Author: Chris Lam

Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), one of the largest Asian food service companies, announced that it will purchase a majority stake in Meko Holdings Limited (Meko), Jollibee brand’s master franchisee in Hong Kong. Golden Plate Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based wholly owned subsidiary of Jollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd. which is 100% owned by JFC, will acquire shares from the shareholders of Meko for a total of 60% ownership equivalent to US$16.08 million, subject to adjustments. The remaining 40% will continue to be owned by the current shareholders of Meko. The Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) and Shareholders’ Agreement (SHA) are expected to be…

Globe At Home is elevating the experience of its customers not just with connectivity but with innovation and care as it starts deploying the Globe Home Squad, a reliable team of highly-skilled connectivity experts. Whether you prefer to buy devices online and need help with a more complex home setup or is looking to improve home connectivity to maximize your plans, the Globe Home Squad can readily support you. “The Globe Home Squad is here to enable customers to live a seamless digital experience at home by continuously improving and progressing their digital lifestyle. Our team is dedicated to providing…

Tech-driven recycling company SOLARCYCLE announced that it has raised $30 million in Series A funding. The funds, which include company equity and infrastructure financing, will be used to scale up the company’s growth in solar panel recycling capacity and expand materials remanufacturing capabilities. The round was led by Fifth Wall and HG Ventures, with participation from Prologis Ventures, Urban Innovation Fund, and Closed Loop Partners. SOLARCYCLE, founded in 2022 by experts in panel manufacturing, advanced recycling, and climate technology, aims to create a more sustainable, domestic supply chain for the solar industry. With solar adoption expected to accelerate over the…

The House of Representatives in the Philippines has approved on second reading a bill that empowers President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to suspend the increase in premium rates for “direct contributors” of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth). The bill seeks to amend the Universal Health Care Act, which will increase the rate of contributions this year from 4% to 4.5%, or from the minimum monthly premium of PHP400 to PHP450. The rate will further increase to 5% starting in 2025. The authors of the bill cited the objective of the Universal Health Care Act itself, which is to “ensure…

Are you planning to start your own business but fears that the venture will fail? Here are 10 tips that might help you succeed in business: Develop a clear mission and vision: Your mission and vision should define what you do and why you do it. It will help you stay focused on your goals and communicate your values to employees, customers, and investors. Set realistic goals: Goals help you stay motivated and measure progress. Make sure they are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Understand your target market: Identify your ideal customer and create products or services that…

Cebu Pacific strengthens its position as the Philippines’ leading carrier with a 57% domestic market share for 2022, up 5 percentage points compared to 52% back in 2019, based on data from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB). CEB flew close to 13.5M domestic passengers in 2022, up 312% from the previous year, indicating a strong recovery in both capacity and passenger traffic. Combined with its international operations, CEB flew over 14.8 million passengers for full year 2022, 335% higher year-on-year, for a seat load of 75%, which rose 14.7 percentage points year-on-year. Higher travel demand both domestically and internationally, coupled…

Digital solutions platform Globe signed a four-year partnership with the Rotary Club of Makati Business District (RCMBD) to raise funds for its hunger alleviation program The Hapag Movement, marking a milestone in the initiative. In ceremonies at The Globe Tower in BGC, Taguig City, Globe Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer Yoly Crisanto, Rotary Club of Makati Business District (RCMBD) Charter President Mache Torres Ackerman, and Rachel Harisson, Spokesperson and Hapag Movement Project Manager for RCMBD sealed the partnership, along with Kate Bellosillo, General Manager of Kyäni Philippines, a health and wellness company, and renowned chef Jessie Sincioco, President…

The $150-million Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN), the longest of its kind in the country, is on track for completion in April this year to further boost digitalization in the countryside, Globe said as it geared for a fresh round of cable landings this new year. Globe partnered with Eastern Communications and InfiniVAN Inc. for the project to provide equitable and reliable connectivity across the country, including previously unserved and underserved areas across the Philippines. PDSCN, which has a total cable distance of 2,500 kilometers, will soon kick off landing cables in nine remaining segments that cover 13 sites:…

An earthquake that measured 5.2 magnitude rocked Metro Manila and nearby provinces in Luzon past noon Wednesday but authorities said no major damages were recorded. Evacuations were ordered in different areas immediately after the earthquake hit around 1:05 pm, according to Philvocs. The epicenter was reported in Tinaga Island near Vinzons in the province of Camarines Norte. Various intensities were reported in the following areas, according to Philvocs: Intensity V (strong) Mercedes, Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte Intensity IV (moderately strong) Daet, Camarines Norte Guinayangan, Polillo, Quezon Intensity III (weak) Ragay, Pili, Iriga City, Camarines Sur Mauban, Lopez, Mulanay, Alabat, Gumaca,…

Siemens Home Appliances announced that it will take up the entire ground floor of HDH Centre at No. 8 Pennington Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, comprising a total floor area of 3,200 square feet for its new flagship Siemens Home Appliances Showroom. Within three minutes walking distance from Causeway Bay MTR station, HDH Centre, enjoying strong foot traffic with excellent shopfront exposure will help deliver an elevated brand image for Siemens Home Appliances and most importantly provide an unprecedented experience for its customers. The new flagship Siemens Home Appliance Showroom will feature a range of built-in and freestanding home appliances…

