AirAsia is offering discounted one-way flights to several destinations in the Philippines. Cebu to Davao flights can be availed for as low as P98, while Manila flights to Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Kalibo, and Tacloban can be booked for only P288.
For as low as P317, travelers from Manila can book flights to Caticlan (Boracay), Bohol, Davao, Iloilo, General Santos and Puerto Princesa.
Cebu Pacific, the Philippines’ largest national flag carrier, has been rated 7/7 stars by global airline quality rating company AirlineRatings.com for its compliance with the safety measures against coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
With the airline’s multi-layered approach to safety, the rating company highlighted how CEB perfectly scored in its seven categories, including Covid-19 website information and instructions, social distancing while boarding, flight attendant’s personal protection equipment, compulsory wearing of face masks, modified meal service, passenger’s sanitizer kit, and deep disinfection of aircraft.
To get a Covid-19 compliance star as part of the overall safety rating, airlines must pass four of these seven criteria. These standards are based on those set out by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on regional and international safety guidelines.
CEB remains committed to prioritizing the safety of its passengers and personnel as it continues to implement enhanced bio-security preventive measures. These include daily extensive cleaning and disinfection protocols for all aircraft and facilities, antigen testing before duty for all frontliners and crew members, and contactless flight procedures.
These are all in accordance with global best practices and the highest safety standards. Aircraft are equipped with hospital-grade HEPA air filters, which make the inflight transmission of Covid-19 low or virtually non-existent.
Fans of Japanese minimalist brand Muji will be delighted to know that the retailer is planning to open its “largest” store in the Philippines — soon.
Muji announced this last night in a social media post, where it told followers to “stay tuned for more info.” It did not divulge where the new store will be located.
The pandemic has hit the retail sector in the Philippines severely, with countless brick-and-mortar stores closing inside now-empty malls. Rents in malls are expected to fall by 2%, while registered online businesses have increased to 75,876 in September from 1,753 in March. Many Filipinos now prefer to buy from e-commerce platforms Lazada and Shopee, mainly because they fear that they will get infected with the coronavirus if they venture outside their homes.
The changes taking place have prompted Muji Philippines to launch its own pick-up and delivery service in August.
The first Acer flagship store in the Philippines has finally opened its doors to consumers on January 15. It is the largest in the country to date and is located at the SM Megamall Cyberzone.
This new tech haven will house the best products from Acer and Predator brands, intricately displayed for an elevated shopping experience. It is interactive and much more customer-friendly.
A sure eye-catcher for gamers and tech enthusiasts alike, the store is divided into two sections, dedicated for Acer and Predator products. Acer sticks to its minimalistic personality and is designed with light earthy tones with a long table and shelves where the products are displayed. On the other hand, the Predator comes in a striking sleek black interior all throughout.
In observance of the existing health protocols in the country, Acer requires each customer to wear a face mask and face shield, undergo a temperature check upon entrance, and fill up a health declaration form. Appropriate social distancing will be strictly followed as well.
“We are very excited for gamers and tech enthusiasts to come and experience what the Acer flagship store has in store for them. It’s our first opening this 2021, and definitely not the last. We are optimistic that it will allow consumers to get to know our products better and eventually find the perfect device fit for their needs,” said Acer Philippines Managing Director Manuel Wong.
The event was a success, attended by executives from the ICT giant and its esteemed partners. Following the grand launch, Acer will throw in premium items to the first 10 customers who will purchase an Acer or Predator laptop. But it doesn’t stop there! Watch out for huge discounts and freebies across both brands from January 15 to 24, 2021!
Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines’ largest national carrier, continues to fly Philippine produce and goods via its direct flights to the UAE amidst the current pandemic.
In its steadfast commitment to serving the Filipinos in the UAE including in months with stern movement restrictions, CEB has conducted 12 cargo flights from the second and third half 2020 (Q2 to Q3 of 2020) for Manila to Dubai and vice versa. Prior to the onset of the global health crisis, the airline had operated in first quarter (Q1 of 2020) 75 cargo flights on the same route for the export of food commodities from the Philippines.
According to the cargo data released by CEB from January to September 2020, the UAE is one of the top global export destinations of the airline for Philippine produce. Of the total 37,405 kilograms of fruit exported to various international destinations, 29 percent or a total of 10,674 kilograms were delivered to Dubai. It ranked second to Hong Kong, where the airline delivered 55 per cent or a total of 20,641 kilograms of fruit in the same period.
