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| Maya Head of Corporate Affairs Toff Rada shared at the Financial Literacy and Digital Adoption Program for the OFW Community in Hong Kong, organized by FintechAlliance.PH in coordination with the Philippine Consulate General, how Maya can help empower Overseas Filipinos with digital savings, responsible credit tools, and financial health habits for long-term stability. (Image Source: Manila Bulletin/Maya Group) |
For many Overseas Filipinos (OFs), every remittance represents a dream for their families back home. However, building long-term financial confidence can be challenging when savings and planning take a backseat to everyday needs. To help address this, Maya, the Philippines’ #1 all-in-one fintech platform, recently joined the Financial Literacy and Digital Adoption Program for the OFW Community, organized by FintechAlliance.PH, in coordination with the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong under the leadership of Consul General Romulo Victor M. Israel Jr.
Participants learned practical ways to strengthen their financial health — from digital savings and responsible credit use to remittance management and scam prevention — all aligned with Maya’s Financial Fitness (FinFit) Program. “We want our kababayans in Hong Kong to feel that banking and payments are not an extra burden — it’s an ally in their journey. Through high engagement banking, digital savings, responsible credit tools, and clearer financial habits, we’re helping OFWs turn hard-earned income into long-term confidence and stability,” said Maya Head of Corporate Affairs Toff Rada. Held alongside the Hong Kong FinTech Festival 2025, the session highlighted how fintechs and digital banks are promoting inclusion and financial well-being for Filipinos both at home and abroad. Maya joined other FintechAlliance.PH member companies participating in this year’s Festival, reaffirming the industry’s shared commitment to empower Overseas Filipinos through innovation and education.
According to the Hong Kong government's Home Affairs Department, there were over 200,000 Filipinos recorded in the 2021 Population Census across various professions. Through FinFit, Maya aims to make digital finance more inclusive and empowering — helping OFWs manage what they earn, protect what they’ve built, and plan for a secure financial future. Maya’s initiative promotes financial health and digital adoption across diverse sectors — including teachers, MSMEs, youth, and the Overseas Filipino community — advancing its mission to make financial empowerment measurable, inclusive, and sustainable for every Filipino, wherever they are.
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BPI’s BanKo Teams Up With ACI Worldwide To Modernize Payments Infrastructure
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| (Image Source: Journal Online/BPI Direct BanKo Inc.) |
BPI Direct BanKo Inc., A Savings Bank (BanKo), the microfinance arm of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), announced that it has partnered with ACI Worldwide (ACIW), an original innovator in global payments technology, to advance its payment infrastructure. Under this partnership, BanKo will implement ACI’s issuing and acquiring platform, enabling banks, fintechs, and merchants to deliver fast, seamless omnichannel transaction processing while staying compliant with evolving regulatory standards.
ACI’s platform enables real-time transaction processing across multiple channels including ATMs, POS, and mobile while ensuring reliability and high availability. Its modular architecture provides flexibility to extend to new services and products and supports the fast rollout of new features and functions. With its open architecture and robust security features, the platform enables financial institutions to reduce costs, accelerate innovation, and deliver seamless customer experiences. Through this strategic partnership, BanKo is poised to embark on a transformative journey by capitalizing on ACI’s market-leading payment solutions. This initiative aims to replace the existing switch, thereby enhancing BanKo’s business capabilities. By aligning with customers’ evolving expectations and managing increasing transaction volumes, BanKo will leverage the core attributes of ACI’s software — specifically its speed, reliability, and scalability — that will serve as the cornerstone of this endeavor. The new platform is expected to go live by the end of Q1 of 2026, marking a significant milestone in BanKo’s digitalization efforts to enhance customer banking experience and deliver faster, more reliable payment services to millions of Filipinos nationwide.
“At BanKo, we use technology to improve the way banking works for Filipinos. By advancing digital payment solutions with our customers and communities in mind, we aim to make financial services more accessible and empowering for Filipinos nationwide. Our switching network is one of the most important touchpoints for our customers. This partnership with ACI is crucial in building a reliable, future-ready payments system,” said BanKo President Rod Mabiasen. “ACI’s technology is backed by decades of deep payment expertise, earning the trust of banks and national switches globally to power mission-critical payments at scale. With BanKo’s adoption, we’re bringing proven global technology to the Philippines that translates to greater reliability, convenience, and choice in every transaction for Filipino consumers. ACI is fully aligned with BanKo’s vision of fostering financial empowerment and together, we are strengthening the foundation for a more inclusive and innovative payment ecosystem in the Philippines,” said ACIW Senior Vice President and APAC Managing Director Leslie Choo.
