SM, McDonald's Celebrate Family Bonding Moments Via #NationalThankYouWeek

Wazzup Pilipinas!

SM Supermalls and McDonald's level up the Thanksgiving tradition among Filipino families with the online and on-ground celebration of "National Thank You Week" last November 19 to 25.

“On the second year of our partnership with McDonald's, we continue to underscore the uniqueness of the emotional bond of Filipinos, especially when our customers make memories and redefine thanksgiving celebrations in our malls,” shares Jonjon San Agustin, SM Supermalls senior vice president for marketing.




On digital, SM and McDonald's encouraged families to share their ‘thank you moments’ for a chance to win P5,000 SM shopping money by simply taking a photo using the #NationalThankYouWeek Photo App that can be accessed via smsupermalls.com until November 25. McDonald’s also gave its customers a special treat, as a simple way of saying ‘thank you’, as all McDonald’s stores located in 47 SM malls nationwide gave a free Vanilla Sundae Cone for every purchase of a Happy Meal from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. from Thanksgiving Day itself (November 22) until November 25, Sunday.





A grand culminating activity was also mounted for families on the last day of the week-long celebration on November 25 at SM Mall of Asia, Central Atrium. For only Php180, kids and kids-at-heart experienced SM Supermalls and McDonald's Thank You Town where everyone enjoyed an array of fun activities and fun technology games.

At the Thank You Town, SM shoppers were able to sign-up for McDonald’s Stripes Run, avail of the new McCelebrations Birthday Party themes, and experience fun games and activities.

SM Supermalls is the sole Philippine finalist in this year’s World Retail Awards, held last April 19 in Madrid, Spain. SM's "National Thank You Day," an integrated live brand experience campaign in partnership with McDonald's Philippines, made it as a finalist in the ‘Best Customer Experience Initiative – Mall Owners’ category.

For more information, check out www.smsupermalls.com, and its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @smsupermalls.

PLDT and Smart Unveil Flagship Store in Makati CBD

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Left to Right: PLDT-Smart Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Eric R. Alberto, PLDT Chairman and CEO Manny V. Pangilinan, and PLDT-Smart SVP and Head for Consumer Business – Customer Development Alex O. Caeg

PLDT and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) have unveiled their converged store in the Makati Central Business District.

The PLDT-Smart Store is a one-stop digital hub and store that showcases the synergy among PLDT, Smart, and Cignal products. The store will also be a venue where PLDT and Smart can exhibit innovations and services of the future, such as 5G applications, Internet of Things, among others.

“This one-stop digital hub is a manifestation of our business transformation and aspiration to be the country’s leading and most trusted enabler of technology for all our customers. We want to deliver services and solutions that provide simply amazing experiences, which actually should improve lives -- to make lives safer, more productive, and more enjoyable,” said Eric R. Alberto, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer at PLDT and Smart.

Synergy and convergence

Located at the ground floor of the Smart Tower along Ayala Avenue, the PLDT-Smart Store offers a modern hub for the digital-savvy Filipinos who live and work in Makati City. Experience Officers are on-hand and ready to address customers’ concerns and needs.

“Our flagship stores have actually morphed into something more experiential for the customers. It is PLDT’s 90th anniversary and we’re pushing the envelope to becoming this country’s leading purveyor of digital experiences for customers. I think this store, the look and feel of this store and the attitude with which we serve our customers reflect that,” added Alberto.


Level up customer experience

The store also has digital self-service counters which allow subscribers to view and print their bills, check account details, request for repairs and other services.

Customers can also check data usage for their online needs via the broadband visualizers. These can be helpful for subscribers who are still deciding which broadband plan to get for their home or business. The store also features interactive booths that allow guests to browse the internet, play games, watch videos or listen to music inside the store.

“As the PLDT Group enters a new age of convergence, the PLDT-Smart Store will showcase the industry-leading seamless services that PLDT, Smart, and Cignal have to offer the Filipino customer whether they are home or away from home,” said Alex Caeg, SVP and Head for Consumer Business – Customer Development at PLDT and Smart.

The PLDT-Smart Store at Smart Tower is also offering exclusive deals for postpaid plans. Customers can also sign up for MVP Rewards and get instant credit, which they can use to buy items from partner stores. Subscribers can see other details when they visit www.smart.com.ph.

“Whether they reside in the exclusive villages or condominiums, or work in the buildings nearby, we want to give them the best customer experience right here in Makati CBD,” added Caeg.

From left to right: PLDT-Smart Chief Customer Experience and Data Analytics Advisor Ralph Brunner; PLDT-Smart Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Eric R. Alberto; Smart Chief Financial Officer Chaye Cabal-Revilla; PLDT and Smart Chairman and CEO Manny V. Pangilinan; PLDT-Smart Chief Technology and Information Advisor Joachim Horn; PLDT-Smart SVP and Headfor Consumer Business – Customer Development Alex O. Caeg; and PLDT-Smart FVP and Head for Consumer Marketing Andrew L. Santos

National Museum Declares Post Office Building an Important Cultural Property

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The cultural, artistic and historical significance of the historic Post Office Building has been officially recognized by the National Museum with the public declaration of the iconic building as an Important Cultural Property (ICP).

The National Museum is mandated to declare cultural properties of the Philippines as either Important Cultural Properties or National Cultural Treasures, pursuant to several laws, including Republic Act No. 4846 (Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act) as amended by Presidential Decree No. 374, Presidential Decree No. 260, Republic Act No.8492 (National Museum Act of 1998) and most recently, Republic Act No. 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009).

An Important Cultural Property (ICP) is a cultural asset that possesses “exceptional cultural, artistic and/or historical significance”. 

Postmaster General Joel Otarra said that the Philippine Postal System has a remarkable history. It was first established in Manila in 1767. The first known location of the Manila Post Office was on Escolta, next to the Estero de la Reina near Santa Cruz church.

During the American occupation, the Post Office Building was built in the 1926 as a modern colonial architecture, an example of a perfect neo-classical monument built and designed by Filipino Architect Juan Arellano and Tomas Mapua in the heart of Manila.  The building was rebuilt after World War II.

The Post Office Building has maintained its formidable and beautiful edifice.

The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) has also unveiled the Museum Ceremonial Groundbreaking Marker to officially start the construction and retrofitting of the Philippine Postal and Philatelic Museum in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA).

PHLPost aims to inspire Filipinos to protect, preserve and promote these exceptional and outstanding cultural properties by establishing a Museum that will hold nationally important historical archive of stamps and museum collections, providing visual, physical and written records of 250 years of postal heritage in the country. 

The Philippine Postal Service is celebrating its 251st founding Anniversary and the National Stamp Collecting Month (NSCM) this month.  

The event also highlights the launching of the colorful “Year of the Pig” commemorative stamps to celebrate the coming 2019 and stamp exhibit featuring rare stamps by known collectors in the country.