convention Center in Camarines Sur. The expo was organized by the Information and Communication Technology Center (ICTC) of the Ateneo de Naga University.

As the main presenter, Power Mac Center partnered with ICTC to bring the technology of Apple Education Ecosystem to the Bicol academe in its efforts to share with and empower the teachers, students, and enthusiasts with the latest digital literacy skills through the use of Apple products.

Representatives from Power Mac Center’s Education Business Group acquainted the 750 people in attendance with the workings of iTunes University, iBooks Author, iCloud, and iOS App Development, as well as the production of digital creative content. Teachers also learned how they can access an extensive selection of references from educators worldwide to make students excited about learning. Since the dawn of the digital age, it has become increasingly important for teachers to keep pace with their students in terms of technology to grab and retain their attention.

“We’re very thankful to ICTC for inviting Power Mac Center to give these seminars,” Joey Alvarez, Power Mac Center’s Marketing Director said. “You see, Apple products are more than just gadgets -- they are tools that fuel creativity and provide endless possibilities for everyone, especially the youth. And it has always been our mission to support the academe in cultivating a love for learning.”

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As the world hails the International Day of Poverty Eradication and the recent adoption of 17 new global goals during the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Summit in New York City, social enterprises call to the Philippine government to put poverty at zero rates by fast-tracking the passage of the Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship (PRESENT) Bill.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a set of universal agenda critical in ending poverty, fighting inequality and protecting the environment across nations, adding that the integration of goals hinge on people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership will set a world where ‘No one is left behind’.

The SDGs succeeded the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and is consisted of 17 goals and 169 targets serving as blueprint for 193 UN member states to work for in the next 15 years, from 2015 to 2030. First of the goals is poverty eradication with other important goals on gender equality, climate change, decent employment, inequality, and justice which were absent in the MDGs.

In the 2014 country report of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), achievement in poverty reduction is dismal from the country’s target for MDGS. Poverty incidence declined from 34.4% to 25.2% from 1991 to 2012 despite the MDG target of 17.2% by 2015. The rate of poverty reduction has also been slow for the period of 2006 to 2012 with an over-all reduction of only 1.4% in six (6) years time.

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The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) was the proud host of the recently-concluded ASEAN Plus Three (China, Japan, and Korea) Tourism Youth Summit 2015 with the theme: “Building the Future through Culture, Identity, and Community” held on 28 September to 03 October 2015 at the South Palms Resort in Panglao, Bohol and at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City.

The program is one of the components of the ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Cooperation Work Plan 2013 – 2017 adopted during the 12th Meeting of ASEAN, China, Japan, and ROK Tourism Ministers last January 2013 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The Philippines and Thailand were selected as the lead country coordinators to organize the summit which Thailand convened for two consecutive years.

With the goal of informing the youth about the ASEAN initiatives and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) as agreed by the tourism ministers in January 2015, the summit provided a venue for cultural exchange, immersion, and appreciation. It also raised the level of awareness among the ASEAN youth on issues pertaining to cultural preservation, environmental protection, and socio-economic growth. The activity likewise established a strong foundation for the ASEAN youth in the tourism industry and highlighted the equality of men and women in the tourism industry.

Presentations were made on the travel and tourism industry situation in their respective countries. Group workshops ensued on three main topics: 1) Promote ASEAN as a single destination, 2) Enhance human resource development and quality tourism, 3) Ensure sustainable and inclusive tourism.

Learn About Plane Crashes and Super Systems on Discovery Science this October

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This October, Discovery Science examines how some of mankind’s best inventions work - and malfunction.

In the new season of Why Planes Crash, pilots and passengers relive the rare and horrifying occasions in which malice, human error or technical faults turn routine flights into nightmares! The search takes viewers inside some of the most terrifying situations imaginable with the aid of shocking archive footage and dramatic animated reconstructions. What brought troubles to these planes?

The answers are on the way as Why Planes Crash airs Thursdays, 9:50 pm.

