Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Invest in global ‘emerging themes’ to ‘future proof’ portfolio, says BPI AMTC




The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t entirely prove a downward trend for investors who wish to diversify their portfolios on a global scale. There are still opportunities for investing, such as in global “emerging themes,” to future-proof one’s portfolio. 

 This is according to Allen Martin Dee, Head of Investment Solutions at BPI Asset Management and Trust Corporation (BPI AMTC) in a recently held BPI AMTC webinar


“The Bull, The Bear and The Virus – The Anatomy of Resilient Investment Plans.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic will change the way consumers behave, and we're already seeing it now. This is the perfect time to future proof your portfolio by investing in emerging themes such as healthcare, technology, innovation, and sustainability,” explained Dee.

“These themes are going to do very well in the coming years and we encourage you to diversify your portfolio so that you can take advantage of this opportunity,” he added.Diversification is important because every year, there are winners and losers in the market, Dee said. “There was a time when the S&P 500, the main US index of stocks, was the best performing in the past 12 years. But there are also times when Emerging Markets did better.” He continued, “there were times when gold did better, and a year when cash was the best performing asset class. It's very difficult to pick winners, and there is a different winner almost every single year. But if you have a balanced portfolio, then you can take advantage of whoever wins in that year.” BPI AMTC also noticed that there is a common misconception on investing in global assets, as some investors think that this is riskier. But this is not always the case, said Dee. “The fact is, over a ten-year period, the numbers show that global equities gave better returns with less volatility compared to local equities. While the Philippines continued to grow at a rapid pace and obtained its investment grade credit rating along the way, other parts of the world are advancing more significantly. Dramatic progress in the varied fields of technology and healthcare spurs new innovative ideas, giving investors a glimpse of the future and a chance to participate in potentially more profitable ventures. A balance of domestic and offshore investments keeps your portfolio diversified and resilient over the long term.” Investing in the time of COVID-19 The webinar also featured Bank of the Philippine Islands and BPI AMTC Independent Director Ignacio Bunye who shared his experience as a seasoned investor. 

Bunye’s investment journey with BPI AMTC, which spans over two decades, has weathered several market declines including the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. 

To navigate investments amidst COVID-19, he shared some insights on how to build one’s savings and how to effectively invest in the long term. “As the saying goes, every threat has a corresponding opportunity. Under these extraordinary times, it is prudent for you to set aside a cash buffer to meet your basic expenses for a certain period of time and for any unforeseen circumstances. Having done this, just stay calm and stay invested. Keep your eyes wide open for the evolving risks while simultaneously looking out for investment opportunities.” Mr Bunye also emphasized the importance of working with fund managers who are better equipped to weather the turbulence in the financial markets brought by crises such as COVID-19. 

“A doctor does not operate on himself but gets another doctor to do so. But the more practical reason is the lack of time I can devote to managing the investment. It is almost impossible to have an ordinary day job and still be as in touch with the financial markets as much as a fund manager can. Because of hands-on, day-to-day interaction, a fund manager is also better positioned to make timely investment decisions.” 
The webinar was attended by over 600 clients and bank frontliners. 

BPI AMTC holds regular webinars on the financial markets, featuring its diverse pool of investment experts in the Philippines, and foreign fund managers from Hong Kong, and Singapore. To learn more about these webinars, email bpiamtcbrand@bpi.com.ph.
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BPI employees and clients raise P12.7M for disaster, pandemic facility





Photo shows (from left): BPI Head of Sales and Service Channels Angelie King, BPI Head of Corporate Affairs and BPI Foundation Executive Director Owen L. Cammayo, BPI President and CEO Cezar P. Consing, Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) President Rene “Butch” Meily, BPI Southern Metro Manila Division Head Olga Ang, and PDRF Executive Director Veronica Gabaldon.

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), through BPI Foundation recently turned over P12.7 million to the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) for the construction of a two-storey 506 square-meter safe shelter for people burdened by disasters and pandemics.
The funds came from the collaborative efforts of BPI employees, clients, and the BPI Foundation through the Bank’s fundraising initiative called #TaaLove: Sa Puso Magmumula ang Kanilang Pagbangon.

