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Tag: Philippines

  • GreyOrange installs advanced Sorters across Asia from Saudi Arabia to the Philippines ahead of world’s busiest shopping days

    GreyOrange installs advanced Sorters across Asia from Saudi Arabia to the Philippines ahead of world’s busiest shopping days

    Robotics and warehouse automation company GreyOrange announced plans for the installation of its newest Linear Sorters in several locations across Asia; in Saudi Arabia, India and the Philippines. Equipped with advanced software, these high-speed Linear Sorters will deliver the flexibility and scalability required by retail, FMCG, e-commerce and third-party logistics(3PL) operators to manage high volumes for e-commerce and omnichannel distribution.

    These companies anticipate and have planned to cope with the high volumes over the next months for the ongoing festive season around Diwali and the world’s biggest ecommerce event – Singles Day on 11 November. Logistics operators across Asia are expecting that the surge in volumes would follow through Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales at the end of November, and through the Christmas and year-end shopping season.

    In Riyadh, a leading express courier company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has acquired the latest sortation system from GreyOrangeTM for its customised configurations; as such automation contributes immensely in improving productivity in managing parcels for distribution across the Middle East.

    One of the world’s leading FMCG companies in India, has deployed a high-end GreyOrange sortation system at its distribution center near Mumbai. The company specialises in Food, Home Care, Personal Care and Refreshment products and numerous brands. The Sorter will handle some of its categories including leading household brands. It will result in faster fulfilment and reduce turnaround times.

    Nalin Advani, CEO – Asia-Pacific, GreyOrange said, “The growth in e-commerce across Asia has taken many by surprise. With annual growth rates of 12-18% in many markets, e-commerce and third party logistics operations need Sorters that can deliver the high performance they want in terms of throughput and the versatility of a scalable and responsive supply chain.”

    Another unique sortation system has been installed in a large distribution center near Mumbai. It is mainly used as an Order Consolidation Item Sorter for fashion store retail distribution to over 1000 stores in India. This single Sorter performs double duty sorting for both its inbound load as well as consolidating the outbound load.

    In the Philippines, one of the country’s fastest growing logistics company that provides innovative solutions for e-commerce payments and deliveries, has installed a GreyOrange sortation system to handle its fast-growing volume of parcels. At this central facility in Manila, the sorter will auto-sort the parcels for 480 destinations and hubs across the Philippines.

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  • Johnnie Walker Manila pop up opens

    Johnnie Walker Manila pop up opens

    Scotch whisky brand Johnnie Walker has opened a pop-up store in Bonifacio Global City. The first Johnnie Walker pop up in the Philippines, it follows permanent Johnnie Walker Houses in cities including Singapore, Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Seoul.

    Like the Houses, the Johnnie Walker Manila pop up is designed to immerse customers in the history, provenance, and pioneering spirit of the brand, resembling part lifestyle space and part museum and showcasing the brand’s heritage.

    The Johnnie Walker Manila pop up is located at Burgos Park. Centrestage inside is a ‘highball bar’ where guests can order various Johnnie Walker vintages, blends and cocktails.

    The space doubles as an event space, hosting ‘Johnnie Weekends’ for fans of the brand and exhibitions or shows by photographers, musicians and other artists, guest appearances by celebrated cocktail specialists, and even quiz nights.

    The Johnnie Walker Manila pop up is open from 5pm to 2am on Tuesday through Saturday until October 25, before it is relocated to other locations in Metro Manila, including Greenbelt 3 from November 18 to December 28.

    A more permanent Johnnie Walker House is under consideration for Manila.

  • Specialized Bicycle opened first store in Philippines

    Specialized Bicycle opened first store in Philippines

    Bicycle brand Specialized has opened the first of three stores planned for the Philippines. The first Specialized Manila store is trading now at SM by the Bay at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.  More are planned for Quezon City and Pasig by the end of this year. More will follow in other cities from next year.

    Billed as “a bicycle brand made for riders by riders”, the 44-year-old company describes the stores as “a cyclist’s haven”.