The most complex systems help make our world a better and more livable place. In a new season on Discovery Science, Super Systems returns and pulls back the curtain on some of the incredible people and machines that keep the planet ticking.

Curious on what made the list? Catch the new season of Super Systems as it premieres on October 20, Tuesday, 8.10pm.

1337 Ventures Aims To Help Philippine Founders Validate Their Startup Ideas This November

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1337 Ventures (pronounced “leet ventures”) in collaboration with Department of Science & Technology of Philippines brings its idea validation programme, Alpha Startups to the Philippines region with the initial marker being laid in Cebu this November 9-13. Existing start ups as well as new business ideas are welcome to apply for the inaugural class within the Philippines.

“We have always viewed the Philippines region as a lucrative market to launch a start up. They have a large unbanked population, one of the biggest inbound transactions and great talent. This programme will greatly help Philippine entrepreneurs as well as all others within our Alpha Startups alumni as it puts them on a global footing to potentially work together and have a greater geographical presence.” says Bikesh Lakhmichand, CEO of 1337 Ventures

Alpha Startups has helped many an entrepreneur achieve their goals and business expansion objectives. This includes providing resources, potential funding, tech support, while nurturing them with business knowledge and decision making skills. They help transform a start up’s early raw ideas into ‘minimal viable products’ (MVP) where it is good for an initial market launch.

“Alpha Startups was a great shortcut for Closetstyles to validate what works and what doesn’t’. At the end of the programme, we felt the direction was clearer and we were more confident in executing it” says Fong Kam Ling, founder of Closetstyles.

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If drama and mouth-watering food are what you're into, TLC has it all for you this October!

Weddings are massive calamities just waiting to happen and choosing the bride's dress just adds to the overall stress brought by the occasion. But what happens when you put 15 women with different tastes in fashion together to agree on one design for a bridesmaid dress? Watch the drama and chaos unfold on TLC's new series SAY YES TO THE DRESS: BRIDESMAIDS. From choosing what color and fabric to use to what design would suit the occasion the most, these women are sure to spice up your evening. Catch the dress drama on SAY YES TO THE DRESS: BRIDESMAIDS, 10 PM on Fridays.

Are you up for a cuisine adventure with exotic flavors? Tune in to SHANE DELIA'S SPICE JOURNEY as he explores everything and anything Turkey has to offer through a culinary road like no other. Indulge and let your mouth water as Chef Shane serves up dishes that date back to centuries ago using spices and techniques that have been passed on for generations. Catch him in his exploration of unique Middle Eastern flavors on SHANE DELIA'S SPICE JOURNEY, premieres on the 19th of October, Mondays, at 9 PM only on TLC.

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According to the Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS), acne is the most prevalent skin disease among Filipinos, with an affliction rate of approximately 17% among teens from 10 to 18 years of age. This makes acne a serious skin condition, which persists unless treated straight at the source.

The most common problem with acne breakouts is that it recurs despite a rigorous skincare regimen. Against common knowledge, cleansing alone does not get rid of acne. This is because cleansers only work on the skin’s surface dirt and oil, making them insufficient in addressing the root problem of breakouts.

To effectively treat acne, there must be an understanding on how acne really develops in the skin. Acne is a recurring cycle that isn’t caused by dirt, but by bacteria. When excess oil and dead skin cells clog the pores, whiteheads or blackheads appear. Bacteria then infect the pore clog which worsens into red and inflamed bumps more commonly known as pimples. The acne cycle repeats, often triggered by stress or hormones.

But dermatologists have proven and tested that acne can be managed, and acne cycles can be stopped.

Benzac, a global expert in acne treatment, brings you Benzac AC Gel spot treatment that contains the active ingredient, Benzoyl Peroxide. This key ingredient has been clinically proven to kill more than 94% of acne-causing bacteria in 48 hours to significantly reduce redness and inflammation of pimples, and loosen whiteheads and blackheads.

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Yahoo Inc. today made a number of product announcements, primarily in the area of communications.

