The Latest in the Battle to Own Your Digital Wallet

Digital Wallet – Now Standard Features on Smartphones

The fight to own digital wallet is on and 2016 is foreseen as a vital year for mobile payments and according to eMarketer, its total transaction values reaching 210%. Mobile wallets such as Android Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay as well as MCX would now be standard features on smartphones with more merchants adopting point-of-sale systems which would be accepting mobile payments.

Recently in a keynote, JPMorgan Chase had unveiled a payment service together with retail partners comprising of Wal-Mart, Shell and Target. Chase would be needing help and skipping into mobile payments would means competing with companies like Apple, Google, PayPal and Samsung.

Chase Pay seems to be the outcome of a new partnership with JPMorgan Chase and MCX, a multinational of major retailers which has so far been unsuccessful in gaining much transaction in digital payments. The app is said to be made available by mid-2016 and could be utilised for in-store, online and in-app purchases and would be available to all with a Chase credit, debit or a prepaid card account.

Chase Pay to Solve – Pain Points for Consumers

With this kind of scale it could be advantageous and according to CEO of consumer and community banking at JPMorgan Chase, Gordon Smith states that `Chase Pay tend to solve a number of pain points for consumers as well as merchants and will improve the customer experience driving down the cost of payments’. Besides scale, consumer trust could also help chase initiate adoption.

According to latest Phoenix study reported at Money20/20, it was observed that banks and card issuers, followed by PayPal did enjoy a trust benefit against other digital payment players. The research also found that 64% of smartphone payment app users or those preferring to try it would contemplate downloading a bank’s payment app.

Around half the number stated that they would ponder on trying Apple Pay or Android Pay.Google is keen on changing that relative level of comfort and Sridhar Ramaswamy, the company’s senior vice president of ads and commerce would be delivering a keynote wherein he would lay out a vision to drive mobile commerce adoption with Android Pay which is the newly re-launched Google Wallet.

Brought Together NFC/Tokenization/Biometrics

Google had partnered with American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa in order to assist them in integrating Android Pay in the U.S. and is also working with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless in training sales representative to get consumers in setting up with Apple Pay prior to leaving the store with a new device.

Apple however not officially represented at the event was also the focus of many surveys and panels.Brendan Miller, Forrester Research analyst praised Apple for kick-starting the mobile wallet fight with the launch of Apple Pay, believing that it is best positioned to win stating that they have the consumer base and they have the users.

He further added that they had brought together NFC technology, bringing together tokenization as well as biometrics and combining those three things in creating a frictionless consumer experience at the point of sale. PayPal, according to Miller has been at this longer than anyone else and they have more mobile users than any of these competitors Anu Nayar, senior director of communications and customer engagement comments that `as we move to a mobile first world, digital wallets would be moving from a nice have, to a must have, as people tend to tap rather than type for their purchases and PayPal innovations like One Touch could make it easier to buy from mobile.

BPI to expand business via mobile-based BPI Globe BanKo

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) aims to expand microfinance lending by targeting the bottom market through the country’s first mobile phone-based savings bank, BPI Globe BanKo. Former BPI Globe BanKo President and CEO and now the Mynt President and CEO John Rubio said BPI is accelerating its third leg, BPI Globe BanKo, to widen its bottom market reach.

“We have a big market base in microfinance business. They wanted to go to the specific model in microfinance based on the success of our segment. They have great brands, BPI and BPI Family, and there’s a viable way to reach the base of the pyramid through Globe BanKo,” he said on the sidelines of the Mondato Summit Asia.

He said Globe BanKo’s total deposits reached Php1.1 billion in August. Total loans expanded to Php180 million, from last year’s Php100 million. The mobile-based bank has 1.1 million clients. BPI will increase its touch points. Currently we have five bank branches. BPI’s plan is to expand them,” he said.

