RCBC creates first-of-its-kind ‘ePiso’ Digital Cash

Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) has partnered with eCurrency Mint Limited to launch its digital money, RCBC ePiso. A first-of-its-kind digital cash in the country, the ePiso is a digitized Philippine peso that enables secure, affordable, fast and efficient mode of mobile payment that provides consumers and businesses an innovative payment solution revolutionizing day-to-day commerce.

The creation of the Digital Secured Stored Value supply has started the transformation of our Philippine peso into a digital fiat currency. The supply creation was led by RCBC President Gil Buenaventura, Asset Management and Remedial Head John Thomas Deveras, Chief Compliance Officer Ana Luisa Lim, Digital Banking Head Margarita Lopez, Chief Technology Officer Jonathan Lumain and Controllership Head Florentino Madonza, in the presence of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Director and Head of Core Information Technology Specialist Group Melchor Plabasan, Supervision and Examination Officer-In-Charge Ma. Belinda Caraan, and Central Point of Contact Department IV Officer-In-Charge Mary Ann Cube. RCBC’s ePiso is piloted under a regulatory sandbox initiative regulatory initiative with the BSP.

Digitized peso for every Filipino
The RCBC ePiso is Philippine pesos that are securely digitized so it will not be lost, stolen or counterfeited, unlike physical bills and coins which are prone to security risks and fraud. Everyone can have their money secured easily by going to the nearest partner merchant to convert physical pesos and coins to ePiso.

The ePiso is placed in a Mobile Wallet, a smartphone app which can be downloaded through Google Play, and will soon be available through the Apple Store.

Making life convenient and comfortable
The digitization of the peso aims to help Filipinos have easier access to financial services no matter where they are. Acquiring digital cash is very easy as users only need to go to sari-sari stores and accredited partners to convert their hard cash to “ePiso” digital cash for free.

Through the mobile wallet, users can buy goods at partner retailers, pay bills, or send money to other ePiso users without the risk of theft or misplacing their money. With the mobile wallet, the ePiso is secured with password protection, on top of digital security layers, so the account owner is the only one who has access to his money. With ePiso, consumers can safely carry digital currency with them anywhere they go and have access to it anytime they want.

Digital payment solution for businesses
The RCBC ePiso model is also very flexible. It can be used for faster exchange of payments for businesses, big and small alike. RCBC ePiso can be also be used to save on disbursement, transportation, collection and sending payment costs. Essentially, the objective of RCBC is to make the business process cheaper so that goods and services can be delivered to every Filipino faster and at less cost.

The creation of the ePiso supply is a testament to RCBC’s commitment to uplift the lives of Filipinos using digital technologies so they can reap the benefits of access to financial services and enjoy a convenient and comfortable lifestyle.

Search for the Happiest Pinoy 2018 begins; P1 million grand prize at stake

The country’s largest microfinancial services company, Cebuana Lhuillier, has formally opened this year’s Search for the Happiest Pinoy. The competition celebrates the Filipinos’ indomitable spirit of resilience and positivity and gives honor and recognition to outstanding Filipinos that best represent these values.

 

“Cebuana Lhuillier has always believed that Filipinos are one of the most resilient people in the world. We have always faced life’s challenges with optimism, faith, and a can-do attitude—and we believe that this should be recognized and encouraged at all times. We have been celebrating this culture of happiness and resilience through the Search for the Happiest Pinoy since 2009,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, president and CEO of PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies.

In the 41st Annual Global End of Year Survey of Gallup International (http://www.gallup-international.com/surveys/happiness-hope-economic-optimism/), the Philippines ranked third among the happiest countries in the world. The survey revealed that Filipinos exude a positive outlook in life in spite of economic uncertainties and financial upheavals.

The 2018 Search for the Happiest Pinoy will be the most inclusive in its ten-year history since it now covers ten categories: youth, senior citizens, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), lingkod bayan, professionals, manggagawang Pinoy, entrepreneurs, employees, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community.

Cebuana Lhuillier and a panel of judges representing the academe and the business community, as well as past Happiest Pinoy winners will pick a finalist from each category. The new Happiest Pinoy will be selected from the roster of 10 category winners.

This year, the country’s happiest competition requires no third-party nomination. To join, interested individuals must first choose a category that best applies to them and answer the application form via SMS by texting their full name, birthdate, and category code to (0920) 958-2455 (Smart/Talk ‘N Text), (0917) 878-2453 (Globe/TM), or (0932) 842-8562 (Sun); via online by logging on at www.happiestpinoy/register.aspx; or dropping their application form in any of Cebuana Lhuillier’s 2,200 branches nationwide.

The grand winner of the 2018 Search for the Happiest Pinoy will take home P1 million tax-free while category winners will win P50,000 each. The winner will also join an exclusive group of Filipinos composed of 2009 Happiest Pinoy winner Winston Maxino, 2012 Happiest Pinoy winner Rommel Arellano, and 2015 Happiest Pinoy winner Richardson Navor.

For more information on the Search, visit www.happiest-pinoy.com or follow Happiest Pinoy on Facebook.