The Philippine mango topped CEB’s list of most exported fruits, amounting to 27,132 kilograms. This was followed by Philippine lime or calamansi, soursop or guyabano, sapota or chico, and turnip or singkamas at 6,178 kilograms.
According to Charmaine Yalong, Commercial Attaché of Philippine Trade and Investment Centre (PTIC) of the Department of Trade and Industry, the increasing demand for Filipino food products in the UAE may be attributed to the high disposable incomes of consumers, primarily owing to the large presence of Filipinos in the country, as well as the growing proportion of Filipino brands being mainstreamed in the market.
“The continued support to Philippine exporters, through trade referrals and organization of Philippine participation in trade exhibitions and outbound business missions, contributed to the increasing presence of Philippine products in the UAE. As such, aside from gratifying the cravings of our kababayans for native Philippine products, the cosmopolitan tastes of locals and expatriates in the UAE are now being catered to as well. A wide range of these products are now available side-by-side with other products from Asia, Europe and the United States in the shelves of supermarkets here in the UAE,” Yalong said.
Yalong highlighted that during the first half of 2020, Philippine food exports to UAE has seen sustained growth. Aside from fruits, the Philippines saw an uptick trend on the export of its processed food and beverages to the UAE which accounted for a whopping US$20.86 million or AED76.61 million. Also on the list were pineapple and by-products, US$14.02 million; fresh bananas, US$12.9 million; tuna, US$3.3 million; and fresh/processed fish, US$0.59 million.
Philippine Airlines has suspended flights to and from London till the end of February 2021 as Britain battles a new coronavirus strain, said a report.
The airline said it supports all measures that seek to curb any potential increase in Covid-19 cases during the holiday season and beyond.
Passengers already in transit and those who arrived in the Philippines from the UK before December 24 will be allowed to enter the country, but they must undergo stricter quarantine and testing protocols, the report cited Presidential spokesman Harry Roque as saying.
Cebu Pacific Air said it will stop carrying foreigners coming from countries included in an expanded travel ban amid the appearance of a new coronavirus variant.
Cebu Pacific added it will allow only Filipino citizens on its flights from Hong Kong, Nagoya (Japan), Singapore and Seoul (South Korea).
“CEB will not accept foreign nationals who originated from, transited via, or visited within 14 days prior to arrival in the Philippines, any of the 20 countries specified in the IATF resolution,” Cebu Pacific said, referring to the Inter-Agency Task Force Resolution No. 91.
The IATF resolution said the ban will run from Dec. 30 this year through Jan. 15, 2021.
The countries are Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Israel, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, South Africa, Canada, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Cebu Pacific said affected passengers may avail themselves of free rebooking within 90 days, a full refund or make use of its travel fund, which is valid for two years.
The Philippines’ largest carrier, Cebu Pacific (CEB), commercially launches its Test Before Boarding (TBB) process for passengers flying from Manila, after its successful pilot run with the local government of General Santos. This process makes use of an antigen test taken just hours before the scheduled time of departure, with results released within 30 minutes.
The TBB testing facility at the NAIA Terminal 3 is now open for walk-ins from 2AM to 2PM daily. CEB passengers will only have to register onsite and pay the fee directly to CEB’s diagnostic partner, Philippine Airport Diagnostic Laboratory (PADL).
Throughout the pilot run from 3-14 December 2020, CEB tested a total of 1,143 passengers, three of whom tested positive and were not allowed to proceed with their flight. Only those who tested negative were allowed to board the aircraft. Subsequently, based on the data provided by the local government of General Santos, CEB passengers were retested after their 7-day quarantine and results were still negative, showing consistency with the earlier results of the TBB process.
“Following the successful TBB pilot, Cebu Pacific is ready to offer this option to all their passengers. We are urging everyone to take advantage of this convenient alternative, especially since the testing site is strategically located at the airport, making the whole process easy and hassle-free for our residents,” said Mayor Ronnel Rivera of General Santos City.
Apart from General Santos, the local governments of Butuan, Dipolog, and Pagadian also accept negative antigen test results as a pre-travel requirement. CEB passengers going to these destinations may also conveniently avail of the TBB beginning December 17, 2020.