Rubio said they do not want to compete with commercial banks and that Globe will be accelerating its business in the digital platform. He did not divulge the acquisition cost, but he said that sales proceeds were used by Globe to set up Mynt, the financial technology innovations arm of Globe Telecoms.

With Mynt, they will be able to serve the underserved and unserved markets in a different way. “The proceeds from the sale were reinvested back to financial technology business. That’s why we have Mynt.

We have the G-Cash transactions and other business in the pipeline like payments, scoring and other financial technology business,” he told reporters. With the acquisition of BanKo, BPI underscores its commitment to inclusive growth.

Ayala Corp. CEO and Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said BPI’s assumption of full control and ownership of BanKo is an important step in the continued effort of the Ayala group to provide access to essential financial services to the unbanked segments of our population.

“BPI will now  be  properly  positioned  to  pursue  traditional  microfinance  lending  within  existing  regulatory frameworks,” he said.

“We thank our partners for giving us yet another opportunity to give access to funds and other banking services to clients who, otherwise, would not have been able to bridge their personal financial needs and jump-start their ventures,”  BPI President and CEO Cezar P. Consing said.

Perks That Might Be Hiding in Your Credit Cards

Credit cards tend to have its advantage as well as disadvantage if not used rightly. At times even the most responsible people could meet up with problems if they are faced with a dismissalor in a situation of an expensive treatment. If all tends to go well and the user is well aware of what they are doing, credit cards could save them with a lot of money. One need to know their credit card well because if not, they may be unaware of the various perks which some of the credit cards tend to offer and hence will not be able to take advantage of them resulting in losing money. The fine prints should be checked since there are some of the hidden perks, which an individual may be entitled to, while utilising the credit card

Rental insurance 

Spokesman for Clear Point Credit Counselling solutions, Thomas Nitzsche, headquartered in Atlanta, had been faced with a problem when on renting a car to drive from Missouri to Georgia had to street-park it for three days while staying in Atlanta. He had noticed that it had been hit on the rear bumper and the cost to fix it amounted to $800. Though he had not bought the expensive rental insurance, the rental company offered help.Nitzsche’s credit card, VISA Signature comprised of rental insurance and the entire bill was paid after he had submitted the paperwork with proof that the car had been rented by him and was being asked to pay a claim.He informed that Visa was capable of reducing the $800 by around $50 and they probably had some negotiating power.

Airline incidentals 

Matthew Coan running the financial comparison website, Casavvy.com informed that he was overwhelmed with a recent perk provided by the American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card, a $100 annual credit for covering airline incidental fees. According to him, these fees comprised of checked bags, flight refreshments, airport lounge passes and much more. A few things need to be kept in mind in order to utilise the perk wherein for the reimbursement of any of these fees, the same has to be paid separately from the airline ticket and can only obtain the fees reversed for one airline for the calendar year.

Dispute resolution 

If the individual feels that they have been overcharged for something, they could contact their credit card and get help. If the dispute resolution service is offered with the card, you stand a chance of getting the charge reduced.

Trip cancellation insurance 

According to Jared Blank, chief marketing officer of the retail website DealNews.com, states that with Chase Ink Plus card, they offer this facility of trip cancellation insurance. He narrates that his parents had booked a cruise and a non-refundable flight for a holiday and had paid with the Chase Ink Plus card. His mother had been ill and the trip had to be cancelled. The airfare and the cruise cancellation fee were reimbursed by Chase that was done without any difficulty.

Extended warranties 

At the time of purchase of a computer or any expensive product, one would often be asked if they would prefer purchasing an extended warranty. They would then get engaged with their associate on, whether the offer would be worthwhile. Four of the major credit card networks, namely MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover tend to offer extended warranties on several, though not all of their credit cards.

Lazada Kicks Off the Biggest Online Christmas Sale of the Year

Taking advantage of great deals, discounts and sales can be good from time-to-time, hence I am sharing this opportunity with you!

