Lamudi Partners with Davao City Investment Promotion Center

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Davao City partners with top real estate marketplace Lamudi to promote real estate trends and best practices to homegrown brokers

In a bid to further strengthen its real estate industry, the local government of Davao City, through the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC), has recently partnered with top real estate website Lamudi to train Davao’s homegrown real estate brokers and to gear them up for the digitization of real estate marketing.

As going online and the effective use of technology are considered some of the best practices in real estate selling today, Lamudi will spearhead a thought-leadership session for Davao-based real estate brokers, which will detail efficient ways to reach more property-seekers via digital marketing.

Dubbed “Real Estate Is at Its Peak,” the brokers activation and seminar will happen on August 10 at the Marco Polo Hotel and will start at 8:30 am. Lamudi speakers will fly to Davao to train and impart their expertise to Davao brokers, headed by Bhavna Suresh Chathambeth, Managing Director of the Lamudi Group.

“Davao City has been in the spotlight as one of the prime centers for investment and tourism in the country today. Tourists and investors visiting Davao City are seeking for areas where they can reside during their stay in the city. With Lamudi opening its doors in Davao City, opportunities for both brokers and buying market are made easier,” said Lemuel Ortonio, Officer-in-Charge of the DCIPC.

“Now that majority of businesses are going online, DCIPC lauds Lamudi’s initiative to create a linkage between Davao City brokers and online property-seekers and shift the city’s real estate landscape in a digital platform,” Ortonio added.

“Assisting Davao real estate in going full blast online is a proud feat for Lamudi. We are making history by gradually shifting the industry from its traditional practices toward easier, faster and more convenient real time transactions,” shared Ms. Suresh.

“Doing this hand in hand with the Davao government signals that the Davao property sector is certainly looking at very bright prospects in the years ahead,” Ms. Suresh explained.



Davao Real Estate
Lamudi analyzed its onsite search data in 2016 and found that the page-views for Davao City properties averaged 48,000 per month, while the monthly average for the first six months of 2017, however, increased to 53,000. In addition, the global real estate website predicts search traffic for Davao City properties to grow 2.41 percent per month over the next 12 months.

Both local and international investors remain bullish on the high potential of Davao and Mindanao. A number of real estate developers and workspace solutions providers, who have set up offices in Davao, attested that they are receiving high renewal rates of investors particularly in office space. They also continue to welcome new investors who believe in the fast-rising economy of Davao.

Lars Wittig, Country Manager of Regus Philippines, said in a news briefing that in June 2017 alone, Regus’ Davao City branch signed up seven new clients and 48 workstations. Because of this, Davao is considered one of Regus key offices in the country as it records an 82 percent occupancy rate.

Data from the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA) also showed that the Davao Region’s economy grew 9.4 percent in 2016, from 8.2 percent in 2015. According to Ms. Suresh, this impressive GDP growth and Davao Region’s huge potential will play a vital role in the region’s already flourishing real estate industry.

Artificial Intelligence: The Next Frontier for Asian Companies

Wazzup Pilipinas!

AI is key to unlocking future corporate and economic competitiveness according to Lenovo 

The aggressive adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) by businesses in Asia continues to grow. Just last year, Frost & Sullivan predicted that the continent will soon overtake U.S. in the use of AI in the workplace. In 2016, Asia posted total AI investments close to the $200 billion mark.

Paving the way for this continued acceleration is Lenovo, the leading global technology brand. Earlier this year, Lenovo announced that it would invest $1.2 billion in AI, big data and IoT research and development over the next four years, reinforcing the company’s commitment to AI as a critical enabler for future prosperity and growth.

“AI is fast becoming an affordable and indispensable tool to solve business challenges and identify market opportunities. AI provides a company more freedom for business development and innovation as it provides content, services, and experiences in a more immersive and innovative way,” said Michael Ngan, General Manager, Lenovo Philippines.

Recent developments have made AI — the process of training a machine to learn in a way which resembles a human brain — more flexible and easier to use. A case in point is the prevalence of applications and smart assistants that can perform AI-based tasks based on user commands.

During the 3rd Lenovo Tech World Summit held recently, the company announced product concepts of smart devices, some of which include CAVA (Context Aware Virtual Assistant), a digital assistant that uses deep learning-based face recognition systems and natural language understanding technologies, and the Xiaole platform that is designed to help businesses create personalized customer interactions for the purpose of nurturing relationships.

A solution for every department

Citing a research study by Accenture which reveals that AI can boost labor productivity by up to 40 percent, Lenovo affirms that AI’s ability to fundamentally change the way how work is being done in every facet of the company, not just in IT, as the main reason for AI’s surging popularity among businesses in Asia.

With data being the currency in today’s digital age, companies can utilize AI to gather crucial customer insight for a better “humanized” customer experience. AI is enabling companies to more effectively engage their employees with a greater social presence and provide immediate responses to customer queries, all in a personalized format. AI-based chatbots are now being used to handle initial contact with customers, taking care of simple tasks and allowing human operators to handle the more complex interactions.