As a number of local and international destinations require negative RT-PCR test results prior to entry, CEB is offering RT-PCR tests for only PHP 3,300 (approx. USD68)viaits three partner laboratories, namely PADL, Health Metrics, Inc. (HMI), and Safeguard DNA Diagnostics Inc. (SDDI).
Passengers booked on Cebu Pacific and Cebgo can easily choose and book appointments online. One will simply have to click on the “Testing Options” tab and choose from any of those in the list. From there, they will be redirected to each laboratory’s page to finalize their schedule online.
“We remain committed to making flights affordable for everyone and seeing that testing is required by a number of destinations at the moment, we have partnered with accredited laboratories that may offer affordable testing options. We look forward to the day trust and confidence in air travel have been restored, but until then, let us all work together towards that,” said Candice Iyog, CEB vice president for Marketing and Customer Experience.
Testing is just one out of the three key steps CEB strictly implements to regain passenger confidence. Other approaches include safety and sanitation, as well as track and trace. CEB continues to implement a multi-layered approach to safety and has been rated 7/7 stars by airlineratings.com for its COVID-19 compliance. Passengers are also constantly reminded to register in the Department of Transportation’s Traze App for a more efficient contact tracing process.
Philippine low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific Air is considering putting more aircraft in long-term storage, as it weighs a volatile demand environment amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The carrier has 14 aircraft in long-term storage at Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage in Alice Springs, Australia, says Alex Reyes, vice president for cargo at Cebu Pacific.
Cebu Pacific also operates Airbus A321neos. These comprise seven Airbus A321s, two A330s, four ATR72-600s, and one A320.
“We are looking to put more aircraft for long-term storage, but this is still under study given the volatility in market demand and travel restrictions,” says Reyes.
Cerium fleets data indicates that overall the airline has 30 aircraft in service and 23 in storage. It also has 56 aircraft on order from Airbus. These comprise 24 A321neos, 16 A320neos, and 16 A330-900s.
The airline’s in-service fleet comprises 12 A320s, seven A321neos, six A330-300s, and five A320neos.
“We have had positive discussions with Airbus and our engine suppliers regarding our pending orders,” says Reyes.
“The current plan is in line with our conservative forecast in the coming years, given our current situation. We will proceed as planned per our long-term vision, which includes the continuation of an orderly exit strategy of older aircraft that began before COVID-19.”
He adds that the airline continues to target sale & leaseback transactions, per its pre-pandemic plans.
Cebu Pacific has been working to restore flights after operating less than 10% of its domestic network from June to November. It is now operating 400-450 flights weekly to 28 domestic and eight international destinations.
In its third-quarter ended 30 September, Cebu Pacific and its units reported an operating loss of Ps6.7 billion ($139 million), reversing the Ps873 million quarterly operating profit it made last year.
Revenue for the period plummeted 89% to Ps2 billion, outpacing a 52% year-on-year decline in expenses. The revenue decline was led by a dramatic 97% drop in passenger revenue year on year.
Cebu Pacific Air has highlighted the bewildering array of coronavirus-related protocols as it works get passengers flying again.
In a virtual media roundtable, Cebu Pacific head of commercial Alex Reyes says travelers confront “a very complex situation” when making a decision about flying. As with many airlines, Cebu Pacific has a page listing testing and other requirements for various destinations, but it is extremely difficult to keep it fully updated.
“We try to capture all of the current regulations in place now,” he says. “It’s not perfect because the regulations are constantly changing…whether at the country level or even at the city level. They are constantly evolving and changing, as they react to the unique circumstances of their own locality.”
More often than not, he says, people still opt to buy a ticket, but there are travelers that are put off by the complexity involved in booking a flight and dealing with the correct testing protocols.
“I think the traveling public understands is that it is massively complex right now. Everyone is doing their part to try and make sure that yes, you can fly or no, you cannot fly. Or you get to fly as long as you do X, Y and Z.”
The key is making the process “clear and transparent” to travelers.
Covid-19 has hit the Philippines hard, including strict lockdowns earlier in the year that all but completely shut down air travel from mid-March to early June. According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the country has 444,164 infections, second only to Indonesia in Southeast Asia.
Nonetheless, Cebu Pacific has been working to restore flights after operating less than 10% of its domestic network from June to November. It is now operating 400-450 flights weekly to 28 domestic and eight international destinations.