Lazada Philippines (www.lazada.com.ph) the Philippines’ One Stop Shopping and Selling Destination today announced the launch of the Lazada Online Revolution Salewhich is set to be the biggest online Christmas sale of the year. The month-long sale kicks off on November 11 and will run until December 12.

The date November 11 or 11/11 is popularly known in China as “Singles’ Day”, a day to celebrate singlehood. E-commerce retailers in China have turned this holiday into the world’s biggest online shopping event, selling over US$9 billion worth of products last year. In 2013, Lazada introduced the 11/11 Online Revolution Sale in the Philippines to mark the start of the Christmas shopping season and has since then set online sales records each year. 

This year, Lazada Philippines expects to break new records as it anticipates over 2 million visits to its website and mobile app on 11/11. Big brands and merchants will join the sale and are bringing in over 200,000 marked-down deals up to 95% off across 13 product categories including electronics, fashion, kids & toys, and home. Exclusive items on flash sales and P99 peso deals will also be revealed on 11/11.  Brands that have confirmed their participation in the sale include ASUS, Lenovo, Alcatel, Cherry Mobile, Bosch, Belo, Huggies, MamyPoko, Timex and Giordano watches.  

As an early treat for Lazada fans and shoppers, special items will be available to purchase at only P11 each. Lazada bestsellers such as Sandisk 8GB flash drives, 5600 mAHPowerbank, and 4-layer shoe racks will be available to purchase at P11.00 starting today until  11/11. The P11.00 deals will be announced at 11:11am everyday on one of Lazada’s social media channels (Twitter: lazadaph, Facebook: lazadaph, Instagram: lazadaph). 

“We have been working very hard together with our merchants and suppliers to bring these amazing deals to our customers. We believe that online shopping will provide a lot of convenience to shoppers especially during the holiday season. By shopping online, they can avoid heavy traffic, long lines and crowded areas,” said Lazada Philippines CEO, Inanc Balci.

About Lazada

Lazada(www.lazada.com.ph) is Philippines’ largest online shopping mall and is pioneering e-commerce by providing a fast, convenient and secure online shopping experience combined with an extensive product offering in categories ranging from mobiles & tablets and consumer electronics to household goods, toys, fashion and sports equipment. Lazada is continuously striving to offer its customers the best possible shopping experience with multiple payment methods including cash on delivery, extensive warranty commitments and free returns. Lazada mobile applications for Android, iPhone and iPad provide additional convenience to its consumers’ allowing them to shop anywhere, anytime.

For more information, please visithttp://www.lazada.com.ph. For updates on Lazada’s latest innovations, as well as activities, contests and promotions, connect with us via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/LazadaPhilippines).

Do great things with all-new operating system Windows 10

In July, Microsoft introduced Windows 10 as a free upgrade for eligible Windows 7 and 8.1 devices or with new PCs and tablets.Dubbed the best and most secure Windows ever, Windows 10 is now delivered as a service and kept automatically up-to-date with innovations and security updates. It is built on the feedback from millions of IT pros, making it the most extensively tested version of Windows ever.

Windows 10 is fast and familiar—with the return of the Start menu and Live Tiles for instant streaming updates of what matters most. It is the most secure Windows that Microsoft has ever released, with enhancements to Windows Defender and SmartScreen to help safeguard against viruses, malware and phishing and new innovations like Windows Hello, which offers a fast, secured, password-free way to log in. Keeping up-to-date is also simple, as free updates will help people stay current with the latest features and security updates for the lifetime of the device.