    “We want to serve the riders where they are, and at the same time make it convenient for them to get that one-stop bike shop experience,” said Ritchie Santayana, customer development director of Gruppo Innovare Corp, the local distributor of the brand.

    Specialized makes bicycles for triathletes and sports people as well as enthusiasts of cycling as a means of maintaining fitness

    The Specialized Manila stores will stock technically advanced models including the trail bike Stumpjumper, e-mountain bikes Turbo Levo and Kenevo, the fast road bike the Venge; and the lightweight Tarmac racing bike.

  • Globe interconnects with DE-CIX

    Globe interconnects with DE-CIX

    The Philippines’ Globe Telecom has enhanced its peering capacity in Europe through a new agreement with Deutscher Commercial Internet Exchange (DE-CIX). DE-CIX is the world’s largest internet exchange point with a peak traffic of over 6.4Tbps. Globe has peered at the company in Germany via its location in Frankfurt. The carrier neutral DE-CIX exchange interconnects more than 800 member networks, and provides peering and interconnection services to over 1,500 network operators, ISPs and content providers from more than 100 countries.

    The company offers peering and interconnection services from 13 locations in India, the Middle East, Europe, and North America.

    “This initiative will further complement existing infrastructure and enable users direct access to European content. At the same time, it functions as alternate internet gateways to the Philippines from that region as the internet is two-way,” Globe CTO Gil Genio said.

    “Improvements may also be observed in reaching networks that are part of the exchanges as the set-up will avoid the traditional via US traverse.”

    He said Globe Telecom now has connections to 23 internet exchange providers worldwide.

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  • Jollibee Sets Up Shop in Manhattan

    Jollibee Sets Up Shop in Manhattan

    Philippine fast-food restaurant chain Jollibee is opening its first Manhattan location next Saturday. The Jollibee Manhattan store will be the brand’s second store in New York State, and the 37th in the US. “We are excited to finally open our doors in the heart of bustling Manhattan, which is not just a centre of business and finance, but a major cultural and entertainment hub that receives millions of visitors from around the world each year,” said Jose Minana, Jollibee Foods Corporation’s (JFC) group president for North America.

    “The diversity of the food culture and the fast pace of living here make it perfect for our new Jollibee store location.”

    Maribeth dela Cruz, VP and GM at JFC North America expects the opening to draw long lines of customers.

    Jollibee Manhattan store located at 609 8th Ave., New York, NY 10018 opens Saturday, October 27. (Photo credit: Elton Lugay (Instagram/elton_lugay))

    To celebration the store, Jollibee will award free Chickenjoy for a year to the first 40 customers in line. Exclusive Jollibee Funko Pop! figures and other Jollibee collectibles will be up for grabs, too, to mark Jollibee’s 40th anniversary.

    Jollibee operates in 20 countries, with more than 4200 stores globally. The first North America store was opened in 1998 in California.

    JFC has an 85 per cent stake in US burger chain Smashburger, and has recently entered into an agreement with Mexican fast-casual restaurant chain Tortas Frontera for expansion.

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  • Philippine Airlines to fly new A350 to Los Angeles

    Philippine Airlines to fly new A350 to Los Angeles

    Philippine Airlines’ new Airbus A350-900 is set to make a temporary appearance on the carrier’s Manila-Los Angeles route starting September 28, with the aircraft taking on one flight per week for a period of approximately one month. The short-term deployment comes as the airline prepares to permanently fly its latest aircraft on its non-stop flights to New York starting October 30.

    According to Philippine Airlines’ current schedule, the A350 will take over flights PR112 and PR113 every Friday until October 19, with its Boeing 777-300ER operating the flights on all other days. PR112 and PR113 operate four times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

    Philippine Airlines Manila-Los Angeles A350 schedule:

    Flight No. From To Departs Arrives Days
    PR112 Manila (MNL) Los Angeles (LAX) 1125 1000 Sept 28, Oct 5, 12, 19
    PR113 Los Angeles (LAX) Manila (MNL) 1230 1825+1

    The airline’s other daily flight on the route, PR102/PR103, also will continue to be flown by the 777-300ER throughout this period.