This month marks Yahoo Mail’s 18th anniversary, and the company is celebrating that occasion by introducing a new Yahoo Mail app that is fast, intuitive and beautifully designed. Available on iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android, the new app comes with a number of features, including smarter search, contacts management and rich compose.

Most people have an email account from more than one provider. So starting today, Yahoo Mail users can connect and manage their email accounts from Outlook.com, Hotmail and AOL Mail, right from Yahoo Mail on mobile and desktop. Once connected, users can access Yahoo Mail’s features across all their mailboxes. (The ability to manage multiple mailboxes is rolling out globally today in the Yahoo Mail app. The desktop experience is currently available for U.S. English users, and will be coming soon to users outside of the U.S.)

“Email is the most prevalent way people communicate online. However, what we want from our inbox is evolving. Mobile use requires a faster and smarter inbox,” said Jeff Bonforte, Senior Vice President of Communication Products at Yahoo. “Both of these needs are at the center of our new app.”

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The BB-8 is now available for pre-order at the Globe GEN3 Store Greenbelt and will soon be in all GEN3 Stores nationwide. Welcoming the Star Wars BB-8 at the Globe GEN3 Store in Greenbelt Makati are Globe Retail and Transformation Management Head Joe Caliro (right) and Sphero Channel Director for Asia Pacific Aurelien Joly.

Globe Telecom has once again upped the Filipino digital lifestyle experience by signing an exclusive deal with Sphero, an industry-leading robotics toy company which creates connected toys that fuse emerging technology with the latest innovations in robotics. Globe is the only Philippine telco to bring the revolutionary Star Wars BB-8 app-enabled droid to the country, much to the delight of Filipino Star Wars fans and gadget geeks.

Customers can already pre-order the Sphero BB-8 at the Globe GEN3 Store in Greenbelt Makati and soon in other GEN3 Stores nationwide. Offered at P12,499.75, the BB-8 is iOS and Android-compatible, housed in a durable polycarbonate shell and boasts of a Bluetooth smart BLE connection of up to a 100-feet range.

BB-8 was a character first revealed in the first teaser trailer for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens in November last year. BB-8 is an astromech droid, which operates approximate 30 years after the Battle of Endor. It has a domed head, similar to the R2 series of astromech droids, with the bulk of its body made up of a ball that the droid rolls on. The BB-8 has something unlike any other robot: an adaptive personality that changes. Based on its user interactions, the BB-8 will show a range of expressions, learn the obstacles in an environment, and even perk up when given voice commands.

Houses And Paychecks: How Long Filipinos Should Work To Buy A Home

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Ever wondered how far your income could go when planning to purchase a home?

Di you know that a salaried Filipino with more than 20 years of work experience may need 128 years’ worth of his salary in order to afford a house in Makati, the Philippines’ most expensive housing market? This information is according to global property website Lamudi Philippines (www.lamudi.com.ph).

On the other hand, this same salaried worker only needs 4.16 months’ worth of his salary in order to afford a home in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, one of the country’s most affordable markets based on average home price.

At the other end of the salary spectrum are minimum wage earners, who need to work a staggering 1,449 years in order to afford Makati’s uber-expensive houses, while 3 years’ worth of their income can buy a house in San Jose Del Monte.

These are some of the findings of Lamudi’s latest analysis using its second quarter 2015 listings data, which involve close to 15,000 houses for sale in 289 cities and municipalities across the Philippines. Lamudi’s analysis focused on the top 32 cities and municipalities with more than 100 for-sale inventories.

DOST – ICTO, TechTalks.ph, and 1337 Ventures to Run first Alpha Startup Bootcamp in the Philippines

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DOST – Information and Communications Technology Office, in partnership with 1337 Ventures and TechTalks.ph, is set to run a pre-accelerator program for startups in their early ideation and validation stages. The Alpha Startup Bootcamp will be on its pilot run in the Philippines this November, kicking off with a boot camp in Cebu City on November 9 – 13, 2015.