If you’re looking to expand your business into Asia, you’re in luck! This continent is home to some of the world’s most vibrant and rapidly-growing economies. In this article, we’ll take a look at eight amazing cities that offer the most room for expansion. Whether you’re looking for a booming metropolis or a smaller city with plenty of opportunity, you’ll find what you need here. So read on and discover the best Asian cities for business expansion! 1) Singapore Singapore is a top destination for business expansion in Asia. This city-state is home to a thriving economy and a wealth…

Running your own business may be a lot of work. There are so many things to consider, and one of the most important is storage. How do you keep track of everything that is required for your company in an orderly and efficient manner? We’ll go through several ways to store various items for your firm in this blog article. We’ll go over everything from office supplies to inventory! Continue reading to learn how to make keeping track of your company’s possessions a snap! Purchase shelves One of the first things you’ll need to do when it comes to storage…

Moving your operations to another country may seem daunting, but the benefits of doing so can be worth it. Learn the top considerations to keep in mind if you’re going to consider working offshore. Work With Reputable Partners Do your research and choose reputable partners that you can trust. Make sure you partner with companies that have a good track record. You don’t want to end up working with a partner that doesn’t deliver on their promises. Secondly, be clear about what you both want to achieve from the partnership. What are your goals and objectives? Make sure everyone is…

Marketing is not a new concept; however, with the new media and technological advancement, marketing strategies have changed for different products and services. Also, with the improvement and accessibility of internet connection, digital marketing, which is a part of modern marketing, is prominently used. However, it has in no way reduced the prominence of traditional marketing, which large brands still use to reach their audience. With the option of modern marketing and traditional marketing available, it is often confusing for businesses to choose a marketing strategy that can best meet the demand of their brand’s requirements. Further, choosing the right…

Meeting your prospects and clients in person is becoming a thing of the past as there are new ways to reach out to them. One of the ways to reach out to your clients and customers is through the internet, using professionally designed PDF documents. Using a PDF to showcase your product, send a promotional message, and for various other business communications is a great way to make a long-lasting first impression. Businesses all over the world are using PDFs for various purposes due to the many advantages that it has and using them for business communications is a good…

Soaring inflation, a protracted war in Ukraine, and heightened uncertainties, on top of the continuing impact of the pandemic and virus mutations, will cause the expected slowdown of APEC’s economic growth this year. According to a new report by the APEC Policy Support Unit, the APEC region is expected to significantly moderate in the near term to 2.5% in 2022 and 2.6% in 2023 following a 5.9% rebound in 2021. The forecast reflects sharp downgrades in economic growth for all member countries, in tandem with the rest of the world. Already reeling from a pandemic that is marked with virus…

Investment firm Catamaran has announced the appointment of M.D. Ranganath as its chairman and Deepak Padaki as its president. As a President of the firm for the last three years, Ranganath was instrumental in creating a strong foundation for growth of the firm’s investments and their performance. Padaki, meanwhile, will be responsible for driving the firm’s investment management strategy in its mission to nurture ideas from entrepreneurs into impactful business outcomes. Padaki has 30 years of experience in the global IT services and software product industry, having played various roles in strategy, M&A venture funding, and risk management. “I am…

Masbate City has been designated as an additional testing center for the September 2022 Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LEPT), the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) has announced. The PRC said the move enables examinees to take the September 2022 LEPT without unnecessary distant travel and additional expenses. Additionally, PRC also designated Bangkok, Thailand as an additional testing center for the September 2022 LEPT. Relative to this, the deadline for filing of application for September 2022 LEPT in Bangkok shall be until August 10, 2022 and the documents for application shall be sent to sple@prc.gov.ph for processing and evaluation o the…

SM Investments Corporation (SMIC) received approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission to acquire the 81% stake of related parties in Allfirst Equity Holdings Inc (Allfirst) in exchange for shares in SMIC. Allfirst is the holding company for Philippine Geothermal Production Company, Inc (PGPC). The transaction will bring SMIC’s ownership in PGPC to 100%. The total consideration paid for 81% of Allfirst is P15.76 billion. The transaction will involve the issuance of 17.44 million new shares to the sellers, equivalent to 1.4% of shares outstanding in SMIC. In 2021 PGPC delivered $99.4 million in revenues and $48.8 million in net…

KryptoGO, a Taiwan-based regulatory technology and developer and non-custodian wallet provider, has announced raising a total of $3 million in its recently concluded seed funding round. According the announcement, the round was participated by global venture capital firm Hive Ventures, alongside other VCs, including Taiwan’s National Development Council, Red Building Capital, AVA Angels, New Economy Ventures, Hao Fong Investment and Pegatron Venture Capital. The company said it will use the funds to expand its market presence in the United States, in addition to growing its team and launching new product features later in the year.  Founded in 2019, KryptoGO aims…