    The temporary deployment gives passengers a small window during which they can experience the aircraft when flying to the US ahead of its deployment to New York at the end of next month.

    Philippine Airlines’ A350 notably features the airline’s new long-haul business class seat product, a variant of Thompson Aero’s Vantage XL seat. Along with reclining to a fully flat position, these seats are also notably laid out in a 1-2-1 configuration that offers direct aisle access to all passengers, a benefit not offered with the airline’s 2-3-2 business class layout on board its 777-300ER.

    A total of 30 seats are offered in the business class cabin, with each offering 24 inches of width, 44 inches of pitch (legroom) when in a seated position and reclining to provide a 78-inch-long flat bed.

    Philippine Airlines took delivery of its first A350 back in July and earlier this month began flying the aircraft on its first long-haul service to London.

  • Jollibee Sets Up Shop in Manhattan, NY

    Jollibee Sets Up Shop in Manhattan, NY

    Fried chicken fans in New York City will have another option to crow about, as Philippines-based restaurant chain Jollibee will open its first location in Manhattan later this month. Of course, the menu at Jollibee doesn’t stop at its Chickenjoy, as it encompasses an eclectic range of dishes from Jolly Spaghetti topped with a sweet sauce along with pieces of ham and hot dog, to burgers, Spam sandwiches, and desserts like halo halo and Peach Mango Pie.

    For the unfamiliar, Jollibee is the largest fast food chain in the Phillipines, with more than 1,000 stores, and another 200 locations worldwide. Jollibee’s U.S. operation spans ten states and 36 locations, with the Manhattan outpost bringing that total to 37. Additionally, the chain recently cut the ribbon on two new storefronts in the Toronto area, which both saw lines around the block for their grand openings. Jollibee was even featured on Parts Unknown when Anthony Bourdain visited in Los Angeles with Roy Choi and later on his own in Manila when he referred to it as “the wackiest, jolliest place on earth.”

    “We are excited to finally open our doors in the heart of bustling Manhattan, which is not just a center of business and finance, but a major cultural and entertainment hub that receives millions of visitors from around the world each year,” Jose Miñana, Jollibee Foods Corporation’s Group President for North America, said in a statement. “The diversity of the food culture and the fast pace of living here make it perfect for our new Jollibee store location.”

    Jollibee also happens to be celebrating its 40th anniversary, which means there’s an added bonus for some lucky New Yorkers: The first 40 people in line at the opening will get free Chickenjoy for a year. Additionally, a Jollibee Funko Pop! figure and other collectibles will be available.

    New York City already has a Jollibee located in Woodside, Queens, but as most of the thinking goes in New York, you haven’t made it until you’ve made it in Manhattan.

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  • Tigerair Taiwan announces Cebu-Taipei flights with seat sale

    Tigerair Taiwan announces Cebu-Taipei flights with seat sale

    Tigerair Taiwan said it would start flying between Cebu City and Taipei on Dec. 1. Taiwan’s only low-cost carrier said it would offer a 2-day seat sale for the new route starting Monday. Tigerair will use the new Mactan-Cebu International Airport and will compete with the Philippines’ largest carrier, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia in the Cebu-Taipei route.

    “Tigerair Taiwan’s presence in Cebu shall give Filipinos more access to fun, affordable, and memorable flights to Taipei. We look forward to this development before the year ends,” said Tigerair Taiwan spokesperson Bernard Hsu.

    Tigerair flight IT537 will depart Taipei for Cebu every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. The return flight, IT538, will depart Cebu every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

  • Pretzelmaker Asia opens first store in Manila

    Pretzelmaker Asia opens first store in Manila

    Global Franchise Group has opened a new Pretzelmaker location in the Philippines, the brand’s first location in Asia. Through a master franchise agreement with Vavel Foods, Pretzelmaker’s handmade pretzel products will available at Festival Mall Alabang in Metro Manila. Vavel plans to open 14 additional Pretzelmaker locations throughout the Philippines.

    President and CEO of GFG Chris Dull said Pretzelmaker’s first location in Asia is symbolic of the popularity of pretzels and the rise of snacking internationally. “We look forward to working with Vavel to open more stores across the Philippines.”

