DTI Releases Order on Mandatory Implementation of LED Lamp Standard

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued the Department Administrative Order (DAO) 18-02 adopting the Philippine National Standard International -
Electrotechnical Commission (PNS/IEC) 62560:2012 – Self-Ballasted LED Lamps for
General Lighting Services by Voltage > 50V – Safety Requirements, as one of the PNS
for mandatory implementation under the DTI-Bureau of Philippine Standards’ (DTI-
BPS) Product Certification Scheme.

The DAO 18-02 declares the Philippine National Standard (PNS) for Self- Ballasted
LED Lamps for General Lighting Services, for mandatory implementation thus, the self-ballasted LED lamp is now added to the list of products that the DTI regulates prior to their distribution to the market.

DTI- Consumer Protection Group (DTI-CPG) Undersecretary Atty. Ruth B. Castelo
emphasized, “This DAO is a result of a series of public consultations with relevant
stakeholders. This will further the department’s efforts in ensuring the safety of our consumers especially now that more and more individuals and organizations are using LED lamps in their homes and workplaces”.

Under the DAO 18-02, the importers or manufacturers of self-ballasted LED lamps with a rated wattage of up to 30 W; a rated voltage of > 50 V up to 250V; and, E14 and
E27capped- LED lamps, must secure an Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) or a
Philippine Standard (PS) License prior to its distribution and sale.

The DAO 18-02 also states that a manufacturer must be able to conduct test
parameters on marking completeness, legibility, and durability; interchangeability; protection against accidental contact with live parts; insulation resistance and electric
strength test; mechanical strength test (torsion resistance); and, cap temperature rise.
“We advise the buying public to make it a habit to look for the PS mark or ICC stickers
when purchasing not only LED lamps, but also other products that the DTI regulates.
This will only help ascertain that these products were tested and verified for their safety and quality,” DTI-BPS Director-in-Charge Engr. James Empeño affirmed.

Signed last 29 January 2018, the DTI DAO 18-02 or the Mandatory Philippine National
Standard (PNS) for Ballasted LED Lamps for General Lighting Services takes effect 15
days after its publication in a national newspaper of general circulation.

On-Demand Delivery Platform, Mober, Receives Funding from Philippine Logistics Giant to Speed Up its Expansion

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Mober Technology PTE (Mober), the first-ever tech startup that offers an on-demand platform for same-day delivery service in the Philippines, has partnered with 2GO Group Inc.

Mober Founder and CEO Dennis Ng said aside from the latest capital infusion, they will now also get to service SM's businesses providing them same-day delivery capabilities. Mober, the platform chosen by brands like Dunlop, Betterdogs, Fujidenzo, Adidas, Mandaue Foam, and Dimensione, will be adding SM Appliance, Our Home, SM Department Stores, and other SM affiliates to its roster of clients.

Mober's same-day cargo delivery service connects small and medium enterprises (SMEs), shoppers, and all families with a cost-effective, safe and fast logistical service with a dedicated customer support.

"We saw a problem that SME’s usually encounter - they have to buy their own delivery van, increased CapEx. So we realized why not build a company which provides a solution to this problem," Ng said. "From individual to businesses, Mober helps you move forward in just a few taps using our Mober app. It's a click, load, deliver scheme. We offer pick-up and delivery services that’s tailored to your specific needs."

Founded in December 2015, Mober has changed the buying behavior of the Filipino market as they now expect a same-day delivery when shopping for bulky items.

Mober intends to use the investment proceeds to expand its business in key cities in the Philippines, to further enhance the Mober app (available on Google Play and App Store) for better scalability, and to add more van partners to better serve affiliates’ requirements.

2GO Group President Frederic DyBuncio said: "Mober fills in the gap for 2GO being a technology platform that allows on-demand delivery service for big items."

Meanwhile, 2GO Logistics Chief Operating Officer Ricardo Aguas said with the new partnership, the Philippines is actually witnessing a synergy of tech and business innovations in the local logistics scene.

"This is also a strategic partnership for 2GO as we are also embracing the multiple opportunities the digital world brings," Aguas said.

Other on-demand services Mober offers include booking of home and store deliveries on the same day or advance, pet shuttle, among others that assure worry-free logistic support and service.

"We in Mober prioritize our customers all the time. We make sure our van partners are trained enough to provide convenience in delivering big items and to handle our customers' valuable items with utmost care," Ng added.

Aside from a dedicated customer support, Mober also features Transparent Pricing, GPS Tracking, SMS or Call Contact, Real-time Driver Spot, and Cargo Insurance.

ePLDT VITRO Makati Receives PCI Data Security Standard Version 3.2 Certification

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ePLDT, the industry-leading enabler of digital enterprise solutions in the Philippines, announced that its premiere VITRO Data Center in Makati City recently received the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) Version 3.2 certification, an international accreditation given to merchants and service providers who passed the security standards set by the PCI Security Standards Council in protecting cardholder data.

PCI-DSS, the global data security standard created by a consortium of international credit card companies, applies to all entities that store, process, and/or transmit cardholder data, covering technical and operational system components included in or connected to sensitive cardholder information.

Compliance with the PCI-DSS alleviates the vulnerabilities that come with the whole card-processing ecosystem which includes point-of-sale devices, wireless hotspots, transmission of cardholder data to service providers, personal computers or servers, and systems operated by service providers and acquirers that maintain relationships with merchants that accept payment cards.

 “The booming e-commerce market is fueling credit card transactions all around the world, which, at the same time, exposes risks to cardholders, banking institutions and enterprises involved in the process. Given that today’s cyber criminals are more intelligent and more sophisticated, traditional perimeter-based cyber security protocols are not enough to protect the business,” said Nerisse Ramos, ePLDT Chief Operating Officer.

She continued, “Our new certification only proves that customers can be confident in hosting their critical applications in our data center in Makati without worrying about credit card fraud and other online threats that evolve by the day.”

VITRO Makati is the second ePLDT data center to receive the PCI-DSS version 3.2 certification. Last year, VITRO Pasig was certified for version 3.1 and was recently upgraded to 3.2. The two data centers were assessed and certified based on the international standard’s established guidelines on physical space, data storage and security profiles.

The largest data center facility in the country to date, VITRO Makati has a maximum capacity of 3, 584 racks sitting on a nearly two-hectare property. It is the first data center to be awarded with the ANSI/TIA-942 Rated 3 Design Certificate, which emphasizes the redundancy design of the data centers to ensure the highest availability during unplanned maintenance and infrastructure expansion.

Furthermore, VITRO Makati is recognized by NTT Communications as Nexcenter-compliant for adopting its data center design practices and management experience. This allows clients to experience the same international standards applied on all 140 Nexcenter facilities in 84 cities of 19 countries.

VITRO Makati is operated and maintained by professionals who are guided by ISO standards such as Quality Management System (ISO 9001:2008), Business Continuity Management System (ISO 22301:2013), Information Security Management System (27001:2013), IT Services Management System (20000-1:2011), and Environmental Management System (14001:2004).

“VITRO Makati is strongly positioned to be the first financial data center in the country given its certifications, design standards, proximity to the business district and robust infrastructure,” said Jovy Hernandez, Senior Vice President and Head of PLDT Enterprise. “With the PCI-DSS certification in place, we can enable a stronger and more secure foundation for the digital enterprise in ensuring their continuous success now and in the future.”

To learn more about ePLDT and its VITRO network of data centers, please visit the website at www.epldt.com.