“As an institution, we are committed to continue playing a constructive and meaningful role in nation-building. We are grateful for the generosity of our dear clients and employees who took part in this initiative to help our fellow Filipinos in need,” BPI President and CEO Cezar Consing said.
Early this year, BPI called on its employees to heed the call for help by people affected by the Taal Volcano eruption. After initially raising P2.7 million from employees and a matching amount by the BPI Foundation, the program was eventually opened to the general public through the BPI branches from February 14 to March 13, 2020. An additional P10 million was raised from clients.

The multi-purpose facility was initially intended to support those severely affected by the Taal Volcano eruption and to prepare for future disasters. In light of the ongoing pandemic, the design will be modified so that it can also function as an alternative health care facility.
The facility will be built to withstand hazards in the locality and will accommodate approximately 300 people. Livelihood activities will also be held there when there are no disasters and pandemics to deal with. The construction will start in August once the ideal location is identified and the new design is approved.

To know more about BPI’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, visit:
http://www.bpifoundation.org.
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BPI: Clients adopt savings mindset, deposits grow during ECQ







The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) noted a marked reversal in customer behavior as people started saving more money in their deposit accounts. This follows a temporary increase in ATM withdrawals in the early days of the declaration of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), as people rushed to ensure that they had enough funds on hand during the lockdown.




BPI Head of Deposits Carmina Marquez noted that the impacts of the pandemic on the economy and incomes have made people more conscious about their savings and the need to have an emergency fund as seen in the increase in both its deposit volume and new deposit account openings during the height of the ECQ, a behavior that could benefit Filipinos in the long run.




“Saving enough money for a rainy day – or in this case a prolonged storm – takes discipline, but it must be done, and people are seeing that very clearly now. The pandemic made many realize the importance of building an emergency fund to tide us over unexpected circumstances that could drain one’s finances. Let this be a learning that will change the way we manage our money. One can start small and set aside 20 percent of your monthly income. This allows you to have 2.5 months’ worth of salary set aside each year. Before you know it, in five years’ time, you would have saved a years’ worth of your salary.” she said.




Ms. Marquez also said that digitalization helped increase deposit levels as the ecosystem allowed funds to be moved from one account to the other, without the money leaving the banking system. This allows for efficient utilization of funds for lending by banks to spur economic activity.




“We saw a 15% growth in deposit account openings during the ECQ, despite most of our branches being closed. Many were depositors in other banks who either completely transferred to BPI or decided to spread out their deposits among different banks,” she said, noting that most BPI branches are now open under the more relaxed general community quarantine.



She said that the preference for liquidity, combined with fewer avenues for spending given the closure of non-essential establishments, and the suspension of bills and loan payments allowed clients to keep their money in their bank accounts. BPI’s deposit volumes during the ECQ period increased by 5 percent compared to pre-ECQ levels.




“When there is more than enough liquidity in the market, deposit market rates will decline. We have also noted that depositors prefer to hold on to their cash and thus, have moved their funds from longer tenor time deposit to regular savings. Depositors have traded earning higher rates for liquidity. As the country moves into GCQ and the mandatory moratorium on bills payments and taxes are lifted, we expect deposit levels to adjust down temporarily but will most likely move back as businesses resume and preference to be liquid will remain. It would be very interesting to see how deposit levels will look after quarantine, under the new normal,” she said.




Keeping a significant amount of money saved in deposit accounts could prove to be a challenge for many Filipinos, with only 34.5% of the adult population in the Philippines having formal bank accounts. The government, through the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) plans to double the number of Filipinos with formal bank accounts (70%) by 2023 through financial inclusion programs.




Ms. Marquez said BPI has deposit products that provide clients with liquidity while allowing them to optimize their savings by giving clients additional interest earnings or insurance coverage.