The inaugural 5-day Bootcamp will feature workshops on customer and product development, pitching, mentoring sessions, and networking sessions that will help startups advance from idea generation to developing viable products and business models. To conclude the Bootcamp, startups will get the chance to showcase their outputs in a demo day that will be attended by key investors.

“This Alpha Startup Bootcamp will help early stage startups get off the ground by teaching them the basics of building a digital business. This is a gap we currently see in the Philippine startup ecosystem that this initiative will help address,” said DOST-ICTO Deputy Executive Director Monchito Ibrahim.

In response to such gap, the DOST – ICTO has partnered with TechTalks.ph and Malaysia-based accelerator, 1337 Ventures in this Bootcamp. Champions of startups in the country’s grassroots communities and the ASEAN, respectively, TechTalks.ph and1337 Ventures see the first Alpha Startup Bootcamp as an opportunity to meet promising Philippine startups they can potentially work with to further develop the startup communities in the country and the ASEAN region.

Planning the Perfect Wedding with Bridestory

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Some like their weddings to be the grandest celebration, regal and majestic in every detail. Then there are those who like it quaint and intimate. Others, however, prefer a scenic affair, a communion with Mother Nature.

A wedding celebrates the union of two people, and setting up the perfect scene for that once-in-a-lifetime moment is important. Sometimes, it proves to be difficult to plan out the perfect wedding and find the right vendors without that much effort.

Thankfully, a company from Indonesia found a way to give couples a hand in planning their perfect wedding to every little detail.

Bridestory helps couples make their dream wedding come true by connecting them to wedding professionals across the globe. It has now become the leading wedding marketplace in Southeast Asia.

The firm targets the younger generation “who are savvy and prefer to obtain information online,” said Kevin Mintaraga, Chief Executive Officer of Bridestory.

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Global safety organization, the World Safety Organization, brings together safety experts and advocates from around the world for the 28th WSO International Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health Professional Development Symposium in Manila from October 26 to 28. The event will be held at the Solaire Hotel and Casino at Paranaque. The event also marks the 40th anniversary of the organization’s founding.

With the theme, “It’s more fun with Safety!” the symposium focuses on how the organization can enjoin the public on how to further improve the safety and health of workers by ensuring a workplace that’s accident and illness free, improving workers’ quality of life and, enabling them to integrate fun with safety. The symposium is also expected to attract corporate executives, managers, safety, health and environmental professionals, safety and accident advocates, leaders of safety organizations and WSO members from around the world to share and exchange new insights and learnings and to network with colleagues in the safety industry.

“This event is momentous because we are also celebrating the organization’s 40th anniversary founding,” said Alfredo A. Dela Rosa, Jr, Director, WSO International Office for Philippines. “The organization was founded in the Philippines 4 decades ago so it is fitting that the symposium is to be held here.”

The Honorable Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz of the Department of Labor and Employment was invited to give a keynote address. The event will also be graced by the Honorable Sonny Angara of the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines who will address the delegates and guests.

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This October, EVE gives you all the ways to become a happier person: eating your way back into proper health, learning a thing or two about some good ‘ol clog dancing and getting that one-of-a-kind relationship goal!

Watch how food can be turned into a kind of medical treatment on FOOD HOSPITAL, a place where medical issues are solved by proper dieting and nutrition. Come and see how patients are treated with the use of healthy food and how they eat their way back into shape on FOOD HOSPITAL, which airs every Friday at 8:10 PM.

Looking for a bit of dancing with a unique little twist? Add in an age-old rivalry just to spice things up a bit. Find all that and more on DOWN SOUTH DANCE as the show follows rival dance groups: Chip Harrison’s Team Sapphire and Sarah Darby’s Team Synergy. Watch as these two longtime rivals turn their dance group into the best Southern Clog dancing team before battling in the R2K. With a feud that has started as old as time, trash talking and intense clogging, DOWN SOUTH DANCE is sure to make your evenings more exciting every Monday at 8:10 PM.

