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Tag: Philippines

  • Globe Backs Digitalization Plans Of New Philippine Government

    Globe Backs Digitalization Plans Of New Philippine Government

    Globe Telecom has announced that it supports the digitalization plans of the Philippines’ new administration.

    One of the leading digital solutions providers, Globe stated that it is ready to collaborate with the government to provide its industry leading product line and services to improve digitalization in public offices and agencies, as well as deliver speedier and more reliable transactions to the public.

    Globe’s CEO, Ernest Cu, said in a statement, “We welcome the new administration’s goal of increasing digitalization in government for streamlined processes. This will ultimately redound to improved public service– an aspiration that Globe deeply shares with the government as we serve a customer base of 92 million people.”

    He added, “Our network and infrastructure are ready to support the government and we look forward to working closely with the new administration to achieve this shared goal.”

    Globe has so far installed 234 additional cell sites across the country as of the first quarter of 2022, pursuant to its goals of 1,700 new sites this year. And it has put up 91 new tower companies, each on air since the beginning of this year.

    The company also upgraded more than 3,500 mobile sites, and accelerated its 5G coverage by installing 380 new 5G sites, all by the end of the first quarter of this year.

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  • Cebu Pacific Resumes Sydney Flights With Its Airbus A330neo

    Cebu Pacific Resumes Sydney Flights With Its Airbus A330neo

    Another international airline has returned to Sydney, with Cebu Pacific resuming its popular flights between Sydney and Manila on July 1. Cebu Pacific had carved out a niche in Australia by offering a low-cost alternative to Qantas and Philippine Airlines before the pandemic but paused its flights in March 2020. Now the airline is back with thrice-weekly return flights.

    The return of Cebu Pacific is another step forward for Sydney Airport, which lost a lot of carriers at the pandemic’s start. Most, but not all, have returned or planned to return and the airport is keen to get as many former airlines back as possible. In 2019, the most recent year of uninterrupted flying for airlines, 776 660 people flew on the Australia – Philippines country pair, with airlines offering 3,429 nonstop flights. Cebu Pacific competed with Qantas and Philippine Airlines on the country pair, with the low-cost carrier snagging 35% of the market in terms of passenger numbers.

    Landing in Sydney on a wild and wet Saturday morning, Cebu Pacific was the last of the three carriers to resume flights between Australia and the Philippines.

    “With this route resumption, we are pleased to fly once again to and from this destination after more than two years,” said Cebu Pacific Chief Commercial Officer Xander Lao. “We know that many are excited to visit Sydney’s attractions. This route also allows Filipinos to reunite with friends and family.”

    It takes around eight and a half hours to cover the 3,879 miles (6,243 kilometers) between the two cities. The flights down to Sydney are overnight services, while flights up to Manila are civilized daytime journeys. At 23:20 every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, a Cebu Pacific Airbus A330-900 will operate flight 5J39 to Sydney (SYD), arriving at 09:50 the following day. Heading up to Manila (MNL), 5J40 will depart Sydney at 11:20 every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and touch down in Manila at 17:50 on the same day.

    While Cebu Pacific generally undercuts its competitors on this route, you’ll be on the receiving end of an authentic medium-haul low-cost flying experience. Cebu Pacific fits 436 passengers on its A330-900s in a standard 3-3-3 layout across the entire plane. This is an impressive number of passengers, but there won’t be much room to move during your eight-plus hours in the air. Baggage, seat selection, and meals are all add-ons.

    Cebu Pacific’s return to Australia coincides with that country dropping the last of its COVID-related travel restrictions. The longstanding policy of checking vaccination certificates and current status before boarding an Australia-bound flight ends this week. Australia is also axing its previously compulsory but deeply flawed digital passenger declaration app in favor of returning to the low-tech but infinitely preferable hard copy arrival declaration. It marks a return to pre-pandemic arrival processes in Australia.

    Meanwhile, the Philippines is open to all fully vaccinated international tourists as they can present proof of complete COVID-19 vaccination and at least one booster shot. However, there do remain some domestic travel restrictions and guidelines imposed by the national and local governments to help control the spread of COVID-19 within the Philippines.