“It would be a good time to re-assess and determine how we can recalibrate our finances. We encourage clients to learn about their options. We have products that allow them to earn a higher interest if they don’t withdraw from their account for at least a month such as Maxi-Saver or to be covered with a life insurance protection with our Pamana,” she said.




BPI offers free, personalized financial advisory services to all clients to help them meet their financial goals.
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Tuesday, June 30, 2020

From information to interaction, here’s how Twitter can help you in your daily life



Social media brings people together in an easier way, but more importantly, it helps people get the information they want faster and simpler through a tap of a button. It also paved the way for business growth and for people to discover more of what the world has to offer. Because of its undeniably life-changing impact, people all over the world regard June 30 as the #SocialMediaDay since 2010.

According to We Are Social and Hootsuite’s Digital 2020 report, there’s a total of 73 million active social media users in the Philippines, and people aged 16 to 64 spend an average of 3 hours and 53 minutes on social media sites daily. Social media plays a pivotal role in their daily life, so it is best to make sure their time is well spent and can also positively contribute in real life.

As the go to platform for #WhatsHappening in the world, Twitter is also one in celebrating the positive impact of social media in connecting people from all walks of life. Twitter itself is a platform that allows people to spark conversations, interact with one another, and discover what’s being talked about for the day. This #SocialMediaDay, know more on how Twitter can be your go-to platform to help you in your everyday life.


1. Stay updated with the latest news daily

With our rather busy and digital lifestyle, not all people have the luxury to sit down and read newspapers or even a whole online news article. In addition, news also comes and even changes in a flash, so it is important to get the information in real-time.

Through Twitter, people can easily discover real-time information about a topic, and even discover which topics are trending among users. Verified journalists and news outfits are using the platform and are tweeting real-time to share news through threads for developing news. You can be easily informed about #WhatsHappening just by simply following their accounts or you can also create a List to organize your news sources. For example, this Twitter list features Tweets from agencies working towards crisis and disaster relief in the Philippines.



2. Find and join active communities

As we delve into #WhatsHappening daily, we are exposed to a variety of topics and conversations that can spark our interest and allow us to learn more about it. From sports, arts to cooking and gaming, you can find and interact with people sharing your same interests on Twitter.

Start a conversation or share your talent; you are never alone on Twitter. For example, people can use the #artph to see a community of talented Filipino artists. People are also Tweeting about their cooking recipes or newfound hobbies through #QuarantineCooking and #Quaranthings. If you are into entertainment, supporting your favorite artist is always fun when you do it with your fellow fans. There are a lot of fandoms on Twitter that you can follow that share hashtags or updates about their favorite artists.





3. Get help or extend a helping hand online

Twitter is not just a place for entertainment or leisure. With complex issues that surround our everyday lives, Twitter is also taking actions to make the platform a better space for its users. For example, there was a lot of misinformation during the early stages of the pandemic. To combat this, Twitter launched a dedicated search prompt so that users can easily find reliable and authoritative information on COVID-19. With this section of collated verified accounts and trusted sources, Filipinos are provided with real-time updates on the COVID-19 situation in the country.

There was also a recent surge in gender-based violence, and because people are stuck at home, it can be difficult to spot or report such cases. To help people in its fight against the shadow pandemic, Twitter also partnered with the Philippine Commission On Women (@PCWgovph) and Women’s Care Center to launch a dedicated gender-based violence, where people can find hotlines to report such incidents. There are also dedicated notification services on mental health and suicide prevention, vaccination, and child sexual exploitation.



Social media makes it possible for people to help each other out despite the distance, so If you need or know someone who might need help, Twitter can provide easier access to helpful resources that you can share to your friends, family, or communities.


4. Explore and save something new everyday

Aside from being the place for fresh updates, people can also easily discover, follow, and even save Tweets or topics on Twitter. Whether you need tips for your work, online classes, and other Tweets that you find useful, the Explore tab conveniently houses trends on various topics. All you have to do is to visit the tab and scroll away to see the latest news and information.