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Innovative Startup Act Committee, Now Chaired By DICT, Outlines ASEAN-Aligned Plans For Philippine Startup Week 2026
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| (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/Innovative Startup Act Committee) |
Following the successful conclusion of Philippine Startup Week (PHSW) 2025, the Innovative Startup Act (ISA) Committee — now chaired by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) — has unveiled its vision for a more strategic, ASEAN-aligned PHSW 2026. This year’s PHSW saw the formal turnover of the Innovative Startup Act (ISA) Steering Committee chairmanship from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to the DICT. Together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the National Development Company (NDC), the Committee led a milestone edition themed around innovation, alliance, and national impact.
PHSW 2025 featured keynotes designed to inspire local innovators with high-potential startups pitching technology- and business-driven solutions. Filipino ingenuity was recognized through awards and showcases, while opportunities flourished across the startup expo, networking sessions with local and international enablers, and community events nationwide. The success of the country’s largest startup conference was driven by its 8 Main Conferences, 39 Community-Driven Events, and the showcase of nearly 150 startups throughout the week. Designed to strengthen the Philippines’ innovation landscape, PHSW 2025 attracted almost 2,000 participants nationwide, with the main activities held at the Philippine Innovation Hub in Marikina last November 11-14, 2025. With the Philippines set to assume the ASEAN Chairship in 2026, the ISA Committee, under DICT’s leadership, aims to elevate next year’s PHSW by aligning the country’s startup initiatives with broader ASEAN priorities in digital transformation, innovation, and regional collaboration. As the Philippines prepares to assume the ASEAN Chairship, the ISA’s goal is to ensure Philippine startups are not only thriving locally but are also equipped to scale regionally and globally. PHSW 2026 aims to continue highlighting cutting-edge innovations, but at the same time foster cross-border collaboration, and create new opportunities for startups to connect with investors, corporates, and policymakers across ASEAN and beyond.
Guided by ASEAN’s regional theme “Navigating Our Future, Together”, PHSW 2026 aims to strengthen cross-border collaboration across Southeast Asia’s innovation ecosystems by positioning the Philippines as a regional center for startup development. Building on its legacy of bringing together government agencies, industry leaders, investors, academe members, development partners, and high-growth startups, PHSW 2026 will go beyond celebration to position Philippine startups as regional and global players. The event will highlight emerging technologies, showcase world-class Filipino ventures, and provide platforms for cross-border collaboration, investor engagement, and knowledge exchange across ASEAN. It will also focus on startups driving social impact, sustainability, and digital innovation, ensuring that the Philippine startup ecosystem remains competitive, connected, and globally relevant.
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Abi Marquez And Chef Morris Danzen Catanghal Bring Filipino Flavors To The 2026 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
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| Award-winning content creator and culinary storyteller “Lumpia Queen” Abi Marquez and Filipino-Italian chef, globetrotter, and Italian TV champion Morris Danzen Catanghal (Image Source: ABS-CBN.com/NYMA Talent Management) |
Filipino cuisine steps into the international spotlight as award-winning creator and culinary storyteller Abi Marquez, known globally as the “Lumpia Queen”, joins the 2026 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival for a special one-day-only Boodle Brunch on March 28, 2026 in collaboration with South Melbourne café Nine Yards and Filipino-Italian chef, globetrotter, and Italian TV champion Morris Danzen Catanghal.
Represented by NYMA, Abi continues to elevate Filipino food on the world stage. With more than 10 million followers and international honors including Forbes 30 Under 30, James Beard, Webby Awards, and Tatler Asia Gen.T, she has become one of the Philippines’ most influential food ambassadors bringing Filipino flavors, creativity, and stories to audiences around the globe. Her participation in the 2026 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival marks a major milestone for her as it will be her first time cooking inside a professional restaurant kitchen. The Boodle Brunch offers diners a four-course communal feast that blends Filipino flavors with Australian ingredients while reimagining the tradition of boodle-style, hands-only dining. Abi brings her inventive culinary style, made widely known through her globally viral lumpia series, into a live and collaborative kitchen setting for the first time. She shared, “Cooking in a restaurant kitchen for the first time and doing it at Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is an incredibly proud moment for me as a home cook from the Philippines. This is a chance to share the joy, spirit, and creativity of Filipino food with a global audience. I am very grateful to the Nine Yards team and Chef Morris for this collaboration and excited to bring our flavors to Melbourne.”