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  • PLDT, Smart Lauds Government’s New Cybercrime Lab

    PLDT, Smart Lauds Government’s New Cybercrime Lab

    Philippines’ major telecoms group, Smart and PLDT said it welcomes the country’s new Digital Forensics Platform and Laboratory launched by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, or ICC.

    The new facility aims to improve the government’s initiatives to fight cybercrime, especially, online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

    Following the unveiling of this new laboratory, the group said that it has strengthened its cyber security systems as it continues its cooperation with the local government in fighting across the digital landscape.

    The new facility will help CICC to work closely with other law enforcement agencies in the country to conduct comprehensive digital and forensic investigations.

    The group’s Chief Information Security Officer, Angel Redoble, meanwhile stressed that they will continue to address these challenges in the cyberspace.

    “Children became more vulnerable to cyberattacks after the pandemic forced them to stay at home and get online to study and connect with friends, and cyber criminals have also been targeting them. We have fortified our cyber defenses and strengthened our coordination with the government to make the internet safer for kids.”

    According to PLDT and Smart, they have beefed up their efforts to support the government in its crackdown on online child abuse. By the end of May this year, it has blocked nearly 300,000 URLs linked to these criminal activities.

    The group has also collaborated with other private and public sectors in urging the country’s president to sign into to law the bill against online child sexual abuse before he steps down from office on June 30.

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  • ZTE and IPMA partner for innovative project management in Philippines

    ZTE and IPMA partner for innovative project management in Philippines

    ZTE has signed an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) on strategic cooperation with International Project Management Association (IPMA) Philippines in Manila. The strategic cooperation between IPMA Philippines and ZTE Philippines further recognizes ZTE’s mature corporate project management capability.

    This is ZTE’s first overseas IPMA corporate membership, and the company has become a corporate member simultaneously certificated by IPMA International and IPMA Philippines.

    IPMA is a non-profit international academic organization, with commitment to promoting professional development of international project management. IPMA, PMP and PRINCE2, are known as the three major international project management organizations. IPMA’s membership certification is widely recognized, representing the highest-level certification of project management across the globe.

    At the ceremony, IPMA Philippines and ZTE Philippines principally agreed on joint development and win-win collaboration. IPMA will invite ZTE to deeply participate in industry symposiums, industry forums and professional training meetings, as well as joint application for telecommunications-related awards and reviews of outstanding project management cases. In return, ZTE will give its priority to the interviewees who have passed the IPMA certification.

    “With the development of its business in the Philippines for more than 15 years, ZTE has extensive experience in project management and project delivery,” said Jin Zhichao, General Manager of ZTE Philippines. “ZTE is keen to explore and learn excellent experience and effective management approaches from different industries or IPMA corporate members, further improving the level of ZTE’s project management and corporate competitiveness. At the same time, we are willing to share our own experience with them.”

    “I am looking forward to the cooperation between the two parties. IPMA has been developing project management competencies for years, and regularly organized various symposiums and forums every year,” said Prof. Mariano Roque Senga, Chairman of IPMA Philippines. “I hope ZTE, as a leading enterprise in the field of telecommunication engineering, can participate in exploration and in-depth cooperation with other corporate members on project management approach.”

  • Ex Grab exec launches Philippine grocery-delivery startup Supah

    Ex Grab exec launches Philippine grocery-delivery startup Supah

    Social commerce startup SariSuki has introduced a new rapid grocery delivery service called Supah that delivers groceries across select parts of Metro Manila.

    During a media round table in Pasig City on Wednesday, SariSuki Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Brian P. Cu said that Supah offers a delivery service for grocery items such as snacks, condiments, beverages, fresh produce, and dry and frozen goods within 15 minutes.

    Supah’s delivery services are currently available in Makati City, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, Pasig City, Mandaluyong City, San Juan City, Binondo district in City of Manila, and both New Manila and Timog areas of Quezon City.

    “Our business puts tremendous value on our customers’ time and needs. We see doing the grocery as effortless, time-saving and economical, while still making it possible to attend to other things. Thanks to our efficient ecosystem of suppliers, vendors and riders, we are able to fulfill this commitment without a delivery fee,” Mr. Cu said.

    Supah currently has eight “dark stores” where the goods are stored, and over 100 riders that cater close to 5 million people, and categorizes under quick commerce.