    The store officially opened on October 1 and will be open during regular Festival Mall hours.

    Pretzelmaker Philippines GM Migo Ochoa said: “We decided to open Pretzelmaker in the Philippines because the delicious hand-rolled pretzel products far surpass the competition and we knew customers would love them. As demonstrated by the success of our Grand Opening, the community is very excited to have a Pretzelmaker at the mall and we are very happy to be providing a new twist on snacking options for busy shoppers.”

  • Philippines island Boracay reopens for test run following huge cleanup

    Philippines island Boracay reopens for test run following huge cleanup

    Boracay, one of the world’s most famous beach destinations, has reopened for a limited-numbers test run almost six months after closing for a cleanup operation to reverse the fortunes of the resort island once labeled a “cesspool” by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. The sun was out to welcome a small group of tourists from the province of Aklan, where the island is located, and other parts of Western Visayas. The group was invited to test the newly improved facilities, which include a comprehensive overhaul of the island’s outdated and insufficient sewerage.

    The resort island, which was shuttered in April for six months for rehabilitation work, is scheduled to reopen further later this month — labeled a “soft opening” by authorities. Its famous white-sand beaches were signed off in August as “very clean” and safe for swimming, according to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu. While the cleanup has left the beaches immaculate and the waters crystal clear, significant work needs to be done to get the road system up to speed before larger numbers of tourists are allowed back on the island.

    Tourists asked to manage expectations

    On Monday, Cimatu told  in a Facebook Live-broadcast panel, which featured the four secretaries who make up an inter-agency task force, that the sewerage and drainage for 68 accommodation establishments cleared to open was “100%” complete. The system overhaul cost over 1 billion pesos ($18.5 million), Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said during the discussion. While some road surfaces were not yet completed they would be “significantly finished” — 75-80% — by the wider opening on October 26, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said.

    The full rehabilitation could take up to two years, the panel said, and while Romulo-Puyat praised reform efforts she said tourists should “manage expectations” during this period. Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año told Coren and Webb that almost 200 illegal structures had been demolished, many voluntarily and by their owners.

    Strict laws

    The new-look Boracay will be subject to rigorously enforced by-laws, the panel said, including limits to combustion engine transport, a ban on single-use plastics and offshore zones for watersports, providing a 100-meter (328-feet) swimming area from shore. Deckchairs and tables, as well as beachside entrepreneurs like masseuses and snack and drink vendors, will be banned from the beach, as will the famous fire dancers, who will have to make do with LED lights instead of the kerosene-soaked torches they used before the shutdown.

    The island should be a model of sustainable tourism, Romulo-Puyat said, and the panel stated that following the overhaul the famous island could regain its crown as one of the world’s best beach resorts.

    “We can make Boracay one of the most prestigious tourist destinations in the world,” Año said. Romulo-Puyat added that “when (the rehabilitation) is all done,” Duterte will visit the island, perhaps next year.<

    Economy needs a kickstart

    The island’s residents have been eagerly awaiting the return of the tourists and were thrilled to welcome the advance party — the last six months have been a struggle for many, especially the large numbers who rely on tourism for their livelihoods.

    During the cleanup operation, many of the 11,000 residents participated in the government’s “cash for work” program, which paid a daily minimum wage of 323 pesos ($6). In August, Lilibeth Panganiban, who sells rice cakes on a street corner, told that she’s seen her daily income drop from 1,800 pesos to 500 pesos, or even less.

    Overdue cleanup

    The archipelago nation of the Philippines boasts well over 7,000 islands. Among them, Boracay had become almost a byword for white-sand beach paradise.

    But with the influx of tourists that began in the 1980s, the island has struggled to maintain its idyllic allure. Last year almost 1.7 million tourists, including a significant number of cruise line passengers, visited the island during a 10-month period, according to the governmental Philippines Information Agency. Among the problems caused by the island’s long-running tourism boom were unregulated development, and pipes carrying raw effluence directly into the sea.

