 |
| Puregold TikTok Shop (Image Source: Megabites/TikTok/Puregold Price Club Inc.) |
In a bid to make grocery shopping easier and more fun for digital natives, Philippine retailer Puregold is proud to announce that customers and TikTokers can now ‘add to cart’ household essentials via Puregold’s TikTok Shop. Puregold opened a shop in the wildly popular video-sharing platform TikTok, becoming the first Filipino retailer to use the popular platform’s e-commerce feature. It initially offered curated groceries to consumers, which include exclusive and affordable product bundles that range from snack packs and personal care kits to pantry essentials.
Vincent Co, President of Puregold Price Club Inc., explains the company’s latest incursion into the digital space. “Every business needs to adapt to the times in order to better serve its customers,” he says, referring to Puregold’s increasing mobile-phone-wielding customers who have become increasingly active in social media. All netizens have to do is go to the official @puregoldph TikTok account and click to the shopping tab. “Most of these netizens are followers and contributors of TikTok, source of legions of fun videos. Thus, we go where they are and give them access to what they need,” Vincent affirms. To avail of the offerings in Puregold’s TikTok Shop, netizens may follow the official @puregoldph TikTok account and click on the shopping tab. From there, customers can browse through the available items and do their shopping right on the TikTok app.
“TikTok’s suite of commerce solutions are designed to help brands maximize market engagement, reach more customers, and drive brand growth and sales directly on TikTok. Building engaging consumer experiences that make shopping exciting and entertaining has become increasingly important in building authentic connections, and we are excited to see Puregold grow their community on TikTok," said TikTok Philippines Brand Partnerships Head Paolo David. Vincent Co expressed great optimism for this newest digital initiative, saying, “We have used our TikTok account to share stories, to entertain, and to inspire. Now, we are bolstering it as another vital customer touchpoint for selling."
* * * *
BSP Greenlights Use Of GCash By Filipinos With International SIMs
 |
| (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/GCash) |
GCash, the Philippines’ no. 1 finance app can now be used abroad with international SIM cards, making the e-wallet the first and only in the country to do so. That’s after it got the approval from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to start the beta launch of GCash Overseas which allows Filipinos in Japan, Australia, and Italy to sign up for GCash even without a Philippine SIM.
“We continue to make a difference in Filipinos’ lives by making financial services easier and more accessible to our now 76 million-strong registered users. With around 10 million Filipinos living abroad, we want them to also be able to take advantage of GCash services even as they use international SIMs. As more people put their trust in GCash, we strive to remove more barriers and create a better experience for all,” said GCash President and CEO Martha Sazon. Under the beta launch, only the first 1,000 users from Japan, Australia, and Italy can access GCash with an international SIM card. Once they’re fully verified, Filipinos overseas regardless of their SIM card can begin signing up for GCash and support their families back home by sending money for free (GCash-to-GCash), paying for bills on time, and instantly buying them load credits with just a few taps on the app. The beta mode will run for a limited time only and the full launch is expected later this year.
GCash has also been doubling down on its international expansion thanks to its partnership with the global payments platform, Alipay+. Aside from GCash Overseas, it can now be used to pay in select merchants across countries like Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, and Qatar as well as top European destinations like the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy. GCash offers its users a wide variety of accessible financial products and services, such as Send Money, Buy Load, and Pay Bills. Likewise, users can explore other innovative financial services to jumpstart their journey towards their financial goals through GSave, GInsure, and GInvest.
* * * *
Shopee Partners With Quirino Province On Digitalization Training For MSMEs
 |
| (Image Source: Manila Bulletin/Shopee Philippines) |
Shopee recently conducted a workshop and guided onboarding for Quirino Province representatives to help digitize and promote the local products in the province as part of its commitment to uplift communities and boost the local economy through e-commerce. The Quirino Province online store featuring various local products of the province is set to be exclusively launched soon on Shopee.
Quirino Province Governor Dakila Carlo “Dax” Cua, who led their delegates in the training, said, “We are grateful to Shopee for providing us the knowledge and tools to help expand the reach of Quirino-made products through this platform and to make e-commerce accessible to everyone. We are excited to further this partnership to help more local entrepreneurs in the province.” Shopee Philippines Director Martin Yu said, “We are honored to partner with Governor Cua and the entire team in their efforts to boost local MSMEs in the province. We will ensure that they are fully equipped to thrive in their e-commerce journey with Shopee.”
* * * *
Global Jazz Icon Kenny G Announce PH Tour With Two Major Shows In Cebu And Manila On March 2023
 |
| (Image Source: ClickTheCity.com/JP Entertainment/Red Spade) |
World-renowned and Grammy-Award winning saxophonist Kenny G will return to the Philippines once again to serenade his Filipino audience. The global jazz icon is set to perform in two major cities in the Philippines this March 2023. He will first visit the Queen City of the South – Cebu this March 25, 2023 at the SMX Sky Hall Seaside Cebu. This will mark the first time that the jazz icon has performed in Cebu City. Promising to bring Kenny’s signature brand of jazz to the live stage, Cebuanos can expect a performance of songs that capture the ‘heart and soul’ of those beloved Jazz Standards.