    Mr. Cu, a former president of Grab Philippines, said that Supah has been “quietly tested” since March over certain areas and has garnered a positive response, adding that the company raised around $11 million last year to fund the new venture.

    “When we first started it, no one thinks they need 15 groceries until they get groceries in 15 minutes, sometimes even a little bit less. The goal of Supah is [to] help reduce the time used up by today’s busy consumers in going to the supermarket, and in spending time away from the other activities that they can use with the time that they have,” Mr. Cu said.

    Lance Y. Gokongwei, JG Summit Holdings, Inc. president and chief executive, said that the company can help Supah by making products from its Universal Robina Corp. (URC) more accessible.

    JG Summit’s corporate venture capital, JG Digital Equity Ventures (JGDEV), is an investor in SariSuki. Mr. Gokongwei is also a board director of SariSuki.

    “I think my role really is to advise and provide some experience that I can share. As far as the JG Summit resource, of course, our ecosystem, we want to help as much as possible in terms of making products, for instance, from URC as accessible as possible to the company,” Mr. Gokongwei said.

    “Supah offers great potential as it tries to address the consumers’ evolving needs in grocery shopping by finding the optimal balance among several critical factors like speed, assortment, value, and convenience. This innovative technology will help shape the future of grocery shopping in the country,” he added.

    Moving forward, Mr. Cu said that the company seeks to expand, saying that 40 dark stores is enough to cover the entirety of Metro Manila.

    “We’re looking at expansion. But we want to prove (there’s) enough demand in the existing stores that we have now before we start investing in expansion,” Mr. Cu said.

    “To cover the entire Metro Manila in 15 minutes, we need to have 40 dark stores. But we’re not saying that we’re going to go to 40 next year,” he added.

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  • Chinese hot pot chain Haidilao to launch in the Philippines

    Chinese hot pot chain Haidilao to launch in the Philippines

    Haidilao, the largest hot pot restaurant chain in China, will open its first store in the Philippines next month, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Friday.

    The DTI said Haidilao International Holding Ltd. would continue to open more restaurants within the year, creating at least 400 jobs. The DTI has yet to divulge further details, such as the number of stores and locations of Haidilao.

    According to the agency, the expansion plans of Haidilao in the Philippines took two years.

    The Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Hong Kong (PTIC-HK) and the restaurant chain owner started discussions on the latter’s plan in the first half of 2020.

    PTIC in Hong Kong and Guangzhou both assisted Haidilao to open its first branch in the country.

    In a virtual meeting with the Board of Investments (BOI) last month, Haidilao executives discussed the details of their operations here.

    “The intention of Haidilao is to present a superior dining experience and offer quality food for Filipinos at a reasonable price. In addition, Haidilao intends to fuse the Filipino taste into its menu and integrate Filipino core values in its service,” the DTI said in a statement.

    Haidilao was founded in 1994 in Sichuan, which is known for its extremely spicy food, particularly hot pot.

    The company now has over 1,000 restaurants in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, and Japan among others.

  • Cebu Pacific to resume flights to Bali, Hanoi, Sydney

    Cebu Pacific to resume flights to Bali, Hanoi, Sydney

    Budget carrier Cebu Pacific recently announced that it is resuming to key international destinations in a bid to boost its frequencies in overseas routes.

    As more countries ease travel restrictions, the airline said it is resuming flights to Bali, Indonesia; Hanoi, Vietnam and Sydney, Australia to bring the number of its international destinations to 16 by the end of June.

    The carrier said it plans to operate weekly flights on the Manila-Hanoi-Manila and Manila-Bali-Manila routes next month.

    In June, it intends to operate thrice weekly flights to and from Sydney.

    From January to April, Cebu Pacific restarted flights to six international routes namely Bangkok, Thailand; Fukuoka, Japan; Jakarta, Indonesia; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Hong Kong and Ho Chi Minh also in Vietnam.

    It is also currently operating flights to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Singapore; Seoul (Incheon), Korea; Nagoya and Tokyo (Narita), Osaka, Japan and Guangzhou, China.