Chef Morris, on the other hand, brings a unique culinary perspective shaped by his journey across the Philippines, Italy, and Australia. He said, “Cooking has always been my way of connecting with people. When I present the flavors I grew up with, blending them with the native ingredients I have come to love in Australia, it feels like sharing a piece of my own journey.” The exclusive Boodle Brunch features a four-course Filipino-inspired feast, a welcome drink on arrival, two limited sittings, and banana-leaf-lined tables for an authentic boodle-style dining experience. For more information, visit the official website of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.
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foodpanda Deploys Free Vending Machines, Charging Stations, And Quick Rest Stops For Holiday Commuters In The Metro
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| (Image Source: The Manila Times/foodpanda Philippines) |
Commuting in the city is already tough. Add the holiday rush, and it’s practically impossible to get around. But imagine getting an unexpected helping hand right when you need it most. This holiday season, foodpanda Philippines is playing Santa Claus for weary commuters with pink “We Gotchu Stops” across the city. If you’ve been out and about lately, you might have spotted some bright, super-helpful installations popping up in key commuter hubs around Metro Manila.
foodpanda has installed special vending machines that are giving away commuter must-haves for free. Stocked with essentials like drinking water, facial tissue, sanitizer, hand fans, and other quick-help essentials, this is a truly practical giveaway and an instant mood booster, amidst long queues and crowded terminals. The foodpanda vending machine recently popped up in One Ayala Terminal, a nonstop commuter hub in the city’s financial district. More stops are coming soon including a setup at the World Trade Center for the World Bazaar. At PITX which is another massive commuter hub, foodpanda has put up a free charging station, ensuring that travelers stay connected to their loved ones, or simply entertain themselves during those long terminal waits. For a quick pause from the holiday rush, there are also these cute Pau-Pau benches in select malls and busy holiday spots in the city such as Star City, Market Market, Circuit Makati, Greenfield Central Park, and more.
These small but thoughtful installations offer comfort exactly where holiday stress tends to build. Simple as they are, these touches offer real relief — small reminders that someone thought about what people might need in the middle of the rush. Each pink stop quietly reassures anyone passing by that foodpanda sees them, understands the chaos of the season, and most of all — they gotchu.
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Robinson’s Department Store, Funko Pop!, Mattel Celebrate Wicked: For Good With Exclusive Fan Experiences
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| (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/Robinson's Department Store/Funko Pop!) |
Robinson’s Department Store, Mattel, and Funko Pop! teamed up to launch a spellbinding retail experience that brings the world of Wicked: For Good to fans across the Philippines. Following advance screenings of the film, fans were invited to explore the Funko Pop Store on the 2nd Level of SM Mall of Asia's North Wing featuring exclusive limited-edition Wicked-themed Funko figures capturing the vibrant magic of the witches of Oz and offering a deeply shareable moment — perfect for gifting or collecting with a best friend.
Fans can also express their Wicked style with apparel from Robinson’s Department Store featuring hoodies, cardigans, sweaters, and graphic tees inspired by the film’s iconic themes. Whether posing for a best-friend fit check or simply celebrating their individuality, shoppers can show off their Wicked spirit at home or on social media. Select Robinson’s Department Stores nationwide are also equipped with special Wicked-themed displays and front-of-store takeovers, turning each visit into a vibrant, shareable moment for fans. Adding even more magic to the experience, Mattel’s product lineup at Toys 'R Us offers imaginative playsets, collectible dolls, and figures designed to bring the characters of Oz to life.
Whether expanding an existing collection or enjoying a playful bonding moment with a loved one, these pieces deliver an engaging way to relive the film’s emotional highs and whimsical charm. Together, Funko Pop!, Robinson’s Department Store and Mattel create a multi-sensory fan journey that blends fashion, play, and storytelling into one unforgettable retail celebration.