    In a survey of the island’s sewerage facilities prior to the closure, the vast majority — 716 of 834 — of residential and business properties were found to have no discharge permit and were presumed to be draining waste water directly into the sea, according to a report by the official Philippines News Agency.

    In February Duterte directly called out the alleged mismanagement of the island, accusing those responsible of turning it into a “cesspool.”

    “As long as there is shit coming out of those pipes draining to the sea, I will never give you the time of the day (to return)” to the island, he said at the time.

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  • Bus Boost For AirAsia X’s New Avalon Service

    Bus Boost For AirAsia X’s New Avalon Service

    A deal between AirAsia and Skybus will deliver about 4500 additional buses a year to Avalon Airport and almost double the number of services from the centre of Melbourne.

    Avalon, near the regional city of Geelong, is about 55kms south-west of the Melbourne CBD and will be home to AirAsia X flights to and from Kuala Lumpur from December 5.

    It is the airport’s first international service and comes after a concerted campaign to convince the long-haul, low-cost carrier to move its operations from Melbourne’s main airport at Tullamarine.

    Airport officials are hoping it will prove a catalyst for additional overseas operators to consider as an alternative to Melbourne airport.

    The Malaysian carrier will operate more than 500,000 seats on twice-daily flights to and from its Kuala Lumpur home base, connecting to more than 130 destinations served by the overall AirAsia Group.

    Avalon, which was leased by the Linfox Group in 1997, had been talking to AirAsia for a decade as part of attempts to attract international flights that had also included HNA Group and the Philippines government.

    The announcement of the 10-year agreement in February 2018 was attended by a slew of dignitaries and was described by AirAsia Group boss Tony Fernandes as an exciting milestone.

    The trip to Avalon takes about 45 minutes, depending on the traffic, compared to 25-30 minutes to Melbourne Tullamarine, depending on traffic.

    The new Skybus services will meet all AirAsia flights arriving and departing Avalon’s new international terminal and will offer discounted travel in the first two months of the airline’s move from Tullamarine. That will see one-way fares of $A19.50 and return fares of $37.

    The fares take passengers to Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station where they can also avail themselves of the free “Skybus Link” to 12 city stops servicing about 100 hotels.

    Passengers booked between December 5 and December 12 will also get complimentary SkyBus transfers between the two airports.

    “Customers who travel on the new Avalon services can take advantage of free Wi-Fi, luggage racks, reliable running times, as well as online, mobile and kiosk ticketing options,” SkyBus director Michael Sewards said.

    AirAsia is also offering conditional sale fares as low as $A199 one-way to promote its new service.

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  • China Telecom enters Philippines third telco fray

    China Telecom enters Philippines third telco fray

    China Telecom and Telekom Austria’s Mobiltel have become the latest companies to purchase bid documents for the selection process for the Philippines’ third telco player.

    The operators purchased bid documents from regulator NTC on Saturday.

    The two overseas companies have joined six others, including Norway-based Telenor and fixed line operator Philippine Telegraph and Telephone (PT&T), in purchasing the application documents for the beauty contest style section process.

    China Telecom was approached by Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte last yearwith the opportunity of being awarded the third telco license, before the government elected to hold the selection process instead.

    Any overseas entity winning the third telco license will need to establish a joint venture with local companies in order to comply with the Philippines’ restrictions on foreign ownership in telecoms infrastructure.

    Meanwhile local company NOW Telecom, which has been vying to become the market’s third telco and has been fighting a legal battle to disrupt the selection process, has had its application for a temporary restraining order against the selection process rejected by a Manila court.

    The court reportedly found no basis for the restraining order on the grounds that NOW’s case does not meet the requirements such as a clear right to be protected, or an urgent need for an injunction due to the risk of irreparable injury.

    Bidders will have until early November to submit their bids for the selection process, which will be judged on criteria including guaranteed investment and rollout commitments.

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  • Crown celebrates 40 years of its operational anniversary

    Crown celebrates 40 years of its operational anniversary

    Crown Equipment Corporation, one of the world’s largest material handling companies, is celebrating 40 years as a leading provider in the Asian market. With the region rapidly rising to become a manufacturing and logistics powerhouse, Crown is helping its customers manage market demands and meet industry challenges through its flexible product range and innovative, customised solutions.