    Below appears the flight frequencies of the overseas routes:

    Route Frequency
    Manila – Bangkok – Manila Every Tue / Thu / Sat
    Manila – Dubai – Manila Daily
    Manila – Fukuoka – Manila Every Tue
    Manila – Guangzhou – Manila Every Tue
    Manila – Ho Chi Minh Every Tue
    Ho Chi Minh – Manila Every Wed
    Manila – Hong Kong – Manila Daily
    Manila – Jakarta Every Fri
    Jakarta – Manila Every Sat
    Manila – Kuala Lumpur Every Mon
    Kuala Lumpur – Manila Every Tue
    Manila – Nagoya – Manila Every Tue / Thu / Sat / Sun
    Manila – Osaka – Manila Every Mon / Fri
    Manila – Seoul (Incheon) – Manila Every Thu / Sat
    Manila – Singapore – Manila Daily
    Manila – Tokyo (Narita) – Manila Every Mon / Wed / Fri / Sun
    Manila – Bali – Manila Every Mon / Fri (starting May 2)
    Manila – Hanoi – Manila Every Mon / Fri (starting May 2)
    Manila – Sydney Every Mon / Wed / Fri (starting June 1)
    Sydney – Manila Every Tue / Thu / Sat (starting June 2)

    Early this month, the country started accepting fully vaccinated foreign leisure travelers with the most relaxed entry protocols, including quarantine-free entry. The country also allowed visitors to freely travel to reopened destinations around the country.

    Cebu Pacific’s chief commercial officer Xander Lao said the airline supports the Department of Tourism’s initiatives to restore tourism.

    They invited Filipino and foreign tourists to visit the country.

    “We invite Filipinos and foreign visitors to plan their travels to the Philippines and explore its beauty, or simply visit family and friends. We look forward to welcoming everyone onboard,” Lao said in a press conference at the World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit in Pasay City last Thursday.

    The carrier is offering flights to 34 domestic destinations which tourists may also visit. It resumed more direct local flights from major hubs Cebu and Davao, as it restored 100% of its pre-pandemic domestic capacity this month.

    “We are happy to keep enabling everyJuan to safely fly across our largest Philippine network. We are hopeful we can continue contributing to the economic and tourism agenda in and out of the Philippines,” Lao said.

    The budget carrier said it would continue to offer low fares to help the COVID-19 pandemic-hit travel and tourism industry recover while maintaining the implementation of health and safety protocols.

    The airline said it employs 100% fully vaccinated crew with 90% of them already boosted.

    Meanwhile, Lao also congratulated the DOT for hosting the 21st edition of the WTTC Global Summit. It was staged at the Marriott Hotel in Pasay City from April 20 to 22, 2022.

    WTTC also commended the country for hosting the tourism event that signified the recovery of international travel.

  • Priceline Pharmacy launches health insurance

    Priceline Pharmacy launches health insurance

    Priceline Pharmacy has launched a unique health insurance brand and products in partnership with health fund nib.

    The launch of the health insurance products sees Priceline Pharmacy become the first pharmacy retailer to offer this to its customers.

    The cover includes all the stuff people would typically expect with private health insurance but the real benefits are the Priceline perks thrown in for good measure.

    “Priceline has operated as a health and beauty destination for over 40 years. We are constantly looking to provide products and services that our customers want and Priceline Health Insurance now provides an extension of our brand’s trusted pharmacy offer,” General Manager, Priceline Pharmacy, Andrew Vidler said.

    “There is no other health insurance product like this: from $5 vouchers, which accrue with every $50 purchase (and I can tell you they add up quickly!) to offering annual flu vaccinations through more than 370 Priceline Pharmacies around Australia.

    “It’s important to us that our Franchisees who operate these local pharmacies in their communities will also see these new health insurance customers in their stores and create even more loyal Sister Club members for our brand,” he said. 

    Priceline says the pharmacy brand is leveraging the power of its Sister Club program. Specifically, Priceline health insurance members will receive Sister Club bonus points for every $1 spent on the premium and a $5 voucher for every $50 spent in Priceline and Priceline Pharmacy stores.

    Additionally, Priceline says that health insurance members will also be bumped up to automatic ‘Pink Diamond’ status, which is the highest status a Sister Club member can attain. This comes with numerous benefits including more $5 vouchers and gifts for birthdays and Christmas.