LG Home: A Home That Brings Family Together

A family, however you define it, is essential at both a personal and societal level. Families feed our souls by providing security, love and support. They’re our first introduction into navigating and nurturing relationships. Let’s face it, though; maintaining close family relations is not easy. It takes time, a lot of patience and loads of humor to create a healthy family life and to build a strong unbreakable bond between you and your children. With our busy lifestyles, it can be extra difficult to carve out the time necessary to create these bonds, but there are many ways we can use our home to facilitate this.

Home technology, for one, can be the perfect tool for families to create memories and bonding opportunities. Pundits may criticize technology as damaging to family relations but there is a flip side. Instead of being responsible for the divide within a family, technology can actually be the glue that holds it together, especially with the advancement in smart TVs and home theatre systems.

When approached thoughtfully, TV viewing can be turned into an advantage because it can generate quality time together. It may take some time, and you may have to go through a healthy debate trying to select a movie everyone will like, but there’s nothing more enjoyable than cuddling up on the sofa with snacks, a blanket and everyone you love.

TVs encourages families to laugh—or cry—together, but it can also be a tool for sparking discussion and disseminating information. In the age of streaming movies and subscription services like Netflix, parents can leverage smart TVs to educate their kids by introducing them to both local and international issues, and exposing them to documentaries and nature shows that portray various cultures and people. Watching TV with your children can open them up to a world far beyond their imagination and the communities they live in.

Watching television can also be an important tool for relaxation. In today’s busy world, parents are encouraged to slow down and unwind, and children need opportunities to take a breather as well. Cozying up together in the living room watching a laugh-out-loud comedy may just do the trick.

LG heightens the family bonding experience through its latest range of OLED TVs and Super UHD TVs. Offering the latest in audio-visual innovation, these multi-functional entertainment systems provide the ultimate cinematic TV experience at home. Whether you’re watching the latest Pixel movie with the little ones, looking up videos on the Internet with your significant other or playing a video game with your teens, LG’s OLED TV and Super UHD TVs can display any content in superior quality, setting you up for truly spectacular viewing.

LG’s best-selling OLED TV features an Alpha 9 processor that significantly improves noise reduction, allowing for more vivid pictures, improved color performance and superior color accuracy (a palette of over a billion rich colors). Just imagine the look of wonder on your kids’ faces when faced with LG OLED TVs startlingly lifelike images. Also ranked among the best performers in TVs worldwide are LG’s Super UHD TVs. Featuring Nano Cell Technology, these sets provide the most advanced LCD picture quality, greater brightness and a wide range of colors that are truer to the original image, even at wide viewing angles.

Both LG OLED and LG SUPER UHD TVs feature ThinQ, the brand’s artificial intelligence technology that enables you and your kids to voice out commands to control TV functions, search for and play content, and access information from the Internet.

We are social beings who crave a sense of belonging and connectivity. Whether you’re watching from a small screen or a massive 84-inch set, the TV may be the only common ground for many families, and—believe it or not—it’s now a better conduit for connectedness than ever before.

Experiencing first-class membership shopping at Landers Superstore

News has spread to far-flung corners of southern Metro Manila! Landers Superstore, the fastest growing membership shopping superstore in the country, has finally brought first-class membership shopping experience to the south.

Located at Daang Hari Road, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City, the new Landers Superstore Alabang West recently opened its doors to shoppers with a festive vibe, extravagant grazing table, and soulful music.

Turning the excitement up a notch was Landers Superstore president Gwen Lim, who warmly greeted Landers Superstore executives and guests with her welcome remarks. Also joining the festivity were Landers Superstore brand ambassadors Nico Bolzico and Erwan Heussaff along with celebrities Laureen Uy, Gloria Diaz and daughters Isabelle and Ava Daza, Rajo Laurel, Nix Alañon, Oyo Boy Sotto, Kristine Hermosa, and Issa Litton.

Landers Superstore Alabang West made the opening even more special with exclusive buy-one-get-one deals and huge discounts. Completing the first-class membership shopping experience were the superstore’s vast-spaced, well-lit aisles; cozy coffee shop, Doppio; comfortable diner, Landers Central; and delectable bakery, Dough & Co.

Become a Landers member now and avail of its membership promo of 50% off until April 30, which allows you to get the premium membership card for only P400. For easier membership applications, you can also apply on the website at http://landers.ph.

Larossa Exclusive Buyer’s Event

Larossa, Primehomes’ urban botanical residential development located in Capitol Hills, Quezon City is hosting an exclusive buyers’ event on February 24, 2018.

The Camia is Larossa’s very first residential tower (Phase 1) that is now completed and is ready for occupancy. This provides Condo buyers a chance to own a unit at Camia that ranges from Studio to One-Bedroom suites.

Phase 1 also features Sampaguita (Tower 2) and Magnolia (Tower 3), which are both under construction and are expected to be completed by the 3rd quarter of 2018.

Primehomes VP for Sales & Marketing, Greg Ignacio, is looking forward to the event and be able to present to the buyers an opportunity to own a home in Larossa, whether they would want a finished unit (RFO) or units in our on-going developments. This event will also give the buyers an opportunity to appreciate how Larossa is taking shape and see the construction in full-swing for themselves.”

Ignacio says that buyers this weekend will be accorded special promos such as additional discounts on top of standard offerings, and also avail of the current pricing as it is set to increase by March 1, 2018.

So come home to Larossa and enjoy living amidst an urban botanical community. Call us at 0917 111 0007 to get your exclusive invitation or visit us at www.larossa.com.ph for more information.