Tickets for Kenny G Live in Cebu 2023 are now available via SM Tickets (www.smtickets.com). Tickets are available for Php11,260 which also includes a guaranteed chance to meet the icon after the show; Php10,130 for VIP, Php7,320 for CAT 1 and Php5,070 for CAT 2. On the other hand, the Manila show is slated to happen on March 29, 2023. More details to follow soon. Kenny G Live in Cebu is brought to you by JP Entertainment and Red Spade, organized by Jasper Entertainment Production and MakeitLive, and supported by AC Music Entertainment with special thanks to SMX Sky Hall Cebu and Nustar Resort and Casino.
Kenny G is an award-winning saxophonist, the biggest selling instrumental musician of the modern era, and one of the best-selling artists of all time. With global sales totaling more than 75-million records and 1.5 billion streams, the jazz icon has accumulated a staggering 24-award nominations throughout his almost 50-year career and has taken home a Grammy Award, American Music Award, NAACP Award, and two Soul Train Music Awards. With classic, top-selling studio albums including Duotones, Silhouette, Breathless, Miracles: The Holiday Album, Heart and Soul and Brazilian Nights, Kenny has maintained a high level of creative excellence through decades of unprecedented commercial success.
* * * *
Rakuten Viber Unlocks AI Capabilities With New Chatbot
 |
| (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/Rakuten Viber) |
Rakuten Viber, the global leader in private and secure messaging and voice-based communication, launches a new chatbot, AI Chat & Create, providing users easy access to AI text and image generators. By integrating advanced models of generative AI, such as DALL-E and Davinci, the Viber app allows users to ask the chatbot any question or test the chatbot’s creativity by designing unique images.
To utilize the latest AI tools taking the world by storm, consumers must set up a new account for each AI service they want to try. The consumer often needs to be tech-savvy with a basic understanding of AI’s workings. With an influx of interest in AI, Viber’s goal is to make AI more accessible and easy to employ for its users. Viber acts as the interface between the complex technology and the user, allowing everyone to take part in the fun without having to provide access to their email or create a separate account for each service. With just a few taps, users can transition between chatting with friends to using the bot, sharing their art, or answer a question effortlessly.
 |
| (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/Rakuten Viber) |
“Excitement about generative AI technology currently has much of the tech industry’s attention and every day more and more people are exposed to the wonders that can be achieved with this technology. However, access to some of these tools is not very simple for everyone and now, we are offering the easiest way to try out various AI services in the comfort of a Viber chat, inside the app, without the need to register to a special service or further hassle and completely free. We provide access to these industry-leading AI tools directly on the app and users can quickly share their creations or answers. Right now, the chatbot offers two options – one for images and one for text – and we’re looking continuously to expand the offering in the near future,” says Rakuten Viber CEO Ofir Eyal.
Due to organic growth, the chatbot has over 86,000 subscribers and over 250,000 viewers and is constantly growing. If you don’t know where to start, click ‘Inspire Me’ for the chatbot to share an example of its capabilities. The AI Chat & Create chatbot can be found by searching in the chat function of the Viber app or on its explore page. From there, users can subscribe to the chatbot and have unlimited access to the AI technology at their fingertips. Try it for yourself at https://vb.me/8ab600.
* * * *
Shopee Volunteers Join DENR-NCR In Mangrove Planting Activity
 |
| (Image Source: Manila Standard/Shopee Philippines) |
Recently, over 70 employees from Shopee joined the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – National Capital Region (NCR) in planting mangrove trees at Tanza Marine Tree Park, Isla Pulo, Navotas City. The Tanza Marine Tree Park is one of the mangrove enrichment sites maintained by the DENR-NCR. DENR-NCR Coastal Resource and Foreshore Management Section Chief Justin Albert De Ramos said, “On behalf of the DENR-NCR, we would like to thank Shopee for supporting our cause and actively volunteering here at Tanza Marine Tree Park. We look forward to more initiatives and collaborations like this in the future.”
Shopee Philippines Head of People Karen Perez said, “At Shopee, we are always looking for meaningful opportunities to connect our employees with causes they care deeply about. Through this initiative, we were able to play our part in preserving our natural environment with the help of Shopee volunteers. We’re thankful for their efforts, and we look forward to serving more causes within our community.” This initiative is part of Shopee Bayanihan, the company’s umbrella Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program that seeks to harness the power of technology to help communities benefit from digital transformation, wherever they are in the Philippines.