“AI makes it possible to quickly and effectively collect and analyze data,” Ngan explained. “At Lenovo, for example, we use crucial data provided by machine learning to better understand our customers’ views about our products as well as what features they hope to see in our future offerings. Using AI as a tool to strengthen our customer-centric approach to product development has allowed us to establish ourselves as a global leader in PC development.”

AI is not a trend that is expected to fade any time soon. The AI market is expected to top $16.06 billion by 2022, and it’s high time for companies to adapt. “An ‘intelligent workplace’ can make even the most complex of tasks easier for everyone, regardless of the industry. With AI, a company can revolutionize productivity, which in turn can lead to a better overall experience for customers and therefore having a huge advantage against competitors,” said Ngan.

‘Teen Wolf’ Star Tyler Hoechlin and More Guests Leap Into APCC 2017

Wazzup PIlipinas!

Sharpen your fangs and get your capes out, as AsiaPOP Comicon Manila 2017 (APCC Manila) unveils its next celebrity guest—no less than Hollywood actor Tyler Hoechlin—who is set to soar at APCC Manila, slated from August 25 to 27 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

Tyler Hoechlin plays tragic werewolf Derek Hale in the MTV series Teen Wolf. He also stunned audiences last year with his appearance as the iconic Superman in the CW series Supergirl.

An established performer who had been acting since he was nine, Hoechlin's first big break came when he played the timid Michael Sullivan, Jr. in the crime film Road to Perdition. This landed him several nominations and awards, as well as the role of Martin Brewer in the long-running series 7th Heaven.

The rest was history, as he made appearance after appearance in a wide variety of movies and television series: horror flicks such as 2008’s Solstice, comedies such as 2011’s Hall Pass, and appearances in the likes of CSI Miami, Lincoln Heights, My Boys, and Castle.

“It is great to have Tyler Hoechlin as one of our main talents at AsiaPOP Comicon Manila 2017 as he resonates very well with our target pop-culture Filipino fans who have loved him immensely in Teen Wolf, while he has also made an impact in the iconic character of Superman in Supergirl TV series” said Abdulla Mahmood, Director - Marketing and International Business Development, while further adding “It’s a fantastic opportunity for Tyler Hoechlin’s die-hard fans to meet and greet him in intimate session during the event in Manila”.

Hoechlin will next be seen in the global sensational series, Fifty Shades Freed, the third installment in the bestselling Fifty Shades series and stars opposite Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan.

He is slated to appear in the Peter Hutchings-directed series Departures, alongside of Asa Butterfield, Nina Dobrev, and Maisie Williams.

Also joining the fray is another veteran of the comics industry, Rodney Ramos. Having been a professional penciller and inker for more than 15 years, Ramos' skills have graced the pages of various titles across major studios Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Marvel U.K., Valiant, Acclaim, Malibu, and Continuity Comics.

His inking credits include the critically-acclaimed Transmetropolitan, Spider-Man, X-Men, Batman, Wonder Woman, and many more. 

The two join guest Ray Fisher, who plays DC’s Cyborg in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, for a weekend of unforgettably awesome experiences for fans of movies, TV, comics, music, cosplay, and everything in between!

Catch them alongside other big stars for meet-and-greet sessions, autograph signing sessions, and once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunities at APCC Manila 2017, with ticket prices and schedule to be announced soon.

For APCC Manila 2017 entry tickets, they are now available via SM Tickets website, https://smtickets.com/, or at all SM Tickets outlets, with ticket prices at PhP600 (one-day pass), PhP900 (two-day pass), and PhP1,100 (three-day pass). All these will give the ticketholder access to stage activities, performances, and the main show floor. The event is free for children aged five years and below for all days, but a valid identification is required for verification purposes before entering the show floor.

A limited edition Collector’s Pack is available at a discounted price of PhP 3,500. This special offer is available for purchase at SM Tickets online (https://smtickets.com/events/view/5868) and SM Tickets outlets while supplies last. Collector's Pack includes 1/12 Scale Iron Man “Shotgun” Collectible Figure, 1x APCC 3-Day Pass, 1x Special Edition Captain America Comic Book, and 1x APCC 2016 Tote Bag. 

 

Also available is the Ultimate Merch Bundle, priced at PhP 1,600. The bundle includes 1x APCC 3Day Pass, 1x Special Edition Captain America Comic Book, 1x APCC 2016 Tote Bag, 1x Sticker Set, 1x APCC 2017 Cotton T-Shirt (S-XL), 2x APCC Lanyards, and 1x Star Wars Lanyard. This bundle is limited to 100 sets only, and is available at SM Tickets online, and at all SM Ticket outlets near you! For more information and event updates, visit www.asiapopcomicon.com/manila, or follow their official Facebook Page www.facebook.com/apccmanila, Twitter account @AsiaPOPComicon, and Instagram account @asiapopcomicon.