Ever wondered how much a relationship can change in just 90 days? Watch as six non-Americans equipped with unique fiancé visas travel to the US to live with their partners for the first time on 90 DAY FIANCÉ. In just three months, these international couples must overcome culture shock, language barriers and the lack of support from loved ones as they journey towards the altar or be sent flying back to their home lands. Will these couples find their happily ever green card? Find out on 90 DAY FIANCÉ, premieres this 18th of October, Mondays at 9 PM exclusively on EVE.

Family Enterprise Excellence Conference to Tackle Challenges Facing Family Businesses

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The Premier Family Business Consulting Inc. (PFBC), the only family enterprise consulting firm in Southeast Asia, is inviting family businesses, practitioners, and stakeholders to join a conference that will tackle the challenges facing family businesses.

Now in its third year, the Family Enterprise Excellence Conference (FEEC) will be held on October 26 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City. With the theme “United, we unite families in business,” the one-day event will not only feature talks but also serve as an occasion for sharing experiences and best practices among family businesses as well as for networking.

International expert Dr. Dennis Jaffe of the US-based Family Firm Institute will lecture on the topic “Bridging the Gap of the Senior and Younger Generation” to address the issue of nurturing effective working relations between generations of a family business.

Considered one of the architects of family enterprise consulting as a field, Jaffe has taught at Hult University in Dubai and is on the Advisory Board of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Stetson University. He has also served on the Boards of the World Business Academy and Saybrook University.

Renowned inspirational speaker Francis Kong will meanwhile give a talk on “The Value of Family Unity and Parenting” to emphasize their role as the main drivers in family business perpetuation.

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The recent years have witnessed an upswing in the tourism industry. According to Colliers International’s Second Quarter 2015 Research and Forecast Report on the Philippines, the number of foreign arrivals to the country improved in the first five months of 2015, with year-to-date 2015 figures representing an 8.15% rise from the same period in 2014.

With this trend is the growing need to improve the quality of destinations and the availability of more accommodations in more parts of the country. Of particular note is the entry of a new kind of accommodation: the serviced apartment — a fully-furnished apartment with amenities usually available in hotels. It is a cheaper alternative to hotels, making it ideal for both short and long term stays.

“The booming economy equals new businesses, which equals to more executives looking for efficient places to live in the central business districts in the Philippines,” said Andrew Sparrow, Development Director for Dusit Thani Residences Davao.

Dusit Thani Residences Davao is Dusit International’s bid to add to the serviced residences options in the Philippines. The international hotel brand has recently opened its showroom for Dusit Thani Residences Davao. This is the first Dusit Thani Residences in Asia-Pacific, as the company’s other serviced apartments are located in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The property is scheduled for turnover in 2018.

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With its full range of ICT solutions, Globe Business has become the preferred ICT partner of leading companies in the Philippines

Enterprises looking to maintain a competitive advantage are now relying more heavily on information and communications Technology (ICT) to improve productivity, promote innovation, and speed up the time to market their products and services. The ability to digitize and simplify business-critical operations and management systems continues to grow in importance, since companies need to find ways to keep up as new trends become available and prepare for an eventual business expansion.

To address this, companies are now turning to a partner who understands not only the requirements of their business, but also delivers innovative and relevant solutions as well as consistent superior customer service that will bring forth a meaningful and long-lasting partnership. Enterprises have found that partner in Globe Business.

Globe Business powers close to 10,000 leading corporations, enterprises and companies spanning the spectrum of various industries in the country such as business process outsourcing, manufacturing, financial institutions, services, transport and logistics, healthcare and retail, among many others.

Globe Business has stepped up to the challenge of collaborating with its enterprise clients by allowing them to define and achieve the benefit they need. As the enterprise information and communications technology arm of leading telecommunications company Globe Telecom, Globe Business has been maximizing its full capacity to help make businesses perform at an optimum level with its comprehensive portfolio of mobility, connectivity, business voice, collaboration, business-enabling and IT-enabled services.