Do you encounter a Tweet, but do not have time to read or react as of the moment? You can easily save and revisit that Tweet using the Bookmark feature. For example, you can save videos to watch, Threads to read later, or just simply bookmark an insightful Tweet that might come in handy next time! Here’s a user who used the Bookmark feature to save her favorite KathNiel Twitterseryes.



Here are the steps to use Bookmark feature using mobile:
From a Tweet, tap the share icon and select Add Tweet to Bookmarks.
To view your saved Tweets, tap Bookmarks from your profile icon menu.
To remove a saved bookmark, tap the share icon from the Tweet within your bookmark timeline and select Remove Tweet from bookmarks.
Additionally, you can tap the more icon at the top of your bookmark timeline to remove all of your bookmarks at once.

Being on social media can also bring productivity in our daily lives. There are plenty of ways where people can find entertaining, educational, or even-life changing information online. Most importantly, social media helps us express ourselves, so do not be afraid to spark a conversation on Twitter today!
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LBC Amps Up Digital Services for Filipino Businesses on the Move with LBC Online






Logistics and delivery services have become the lifeline for many households and businesses especially with the stringent lockdown and those who have limited access to physical shopping spaces. The growing reliance of the general population on online delivery and services inspired LBC Express, Inc. to continue to fuel Filipino businesses by providing digital solutions to online sellers as a way to move their passions and dreams.

With the steady rise of online businesses over the last few months, LBC has launched a platform dedicated to sellers in the social sphere, LBC Online. The platform fast-tracks the business transactions by giving social sellers a tracking service for their packages and flexible collection options. LBC enables sellers through its services and with this new platform, aims to help them succeed as they continue to move their businesses forward.

Miguel Angel A. Camahort, president of LBC, said, “LBC has always been the stronghold of generations of Filipinos when it comes to cargo and courier services and we are always ready to gear up for their changing needs. As we recover our normalcy and recuperate completely from the challenges that have forced us to rethink our normal, LBC will reinvent its way of moving, its service to bridge the distance between Filipino to Filipino. We start by introducing a safe, convenient way for Filipino online sellers to manage their business.”

By signing up for an LBC Online account, sellers get to pre-process transactions online and enjoy a number of benefits including their own dashboard that allows them to track and trace their deliveries, faster transaction for a smoother branch experience, and more flexibility in payment options that lets you collect your funds at your own convenience.

Shipments can also be processed online to make your branch drop-off transactions easier and more convenient. Those who need transaction reports can rely on the platform’s dashboard — simply filter your transactions by date and download your reports to save time for more important matters.

“We hope that through LBC Online, we are in a way, lifting up Filipino online sellers with a platform that helps them manage their business at the comforts of their own homes,” adds Camahort.

To sign up for LBC Online, just visit https://lbconline.lbcexpress.com/signup.



LBC introduces more digital services
As the demand for door-to-door delivery increases, the country’s leading courier is also cutting the steps of sending parcels to any point in the country with LBC Pickup, an online booking system that allows LBC staff to get the packages directly at the home of the sender.

To also minimize the need to go to-and-fro in their local branches, LBC is enabling sending remittances from home through Instant Peso Padala (IPP) Online. With IPP Online, anyone can send money through their phones and computers, and have it claimed through thousands of LBC’s physical stores or remittance partners: Cebuana Lhuillier, MLhuillier, and Palawan Pawnshop. This service is free of transaction charges until July 5, 2020.

In view of the current situation, LBC is firm in strengthening country’s collective effort to bring the local economy off the ground. Needless to say, LBC is pioneering the next wave of services needed by the modern Filipino retailer and consumer.

For more information on LBC’s newest services, visit www.lbcexpress.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/LBCExpress/.
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PLDT-Smart Foundation partners with DSWD, UP Diliman to support communities in Quezon City

In photo are, from left: DSWD Disaster Response Management Bureau Director Jam Karess Bazon, Yakan Tribe President Bidal Addang and PLDT-Smart Foundation President Esther Santos.