It has also relaunched services to leisure locations such as Bohol, Coron, Siargao, and Boracay.
On international routes, the only service operating at normal, pre-Covid-19 capacity is Manila-Dubai, operated daily with an Airbus A330. The carrier recently increased frequencies to Nagoya and Seoul Incheon, and will restart flights to Taiwan on 18 December.
Still, the low-cost carrier derived 66% of its third-quarter revenue from cargo. It has converted an A330 for cargo work and is carrying cargo on the seats of passenger aircraft.
In addition, the airline is conducting a trial where passengers are tested at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport before flights to the southern city of General Santos. From 3 to 14 December, passengers will undergo a free antigen test prior to boarding their flight. Only passengers who test negative will be allowed to board.
“It’s an approach we’re taking to assure the traveling public and local governments that we are not transporting any asymptomatic Covid-19 patients into their city or locality,” says Reyes. “It is another layer of protection to respond to the pandemic.”
After analyzing the results of the trial, the airline will consider rolling.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Monetary Authority of Singapore have agreed to promote the adoption and implementation of policies to aggregate, store, process, and transmit data across borders for banks and non-bank financial institutions.
While the increasing use of data in financial services and the increasing use of technology to supply financial services offer a range of benefits, they also pose new and complex risks for markets and challenges for policymakers and regulators, the two sides said in a joint announcement on Monday.
Data mobility in financial services supports economic growth and the development of innovative financial services, and benefits risk management and compliance programs, by enabling stronger supervision of cross-border money laundering, terrorist financing patterns, and proliferation financing while strengthening defense against cyberattacks and allowing the regulators to manage and assess risk on a global basis, the statement noted.
The two regulators said that covered institutions should be allowed to transfer data, including personal information, across borders by electronic means to facilitate business activities, and the location where covered institutions can store and process their data should not be restricted as long as BSP and MAS have full and timely access to the data necessary to fulfill their regulatory and supervisory mandate.
CEBU Pacific (CEB) extends the coverage of its flexible booking options for passengers traveling until Dec. 31, 2020.
The Travel Fund, valid for two years, can be used to book flights up to 12 months ahead, given that transactions are done before the fund expires. This means customers can use their Travel Funds to book trips potentially until 2023.
This virtual wallet will consist of the full cost of the ticket and can even be used for purchasing ancillaries such as baggage allowance and seat blocking.
For customers with existing Travel Funds, the two-year validity will be applied retroactively.
Those who wish to postpone travel plans may opt to rebook their flights as many times as possible. A minimal fare difference may apply.
Those with canceled flights will continue to have the following options: placing the full cost of the ticket in a Travel Fund valid for two years; rebooking flights with no limit (both rebooking fee and fare difference are waived if new travel date is within 90 days); or availing of a full refund.
One simply has to go to the “Manage Booking” portal on the Cebu Pacific website. Bookings can be modified up to two hours before the flight.
Cebu Pacific said refunds to customers for flights canceled due to the COVID-19 crisis already reached P2.7 billion, with billions of pesos more to be returned.
The budget airline assured passengers their refund requests would be processed but it could take up to six months from the time of filing.
“We understand how difficult this situation is for everyone and we sincerely apologize for the delay,” Cebu Pacific said in an update to flyers this week.
The latest figure was higher by P300 million from its previous update last September. At the time, Cebu Pacific also suggested total refund request during the pandemic reached nearly P5 billion.
Cebu Pacific said it was currently processing refund requests filed in June.
Like other airlines, it was severely hit by the global health crisis while strict lockdowns grounded flights for extended periods during the summer travel season and in August.
The industry is currently operating a fraction of its pre-pandemic network as broad travel restrictions remain in place and customers defer their travel plans.
Refunds add to the financial strain at a time when airlines are struggling to generate revenues.
In its update, Cebu Pacific pointed to efforts to raise fresh capital. That includes an earlier-announced plan to raise $500 million selling shares and bonds to strengthen its balance sheet.
Local carriers will no longer have to worry about new refund filings with the passage of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act last September. While in effect, the law allows airlines to instead issue travel vouchers.
Cebu Air Inc., which operates Cebu Pacific, earlier announced a P9.1-billion loss in the first half of 2020, during which there was an almost three-month strict lockdown of major cities across the Philippines.
The loss reverses a P7.14-billion profit in the January to June period of 2019.