Windows 10 is more personal and productive, with voice, pen and gesture inputs for natural interaction with PCs. It is designed to work perfectly with Office and Skype and allows you to switch between apps and stay organized with Snap and Task View. Windows 10 offers many innovative experiences and devices. These include:

• Microsoft Edge lets people quickly browse, read, and mark up and share the Web.Fast, streamlined and personal, the all-new browser empowers people to focus on content that matters to them and actively engage with the Web.
• Continuum optimizes apps and experiences beautifully across devices in both touch and desktop modes.
• Built-in apps including Photos; Maps; Microsoft’s new music app, Groove; and Movies and TV offer entertainment and productivity options. With OneDrive, files can be easily shared and kept up-to-date across all devices.
• Office Mobile apps for Windows 10 tablets will offer a consistent, touch-first experience across a range of devices. The full feature OneNote app also comes pre-installed with Windows 10. Together with the latest Office desktop apps, Windows 10 offersthe richest feature set for professional content creation. Designed for the precision of a keyboard and mouse, these apps will be optimized for large screen PCs, laptops, and 2-in-1 devices like the Surface Pro.

Ready for corporate deployment, Windows 10 will help companies protect against modern cyberattacks, deliver experiences employees will love and enable continuous innovation with a platform that keeps companies up-to-date with the latest technology. Businesses will be able to control the frequency of their updates and select the features and functionality that are right for each group of their employees.

Windows 10 includes built-in enterprise grade security, so customers can replace passwords with more secure options, protect corporate data and corporate identities, and run only the software they trust. New management and deployment tools simplify device management, help lower costs, and enable companies to power their business with the enterprise strength of the Microsoft Azure cloud.

Together with the latest Office apps, Windows 10 will enablecompaniesto work collaboratively anywhere, with the same familiar experience across PCs, tablets, and mobile devices. With Office 365 on Windows 10, organizations can benefit from a breadth of tools for the modern workplace which are constantly updated and scalable with latest productivity features for employees to get things done:

• Modern mobility: With familiar and latest Office 365 apps now available on Windows 10 mobile, users can get work done anywhere, anytime on their preferred device.
• Modern collaboration: Enterprises can get access to enterprise-grade online tools that enable sharing  all documents and co-author in real-time. Office Delve, now available to all Office 365 for business users, proactively highlights key information that is relevant to users based on tasks and colleagues they work with closely. Office 2016 now also features Co-authoring which enables users to collaborate through real-time typing that allows seeing others’ edits as they happen.
• Modern meetings: Skype for Business, a communications and collaboration platform brings together an experience inspired by Skype with enterprise-grade security, compliance and control. It offers features including presence, IM, voice and video calls, and online meetings. In addition, the new Office features Skype in-app integrationacross the rich client apps allows IM, screen share, talk or video chat right in the docs. 
• Security and controls:Microsoft’s commitment in building a trusted cloud ensures that company data is protected. In addition, Office 2016 users will receive new features for better enterprise security and protection, including Built-in Data Loss Protection, Multifactor authentication and Enterprise Data Protection.

“Windows 10 is designed to empower people to achieve great things and to deliver a more human way of doing. Furthermore, it builds on our vision of offering our consumers a more personal and natural computing experience that offers unmatched mobility and a tailored experience across devices,” said Mae Moreno, Windows Lead for Microsoft Philippines.

“We believe that the new Windows can truly help our customers be productive in both their digital work and their digital life and this represents our first step towards a whole new generation of Windows.”

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services, devices, and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Microsoft Philippines, the local subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation, has been constantly bringing innovation and making its technology available to Filipino businesses and individuals since 1995.  As a committed and trusted partner in nation-building, Microsoft Philippines has made it its mission to fuel growth and healthy communities, as well as transform locally-based businesses and empower them to compete in the global economy.