MANILA, Philippines, June 29, 2020 – PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF) recently turned over food pack donations to 300 families from the Yakan Tribe, a Muslim community located in Tandang Sora, Quezon City. The foundation also provided relief assistance to 600 displaced construction workers located in the University of the Philippines Diliman.

The donations were from PLDT and Smart’s Kapit Kapatid which is an employee-initiated fundraising campaign for frontliners as well as communities severely impacted by the pandemic.


In photo are the Yakan Tribe during the turn over of food pack donations.




This was done in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), University of the Philippines Office of the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development and Your 200 Pesos which is a project that aims to feed families affected by the pandemic. The Your 200 Pesos is led by TV personality and beauty queen Michele Gumabao who also joined the recent relief efforts.




“During these uncertain times, the PLDT-Smart Foundation aims to provide assurance that help and support are given to underprivileged families and communities affected by the pandemic. We hope that these simple donations will sustain them, especially during this difficult time,” said PSF President Esther Santos.

“Through this joint effort of DSWD, the PLDT-Smart Foundation, the Office of the UP Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development and Your 200 Pesos project by Ms. Michele Gumabao, we were able to reach out to those who are affected by this pandemic. DSWD is fervent in engaging public-private sector partnerships to ensure that relief goods are delivered to the affected people during this health crisis,” said Disaster Response Management Bureau Director Jam Karess Banzon.


600 displaced construction workers are given food packs by the PLDT-Smart Foundation in partnership with DSWD and UP Diliman.









The PSF has been a certified agency of the DSWD for the foundation’s regular programs, especially for disaster response and has been a registered Social Welfare Development Agency since 2014.

To know more about the efforts of the PLDT Group in beating the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit http://beta.pldt.com/covid19/.
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Monday, June 29, 2020

SAVOR THE FOOD ONCE AGAIN AT CENTURY PARK HOTEL MANILA



One of the Finest Hotels in the Metro to Reopen Its Doors for Dine-in

The COVID-19 pandemic has put everything at a standstill, including being restricted to dining options such as cooking and eating at home, takeout or delivery.   With the government’s recent approval for restaurants to open for dine-in, the long wait for all Century Park Hotel patrons and diners will be over on July 1, 2020.

The food adventure continues with the reopening of the Atrium Lounge. Families and friends can share delightful moments once again in this award-winning dining outlet over their culinary favorites from the hotel’s Café in the Park and Tsukiji Restaurant.

Explore a wide selection of Filipino dishes and international cuisines. For your seafood cravings, try our Grilled Prawns, Pan-fried Salmon Fillet and Blue Marlin Supreme which will definitely reintroduce your palate to the sumptuous and luscious taste Рthe true mark of Century Park dining experience. Reuniting with your loved ones after several months of staying home will be more heartwarming and filling when spent with our savory platters of meat such as Grilled Lamb Chops, Sirloin Steak Caf̩ de Paris and Country Crispy Chicken, among others.
Have an oishi good time with our Japanese gustatory classics from the Century Tsukiji Restaurant. Make your own bento from our scrumptious menu of appetizers, rice meals, grilled and fried dishes. Our yummy special maki and other sushi selections will also satisfy your cravings.

Food gets all the better with the hotel’s elegant setup and homey atmosphere. While reveling in our culinary pleasures, behold the magnificent view of the Grand Staircase and fountain where you can also take some selfies or ‘groufies’.

The Atrium Lounge will be open daily from 9:00AM to 6:00PM.

Prior to reopening, Century Park Hotel ensured that all diners will get to enjoy dining-in again while maintaining peace of mind.  During the months of lockdown, every corner of the property was thoroughly disinfected, adhering to our commitment to keep our guests safe based on the World Health Organization’s standards.  The hotel is more than prepared to give you a gustatory treat that is both fancy and sanitary.  Health and safety protocols such as contact tracing, social distancing and wearing of masks will also be enforced.


The tables are all set for this much-awaited day. We cannot wait to serve your orders again and witness delightful moments take shape. Come and dine at Century Park Hotel!
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