Globe Unit Innove Signs Deal with Govt to Provide Budget and Treasury Management System

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Globe unit Innove Communications recently signed a partnership agreement with the government to provide a Budget and Treasury Management System. Photo above shows Innove President & CEO Gil Genio (extreme right, seated) signing the deal, along with (seated from left) DBM Executive Director for Procurement Service Jose Tomas Syquia, DBM Secretary Florencio Abad; and FreeBalance President & CEO Manuel Schiappa Pietra. They are joined as witnesses by (from left, standing) Commission on Audit Director Luzvi Pangan-Chatto; Deputy Treasurer Sharon Almanza, Globe Head of eGov Anthony Lau; Globe President & CEO Ernest Cu; FreeBalance Vice President for Marketing Matthew Olivier; Free Balance Resident Project Director for BTMS Pradeep Aggarwal; Australian Department of Foreign Affairs Counsellor & Team Leader of Philippine-Australia Public Financial Management Program (PFMP) Daniel Featherson; and DBM Undersecretary and Overall Project Manager of BTMS Richard Moya.

Innove Communications, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe Telecom, recently entered into a partnership agreement with the government to provide a Budget and Treasury Management System (BTMS) to effectively execute and monitor annual budgets in a manner that is more transparent to the public.

The project, worth P495 million, involves the implementation and operation of a fiscal management solution which will be used by the Department of Budget and Management, as well as Bureau of Treasury and Commission on Audit. This system will eventually be rolled out to the rest of the government agencies and operating units. The new system will improve the timely execution of budgets to the agencies and provide timely information on the actual utilization of funds.

23rd PTAA Travel Tour Expo: A Record-Breaking Success As Always

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) recently held the 23rd Travel Tour Expo on February 5 to 7, 2016 at the SMX Convention Center of the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay city. Leading the opening ceremony were PAL president and COO Jaime Bautista, PTAA president Michelle Victoria, Sen. Sonny Angara, DOT Tourism Promotions Board COO Ramon Enerio, and TTE 2016 Co-Chair Nitz Ragaza.

The Travel Tour Expo is an annual event organized by the PTAA and has always been a record-breaking success as every year it grows bigger and better. There are always a lot of discounted fares and other clever promos available only during the expo dates.

This year, the PTAA also mounted the International Travel Trade Expo (ITTE) which is a business-to-business (B2B) travel trade expo aimed at linking the growing Philippine market to overseas travel. The B2B hub is more cost-efficient for the players in the travel industry and aims to foster stronger ties among travel operators and industry suppliers to create more competitive products and services.

"Collaboration among stakeholders, even with indirect competitors, is expected t reshape travel in the next decade and beyond" say Michelle Victoria, President of PTAA. "We aim not only to strengthen business but also significantly improve travel experience." 

"While we welcome more opportunities with the growing tourism sector in the country, we also need to brace ourselves with tougher competition ahead. We hope to regain the trust of  our valued clients through innovation and we could only achieve this through collaboration." she adds.

Apl de Ap: What's Ap with the Newest Philippine Tourism Ambassador?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

“Places to go, things to see, welcome to my home, my country. Beautiful sights, I want you to see. It’s more fun in the Philippines. It makes you feel like you’re in a dream.” - Apl de Ap

The above are just a few of the words included in the lyrics of the new Department of Tourism jingle sang by Allan Pineda Lindo, better known as Apl.de.Ap, a Filipino-American rapper, record producer, break dancer, philanthropist and judge at the Voice of the Philippines talent search. Popularly known as one of the members of the Black Eyed Peas, he is often invited to perform and grace special events and occasions.

Apl de Ap was asked by the Philippine government, specifically the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the Department of Tourism (DOT), to promote tourism for our motherland. The Philippines is such a beautiful place that everyone needs to explore and experience its sandy beaches, green forests and wildlife, delicious cuisine, and hospitable people.

He was also awarded the Presidential Award for Filipino Individual because he has not shied away from acknowledging his Filipino roots and continues to embrace his heritage, even in his work. From his humble beginnings to his extreme fame he still retains the Filipino hospitality and "bayanihan" spirit.

This is why Apl de Ap is very much appropriate to become an Ambassador for the Philippines.