    Additionally, every health insurance customer will reportedly receive an annual flu vaccine at Priceline Pharmacy.

    nib’s Chief Executive Australian residents’ health insurance, Ed Close said the launch of Priceline health insurance presented a unique and exciting opportunity, particularly for the more than seven million Sister Club members.

    “As one of Australia’s largest loyalty programs, Sister Club members will benefit from a bespoke range of best-in-class health insurance products, but with the bonus of Sister Club points on joining and when they pay their premium, making sure they get ongoing value from simply being a Priceline health member,” Mr Close said.

    “In addition, we will be able to use Priceline’s national pharmacy network and digital assets to provide an enhanced service offering as well as ongoing customer benefits.”

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  • Cebu Pacific, STB renew partnership

    Cebu Pacific, STB renew partnership

    Cebu Pacific (CEB) has renewed its partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), which will facilitate the travel of Filipinos to the Lion City.

    Singapore recently reopened its borders for all fully vaccinated Filipinos, making it easier for tourists to enjoy a convenient, quarantine-free vacation. Since April 1, 2022, vaccinated travelers to Singapore enjoy a simplified travel process, requiring only proof of vaccination, a pre-departure Covid-19 test, and an online Singapore Arrival Card.

    “STB is excited to collaborate with CEB and would like to thank them for this opportunity to bring more visitors from the Philippines to Singapore. Through this partnership, Filipino travelers can look forward to attractive promotions and campaigns to warmly welcome them back to Singapore,” said Juliana Kua, Assistant Chief Executive for International Group, Singapore Tourism Board.

    “We are very happy to firm up our collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board following the easing of travel restrictions in and out the Philippines. We believe this partnership is very timely as it’ll surely contribute to the recovery of both the industry, as well as our respective countries,” said Candice Iyog, Vice President for Marketing and Customer Experience at Cebu Pacific.

    Meanwhile, CEB has achieved a 7-star safety rating from airlineratings.com for its Covid-19 compliance. It continues to implement a multi-layered approach to safety as it endeavors to restore the public’s trust and confidence in air travel.

  • ZTE partners with Converge ICT to deliver XGS-PON services in the Philippines

    ZTE partners with Converge ICT to deliver XGS-PON services in the Philippines

    ZTE, together with Converge ICT, is about to launch commercial 10-Gigabit-capable symmetric passive optical network (XGS-PON) infrastructure in South Luzon and the Visayas in the Philippines by May 2022.

    Converge is the first operator to provide residential XGS-PON services in the Philippines. ZTE will cooperate with Converge to expand the commercial range of XGS-PON in the coming years, effectively boosting the evolution of the local network. Currently, ZTE ranks first globally in terms of market share in the customer premises equipment (CPE) segment, according to IHS.

    In this XGS-PON project, Converge selected ZTE to further strengthen their cooperation. ZTE employs multiple XGS-PON devices with ultra-high bandwidth, such as F8648P and Flex PON technologies, for a smooth evolution from GPON to XGS-PON.

    In addition, ZTE has begun its tests on its WiFi 6 ONT and Mesh WiFi products and will provide high-quality and comprehensive XGS PON solutions and products. ZTE’s ONT has a 10 GE downlink port to satisfy users’ high-speed access requirements.

    “In the future, we will continue to work with ZTE to build a stable and efficient network in the Philippines,” said Ronald G. Brusola, chief technology officer at Converge. “The next few years will be a window period for 10GPON development. We hope to work with ZTE to build a fixed broadband network that everyone can afford.”

    “With our 10GPON connectivity up and running, we expect faster and greater things for businesses that utilize this technology,” Jesus Romero, chief operations officer at Converge said. “With our continued partnership with ZTE, we are confident in providing our clients that competitive advantage.”

    “Converge and ZTE have maintained a good long-term partnership. ZTE has been providing Converge with stable and high-speed broadband access products and services. With 20 years of experience in the multimedia field, ZTE has built a professional R&D team of nearly 1,000 engineers,” said Wan Min, managing director of the ZTE Philippines. “With engineering delivery experts across the globe and rich experience in industrial cooperation, ZTE will continue to focus on technological evolution and service innovation in the big video sector, helping Converge develop ultra-high definition video services and set an excellent example for operators in Southeast Asia.”

