Better Internet for Manila Train Riders

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Smart is on track with its network improvement program that aims to expand LTE availability and boost 3G coverage all over the country. After completing its rollout in Boracay and Davao, Smart is now working to give the best possible mobile data experience to its subscribers in Metro Manila and nearby areas like Rizal.

One of the key locations for the Metro Manila network improvement: the LRT-1 where an estimated 600,000 passengers ride daily.

This change will benefit riders like Paolo Barruga, who uses his phone while commuting to access Facebook and Messenger. “I also like playing games, but sometimes when there is no internet, I just play downloaded games,” he said. “It’s good if there’s internet, because it means I can play my online games on the go,” he added.

University of Manila sophomore student Vanessa Chua is likewise excited about the promise of better LTE on the LRT. “It means that I can start doing my assignments on the train,” she said, adding that she also uses Facebook to share and upload photos while on commute.

“When there is better internet, LRT commuters won’t be bored while waiting for the train,” said employee Rommel Hagad. “It means commuters waiting won’t be hotheaded.” Rommel added that he uses his smartphone while on the way home, accessing apps like Facebook to get in touch with family. “I use them to keep my family updated on my whereabouts.”

To enhance the mobile experience of LRT-1 commuters, Smart will deploy state-of-the-art network equipment at the stations and platforms, inside the coaches and along the tracks to beef up its 2G, 3G and LTE network coverage. It will also install carrier-grade Smart Wifi in the 20 stations and platforms, and eventually inside the coaches.

Similar network improvements are also underway for both LRT-2 and MRT-3, as part of Smart’s major network expansion in Metro Manila to improve the overall quality of service available to Smart, TNT, and Sun subscribers.

In many ways, the LRT-1, which runs right through the heart of Manila from Baclaran in Pasay City to Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City, is Manila’s ultimate symbol of mobility and industry. The oldest of Metro Manila’s 3 elevated trains, LRT-1 ferries Metro Manila dwellers from their homes to their schools and workplaces, and back.

That change has come to LRT-1 is a welcome sign that the best is yet to come for the rest of the Metro.

Theo & Philo Sweetens Business Operations with Netwsuite Cloud ERP

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Oracle NetSuite Global Business Unit, one of the industry's leading providers of cloud financials / ERP and omnichannel commerce software suites and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oracle, today announced that Theo & Philo, a bean-to-bar maker of single-origin Philippine artisanal chocolate, replaced QuickBooks and numerous Excel spreadsheets with NetSuite to gain scalability and flexibility to power its growth.

Since going live on NetSuite in November 2015, Theo & Philo has been using NetSuite for accounting, inventory management, order management, invoicing and purchasing – all within one cloud ERP system. With NetSuite, Theo & Philo is able to better plan and manage sourcing, production and distribution and increase efficiency while saving both time and money compared to the error-prone manual work required by their previous software and paper-based processes.

Founded in 2010, Theo & Philo (www.theoandphilo.com) grew steadily offering more than a dozen varieties of premium, locally-sourced chocolate products. As production volume soared 700 percent to about 14,000 bars a month, the organization faced challenges keeping pace with its previous system and inventory management was handled manually and tracked on paper.

“NetSuite is an integral part of our day-to-day operations and a scalable platform for our continued growth,” Chua said. “We’re a lot more efficient and, as we grow, the automated process flows and checks and balances that we need are already in place within NetSuite.”

Through its continued global growth and success, Theo & Philo, a social enterprise and grantee of the NetSuite Citizenship software donation program, has been able to help improve social welfare in the Philippines in partnership with Gawad Kalinga, a nonprofit organization committed to ending poverty for 5 million Filipino families by 2024.

The features and benefits that Theo & Philo has been able to achieve with NetSuite include:

International growth. Theo & Philo has expanded sales to foreign distributors in recent months, using NetSuite’s multi-currency capabilities for transactions in the Euro for Germany and the U.S. dollar for Japan.

Real-time access. Compared to the limitations of its previous QuickBooks desktop application, Theo & Philo now enjoys anywhere, anytime cloud-based capable access to NetSuite with no need for on-premise software and servers.

Streamlined inventory and distribution. Real-time data has helped Theo & Philo control inventory and accelerate production and distribution with visibility that helps spotlight issues and areas for improvement.

Flexible customizations. Leveraging the NetSuite SuiteCloud Platform, Theo & Philo can adapt NetSuite to unique business needs, for instance, a customization by Tech for Good, a PGE Solutions sister company, enables the company to seamlessly manage consignment inventory and associated sales orders.

Future-proofed for growth. As a unified suite, NetSuite offers Theo & Philo functionality for CRM, ecommerce, product assembly, lot tracking and more as the social enterprise continues to grow.

Sinag Maynila 2017 at SM Aura Premier

Wazzup Pilipinas!

International filmmakers, members of the diplomatic corps, the local Indie community, and corporate executives recently gathered together to celebrate the Sinag Maynila 2017 Film Festival at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier.

A joint project of Solar Entertainment, Centerstage Productions, and SM, the festival seeks to inspire, educate, and enlighten the viewing public. Now on its third year of providing independent filmmakers a brand-new platform to showcase their stories, Sinag Maynila featured films that reflect Filipino culture, while presenting social issues deserving of discussion among audiences here and abroad. These were showcased at SM North EDSA, SM Megamall, and selected cinemas.

With its new tagline “Sine Lokal, Pang-Internasyonal” the festival lives up to its core with finalists are handpicked by Sinag Maynila CEO and Founder Wilson Tieng and world-renowned and internationally acclaimed film director Brillante Ma Mendoza. “The upgraded mechanics for this season may have been a risky move, but we are very happy with the outcome,” says Tieng. “We are looking forward to the reception of these films here and of course, internationally.”

With the tremendous success of Sinag Maynila’s debut in March 2015, more talented filmmakers took their chance in getting a nod to be part of the competing roster as it has been closely associated with the opportunity for international recognition. This season, five films have been selected for Full Length, Short Film, and Documentary categories.