We asked two top market research practitioners—NielsenIQ managing director for Myanmar, Vietnam and Philippines Patrick Cua and Kantar Philippines president Gary de Ocampo—to share about consumer behaviors which they have uncovered in 2021 and their implications in 2022. Here are their views: Q: What key changes in consumer behavior have you decoded during the pandemic…
The opening of “low-cost, no-frills” bank accounts in the Philippines has risen substantially with the help of the central bank’s aggressive campaign to draw more Filipinos into the formal financial system, according to the agency. In a statement, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ said that the number of basic deposit accounts in the first quarter…
Lending by banks to small businesses has skyrocketed since the central bank approved a measure to count these loans as an alternative form of compliance with the reserve levels required of financial institutions. According to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno, the banking system allocated an average of as alternative compliance with the reserve…
Filipino entrepreneurs who have adopted electronic payment systems are now even more productive, efficient and competitive, thanks to the new quick response (QR) code system that makes person-to-merchant transactions easier. In a statement, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) further urged consumers, payment service providers and merchants, including micro, small and medium enterprises, to avail…
October is also known for another beverage. We have been celebrating Philippine coffee since President Fidel Ramos declared October as coffee month in 1997. In malls, promotional activities include free coffee every day for two to three weeks. The nonprofit Philippine Coffee Board Inc. (PCBI) was established in 2002 by then Agriculture Secretary Cito Lorenzo…
Technology may have saved—even boosted—some businesses during the pandemic, but agriculture has yet to make full use of its potential to increase production, reach out directly to markets and buyers and keep abreast of scientific advances. At the recent Project Rebound webinar, panelists noted that , much less adopting, new technologies. But they also expressed…
At the recently concluded 12th Mansmith Market Masters Conference, we asked three seasoned marketers – Kakam Gabunada, Vice President of Nestle Philippines; John Rubio, Country Director of Facebook; and Steven Tan, President of SM Supermalls in the Philippines and China – about trends that will emerge in 2022 and beyond. Here is a summary of…
The Cantilan Bank (CanBank) is expanding its digital footprint through the launch of its app iCAN targeting unbanked Filipinos. CanBank, established in 1980 in Surigao del Sur, said in a statement iCAN would introduce features such as fund transfer, bills payment, prepaid phone reloading and QR code payment to its customers in over 100 communities.…
The tourism industry is one of the sectors hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, with travel restrictions forcing the closure of hotels and other establishments offering accommodations. But the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) has always been optimistic that tourism will soon bounce back, and Filipino and foreign travelers will once again queue up…
If goods and services are seemingly moving smoothly and effortlessly despite the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to rage not just in the Philippines but around the world, then people in the logistics and supply chain field deserve much of the credit. They showed flexibility, ingenuity and adaptability in responding to the challenges posed by a…