The Simple Reason To Be Financially Independence

Nothing is free. If you can let go, everything is free - Frugal Daddy

The reason for financial independence in my context is simple, to spend time doing the things that made me happy.  Ancient Chinese and English people already provided you the answer before you are born :

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” ― John Lennon



桃花塢裡桃花庵，桃花庵下桃花仙。

桃花仙人種桃樹，又摘桃花換酒錢。

酒醒只在花前坐，酒醉還來花下眠。

半醉半醒日復日，花落花開年復年。

但願老死花酒間，不願鞠躬車馬前。

車塵馬足顯者事，酒盞花枝隱士緣。

若將顯者比隱士，一在平地一在天。

若將花酒比車馬，彼何碌碌我何閒。

別人笑我太瘋癲，我笑他人看不穿。

不見五陵豪傑墓，無花無酒鋤作田。

- 唐伯虎

Layman's chinese

桃花塢裡有一個桃花庵，桃花庵裡住著一個桃花仙人。
桃花仙人種了很多桃樹，春天時摘下桃花賣就有了喝酒錢。
酒醒了就坐在桃花下，喝醉了就在桃花樹下睡覺。
醒了醉,醉了醒,一日又一日，花落花開一年又一年。
只求伴著花與喝酒兩件事度過一生,只到老死，
也不願意衝著乘著馬車的人點頭哈腰。
乘車起馬是顯貴者的事，喝酒賞花是有隱士的緣分。
若將顯者比隱士，一在平地一在天。
若將賞喝花酒和坐車騎馬比較，他們何等的庸庸碌碌,
我是多麼的幽閒。
別人笑話我,說我瘋瘋癲癲，
我還笑話他們對人世間的事情沒有看透。
難道你們看不見葬在西安五陵(泛指葬死人的地方)那些豪傑(泛指顯赫人)的墳墓嗎，勾心鬥角一輩子,還不是埋在那裡.那裡沒有花也沒有酒作為農夫鋤下田地了。

Self-made executive inspires success at 10th Aboitiz Future Leaders Business Summit

How the country's young leaders can make it big, according to the 'maid who made it'

Dream big, work hard, stay focused - and you might just end up achieving your goals, and significantly changing the Philippines, says former domestic helper who did just that.

|The future of the Philippines is you. If anyone can be successful, you can," Rebecca Bustamante, founder of Chalre Associates Executive Search, told 90 of the country's top college students at the 10th Aboitiz Future Leaders Business Summit (AFLBS) at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu last November 6.

"My promise to you: If I can do it, so can you. It doesn't matter where you start," added Bustamante, who is now also president of the Asia CEO Awards, the country's largest business awards event.

Bustamante is known for her compelling life story which saw her rise from being a domestic helper in Singapore to chief executive officer of her own company, thanks to her sheer determination and resolve to succeed.

During her talk at the 10th AFLBS, Bustamante offered eight (8) ways to earn a career advantage: gain knowledge, gain top place, gain control of money, gain relationships, gain good work habits, gain a positive attitude, gain personal energy, and gain the right career.

Every year, the AFLBS gathers the country's brightest college student leaders for a two day summit of fun and knowledge through activities that allow participants to develop their leadership skills and learn how to concretize management concepts in a corporate environment. This year's AFLBS carried the theme "Inspiring Leaders for a Better Future."

On the summit's first day, top Aboitiz executives from different Aboitiz business units shared their knowledge, experience, and philosophies that reinforce high hopes for the country for these future leaders.

On its 10th year of building young talented leaders, the AFLBS reaches a significant mileston in preparing and empowering the youth to be change makers in their chosen field of profession, and in society in general.

|In Aboitiz, people are our greatest assets, which means that human resources holds a key role in the organization - that of finding the right people to occupy the right positions and motivating them to excel and be the best at what they do," shared Txabi Aboitiz, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. Chief Human Resources Officer.

"We look for people who are driven, energetic, and results oriented, who seek innovative solutions in their day-to-day work. We want people who are passionate about succeeding, and like to excel in everything that they do," Aboitiz added.

About Aboitiz Equity Ventures
Aboitiz Equity ventures, Inc. (AEV) is a publicly listed holding and investment company of the Aboitiz Group with major investments in power, banking and financial services, food, land and infrastructure, AEV is recognized as one of the best-managed companies in the Philippines and in the region, and is acknowledged for its good corporate governance.