What’s more convenient than a convenience store? An online one, of course – delivering food, and essentials to customers’ doorsteps quickly, at the touch of a button. foodpanda, the leading delivery platform in Asia Pacific, marks a new milestone with the announcement of more than 2,500 7-Eleven stores on its app, making the leading convenient store available in Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and the Philippines.
With this partnership, foodpanda brings hundreds of 7-Eleven items including hot food, ready-to-eat insta-meals, snacks and alcohol and even pre-paid mobile phone cards into customers’ hands within an average delivery time of 20 minutes. Deliveries can be made anytime, anywhere, 24/7 via foodpanda.
In the beta phase for integration into the foodpanda “shops” feature, the number of 7-Eleven orders on foodpanda shops grew 50% month-on-month over the past six months. 7-Eleven stores on foodpanda offer over 1,000 unique items on average across the four markets.
The most convenient convenience store, powered by technology
As a pioneer in quick commerce, or q-commerce, foodpanda believes in using technology to better the lives of their customers. With 7-Eleven – a brand synonymous with convenience – on the foodpanda platform, consumers enjoy easy access to the choice and variety for their daily essentials.
In the Philippines, the largest variety available from a 7-Eleven store via foodpanda is almost 1,600 unique items. In Taiwan, consumers have a preference for post-dinner orders from 8pm to midnight, especially for snacks. We see similar trends across the other markets in Asia as foodpanda continues to provide consumers with better varieties and access to on-demand convenience.
Industry watchers like IGD have predicted growth in online grocery retail with more brick-and-mortar retailers partnering with delivery and technology companies to grow their online footprint, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is in line with the rise of the ‘convenience economy’ over the past few years, as consumers get accustomed to food and grocery deliveries. COVID-19 has accelerated this evolution and process. IGD reported that online grocery penetration is expected to remain at elevated rates post-COVID-19 as consumers stay home more. The report also predicts that consumers will continue using online deliveries when social distancing measures are lifted to save time.
As a leading platform for on-demand deliveries in the Asia Pacific region, foodpanda supports the entire delivery ecosystem to ensure that it satisfies consumers’ appetite for greater choice and convenience through its expansion plans. This partnership underscores foodpanda’s dual focus on growing its core food delivery business as well as its q-commerce offerings.
The resilience of the country’s tourism sector was put to the test as local businesses and industries had to deal with the immense challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, it also brought out the Filipino spirit of Bayanihan, sparking hope for the nation as everyJuan provided support to one another.
As an airline that strongly believes in #EveryJuanWillFlyAgain, Cebu Pacific further encourages everyJuan to step up and support the country as it gradually recovers.
The country’s leading carrier has launched its newest campaign “Juan Love – One love for the Philippines.” At a time when borders are slowly reopening, this online campaign aims to inspire everyJuan to travel again – to see the places they have missed and experience the local culture and cuisine unique to every destination.
The Juan Love campaign will not only highlight the beauty and wonders of Philippine destinations but will also capture how flying supports the people keeping the tourism industry afloat. Each flight, each tourist will help people sustain livelihoods – everyJuan for everyone.
As this campaign showcases the scenic spots, thrilling activities, and native delicacies each destination is known for, Juan Love will also shed light on all the local businesses and fellow Filipinos making all these possible.
“We are delighted that Cebu Pacific came up with this heartfelt initiative. More than rekindling the desire of Filipinos to travel once again, the Juan Love campaign also puts a spotlight on the people whose jobs and livelihoods depend on the inclusive growth brought about by tourism,” expressed Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat of the Department of Tourism.
“We are always grateful for the support, and rest assured that we will continuously collaborate with the aviation sector so we may all help our industries, and our economy, recover,” she also said.
Staying true to its commitment to provide safe, affordable, and fun-filled air travels for everyJuan, Cebu Pacific celebrates local tourism with a series of exciting Juan Love Seat Sales!
“We have been continuously working hand-in-hand with our partners in the government to help ensure the nation bounces back from this crisis. We believe as more destinations open up for tourist travel, we are able to support the small businesses and communities,” said Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific Vice President for Marketing and Customer Experience.
“With the launch of our Juan Love campaign, we hope everyJuan joins us in showing one love for the Philippines,” Iyog added.
A total of one million seats to domestic destinations will be up for grabs throughout the ‘ber’ months for the Juan Love push.