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  • AirAsia adds more domestic flights as demand surges

    AirAsia adds more domestic flights as demand surges

    Beginning April 1, AirAsia Philippines is adding more weekly flights to the country’s top tourist destinations, including Boracay, Puerto Princesa and Cebu, after seeing a recent surge in bookings.

    The low-cost airline, in a statement on Friday, said that it will increase by at least ten times the weekly flight frequencies to Kalibo, Boracay, Iloilo, Tacloban, Panglao, Puerto Princesa, Bacolod, Davao and Cebu next month in anticipation of foreign arrivals amid the easing of mobility restrictions.

    “The influx of foreign tourists into the country will definitely signify the strong recovery of the Philippine aviation industry. Our guests’ eagerness to travel has already manifested with the increase in AirAsia’s forward booking from 30 to 60 days,” AirAsia Philippines spokesperson Steve Dailisan said.

    As of March 18, Dailisan said they are “seeing a 97-percent increase in seats sold for travel in the month of April alone, with Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, Kalibo and Puerto Princesa on the top spots of the most booked destinations.”

    For fully vaccinated foreign visitors, the airline said that vaccination cards are the only entry requirement.

    By April 8, AirAsia will add Dumaguete City, which is the gateway to Negros Oriental, every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday in its route network.

    Manila-Roxas flights, meanwhile, will be available beginning June 16.

    The airline also offers an add-on comprehensive travel insurance plan for as low as P230 for foreign and local travelers as an “added layer of safety and protection.”

    AirAsia Philippines is ramping up its vaccination efforts with 85 percent of its workforce having received COVID-19 booster shots.

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  • Jollibee to enter Scotland

    Jollibee to enter Scotland

    International fast-food chain Jollibee has announced that it will open its first Scottish restaurant in Edinburgh and its second store in Glasgow.

    The company will open its Edinburgh store next Thursday in Princes Street with the second store opening a month later in Glasgow.

    The restaurant will serve halal meat to cater to all communities in both cities. In the last 18 months, overall UK sales rose by 417%.

    Jollibee was originally founded in 1978 and has more than 1,500 stores across 17 countries, including the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, UAE, and the UK in England and Wales.

    The first Jollibee in the UK opened in London in 2018 and has since added another eight locations to the map including Cardiff, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, and Leicester Square in London’s West End.

    Ernesto Tanmantiong, chief executive at Jollibee Group, said: “This is an important moment for us as we introduce Jollibee to Scotland with not one, but two restaurants launching within a month, showing our commitment to expand in Europe.

    “We are looking forward to serving our Scottish customer’s delicious food in a joyful restaurant experience. We know there are many in Scotland who have waited a long time for Jollibee to arrive and we’re excited to see the local communities experience Jollibee for the first time.”

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  • Filipino retailer plans IPO debut next month to expand footprint

    Filipino retailer plans IPO debut next month to expand footprint

    Balai Ni Fruitas, which operates a chain of bakeries and juice shops, is planning a P309.38-million initial public offering (IPO) next month to fund its expansion plans and for potential acquisitions.

    According to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the subsidiary of Fruitas Holdings, Inc. filed its registration statement on Feb. 17.

    Balai will be offering as much as 325 million primary common shares. Meanwhile, its parent firm, Fruitas Holdings, will be selling 50 million secondary common shares, along with an overallotment option of up to 37.5 million common shares.

    IPO shares will be priced up to 75 centavos apiece. According to its prospectus dated Dec. 27, 2021, the final price will be set on March 7.

    “The Company will not receive any proceeds from the offer of the secondary shares and option shares,” Balai said.

    Balai may raise up to P243.8 million in gross proceeds from the sale of 325 million primary common shares. The company may net up to P220.4 million from its IPO.

    “The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offer for the store network expansion, commissary set-up and potential acquisition opportunities of the Company,” Balai said.

    Majority or 81.8% of its proceeds worth P180.4 million will be used for its store network expansion. The company aims to open 120 new owned stores in Metro Manila and “selected urban areas” across the country until the end of next year.