    Pallet management is one of the major issues for emerging distribution companies and small to medium-sized enterprises lacking the knowledge to deal with the challenge. Within Asia, the two most popular pallet sizes are the square 1,100mm x 1,100mm pallet and the 1,200mm x 1,000mm pallet. The U.S., Europe, and Australia, however, use different International Organization for Standardization (ISO) approved pallet sizes, and these diverse pallet types can create challenging problems if not handled correctly.

    Crown’s global approach to research, design, engineering and manufacturing means that it produces a range of lift trucks that offer the best fit to the pallets relevant to the warehouse facilities in multiple regions globally. While the company builds a range of lift trucks to cover all aspects of material handling work, from the dock to the top space of a high bay rack, Crown also customises its standard designs to help solve specific problems, such as modifying the width and position of the legs so that it would work effectively according to the required pallet size.

    With a focus on providing end-to-end material handling solutions, Crown can also identify other areas of the warehouse that can add efficiency when dealing with a range of pallet sizes. Crown consultation includes a detailed review of customers’ operations to help decide the most appropriate material handling equipment and provide inputs to improve productivity, such as enhancing warehouse design and safety culture.

    “When you work with Crown, you are working with people in possession of great product knowledge and a thorough understanding of warehouse supply chain requirements. Knowledge is a major factor that separates Crown from the competition in the Asia Pacific region and the ability to provide customers with an end to end total material handling solution partnership,” said Steven Hill, the Managing Director of Crown Equipment for Southeast Asia.

    Crown set up operations in Southeast Asia in 1978 with the Southeast Asia regional headquarters now located in Singapore. The Asia Pacific region is serviced through an extensive retail branch network, which includes locations across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and China.

    Crown has recently launched in a number of new locations with branches in the growth hubs of Johor, Malaysia; Rayong, Thailand; Clark, the Philippines; Incheon, South Korea; and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

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  • Globe gets nod to roll out small cells in Metro Manila

    Globe gets nod to roll out small cells in Metro Manila

    The Philippines’ Globe Telecom has arranged special dispensation from the authorities in Metro Manila to allow it to expedite the deployment of over 120 cell sites to improve coverage of the major thoroughfares of Metro Manila.

    The operator has entered a groundbreaking agreement with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) that will allow it to install small cell antennas along the thoroughfares without needing to secure individual construction permits.

    The regular approval process involves an average of 25 permits from local government units and takes around eight months to complete, according to Globe CEO Ernest Cu.

    “Securing various permits for the construction of telco infrastructure such as cell sites has long been a major challenge of the industry,” he said.

    “We want to thank MMDA for sharing our vision of a connected Philippines by allowing us to deploy sites faster, thus improving mobile experience at the heart of Metro Manila.”

    As part of the agreement, Globe has also agreed to provide logistical support for the MMDA’s critical traffic management operations. The operator deployed wireless infrastructure at the MMDA’s flood control facilities in 2016, and that year also started providing free Wi-Fi service at MRT stations in the city.

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  • Telenor, PT&T interested in Philippines third telco bid

    Telenor, PT&T interested in Philippines third telco bid

    At least six companies have purchased the bid documents related to the selection process for the Philippines’ third telco.

    A representative of the nation’s telecoms regulator NTC told local media on Tuesday that Telenor and three local ventures, as well as another company that has asked not to be named, had purchased bid documents for the selection process.

    Local fixed line operator Philippine Telegraph and Telephone (PT&T) has affirmed its interest in joining the fray by purchasing the documents.

    The fixed line operator has evaluated the terms of the bid documents and found them acceptable, and believes it has a strong chance of winning as the only local company that can satisfy the requirements, PT&T’s CEO James Velasquez told the publication.

    More potential applicants may purchase bid documents in the coming days.

    Bidders will have until between November 5 and November 7 to submit their bids for the beauty contest style selection process, and the winning applicant could be announced by as early as the same month.

    Any overseas company winning the license will need to partner with at least one local company to comply with the nation’s limits on foreign ownership of telecoms operations.

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