    The company owns bakery chain Balai Pandesal, Buko ni Fruitas, and Fruitas House of Desserts. Buko ni Fruitas offers fresh coconut drinks, while Fruitas House of Dessert serves fruit shakes and desserts.

    “Vast majority of the stores to be opened from 2022-2023 are anticipated to carry the Balai Pandesal brand. Moreover, the Company also expects to expand the footprint of its other existing brands and future acquisitions which will depend on, among others, market opportunities and commercial considerations,” Balai said.

    Balai plans to allocate P20 million for its plans to set up commissaries in 2022, while another P20 million will be used to acquire other baked goods brands.

    “The Company’s potential target acquisitions will be geared towards broadening its baked goods product offering and/or adding sales channels. The Company is still in the early stages of evaluating these options and there are no definitive agreements signed,” Balai said.

    In a statement in December, Fruitas Holdings President and Chief Executive Officer Lester C. Yu said it decided to take Balai public due to the “significant growth prospects of the bakery sector.”

    Balai plans to conduct its offer period from March 16 to 22, while its tentative listing date at the small, medium, and emerging board of the Philippine Stock Exchange is set on March 30. The company has yet to decide on its stock symbol.

    The company tapped First Metro Investment Corp. as the transaction’s issue manager, bookrunner, and underwriter.

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  • SpaceDC to build largest hyperscale data center in the Philippines

    SpaceDC to build largest hyperscale data center in the Philippines

    SpaceDC, a Singapore-based visionary data center provider, is working with JLL, a global real estate services firm, to build a secure, resilient, network-rich, data center called <MNL1, which will be situated in Cainta, part of Greater Manila. The green data center will be fully powered with renewable energy – wind, geothermal – and is slated to open in 2022. 

    At 43,000 square meters, MNL1 will be the largest hyperscale data center campus in the Philippines, and will deliver 72 megawatt of critical power. With an outstanding PUE of 1.3, MNL1 will also lead in terms of energy efficiency and design, to minimize carbon footprint.

    SpaceDC CEO, Darren Hawkins said, “The Philippines ranks second in terms of data center growth in Southeast Asia. With only 47 megawatts of available capacity in the country it is a dramatically underserved market. We are excited to be a first mover in a new market where we see our customers are investing heavily in.”

    “SpaceDC is in the right place at the right time to take advantage of the strong customer interest we are seeing in the Philippines. MNL1’s design is setting new standards in terms of technology, quality and operational excellence in the Philippines.” commented Ralph Davidvon, executive director, data center services for JLL, the appointed project construction manager.

  • Cebu Pacific says more domestic destinations ease travel requirements

    Cebu Pacific says more domestic destinations ease travel requirements

    Airline Cebu Pacific said a number of local destinations were open to leisure travelers and no longer required COVID tests for fully vaccinated individuals.

    In a statement, Cebu Pacific said the 19 destinations were: Bohol, Boracay, Butuan, Camiguin, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu (Cebu City and Mandaue City), Clark, Maguindanao Province, Davao, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo, Legazpi, Manila, Naga, Ozamiz, San Jose, Tacloban, and Tuguegarao.

    “This is a welcome development, and we appreciate the various local government unit’s efforts to further ease travel for everyJuan, especially for fully vaccinated individuals,” said Xander Lao, chief commercial officer at Cebu Pacific.

    “This will jumpstart the return of tourists and pave the way for the recovery of the local tourism industry, which we are also ready to support with a ramp-up in flight frequencies as needed,” he added.

    According to Cebu Pacific, LGU requirements may include vaccination certificates, vaccination cards, government-issued IDs, travel permits from S-Pass, confirmed accommodations, and registration to specific contact tracing applications.

    It noted that Butuan and Cagayan de Oro require fully vaccinated travelers to simply upload their vaccination status via S-Pass.

    For Legazpi, fully vaccinated travelers must report to their LGUs for symptoms screening and profiling. Traze app must also be downloaded.

    Clark requires travelers to present a valid ID and any travel document required by the LGU while Cebu province, Lapu-Lapu City and Davao do not require arriving fully vaccinated guests to present any travel documents for entry.

    A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose in a two-dose series, or after receiving a single-dose vaccine, Cebu Pacific said.

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