#BrigadangAyalaKaakay: Prepaid load business keeps Madaluyong’s trusted sari-sari store afloat

Globe Chief Executive Officer Ernest Cu distributes goods to beneficiaies in Mandaluyong alongside partners from Ayala Corporation's #BrigadangAyalaKaakay

MANDALUYONG – For almost two decades now, 60-year-old Mary Magaling of Mandaluyong has relied on her sari-sari store to provide for her family. But just like other small business owners, she found herself on the brink of bankruptcy when the pandemic struck. (more…)

Gigacover continues robust growth in the Philippines with new client contracts, expands local headcount and solution portfolio to power further expansion and better support for the country’s gig workforce

  • Since its market entry in December 2021, Gigacover has nearly doubled its growth in country, boosted by increases in headcount, users, customer portfolio, and revenue
  • Gigacover continues strong growth in the Philippines with logistics platform Gogo Xpress powered by QuadX, delivery platforms Pick-A-Roo and When In Baguio to power their rider and shopper benefits and social media platform Partipost to power their employees and provide staff benefits
  • Gigacover launched Employee Benefits in January 2022 to provide comprehensive coverage for full-time employees at an affordable cost, which aims to provide inclusive worker benefits beyond the gig economy
  • Gigacover will continue its push to cover 100,000 informal workers in the Philippines by the end of 2022, and aim to expand to more industries to continue to provide inclusive worker benefits and co-create new products specifically tailored to different business needs

Philippines, 3 March 2022Gigacover, Southeast Asia’s financial health platform, today announced its 100-day milestone and robust growth in the Philippines. Since Gigacover’s market entry into the Philippines in December 2021, the team has registered overall growth of 180 per cent, expanding its focus into additional industries such as business process outsourcing and manpower. Gigacover has also doubled its local headcount to better support their growing presence.

Gigacover has grown its customer base and revenue by more than 100 per cent, driven by the closing of new clients as well as the launch of new products. Along with Earning Protection Insurance, Gigacover has launched Employee Benefits in January 2022 to provide comprehensive coverage for full-time employees at an affordable cost, aiming to provide inclusive worker benefits beyond the gig economy. This has translated to an increase in the users of Gigacover’s products by nearly 10 per cent.

Earnings Protection Insurance has emerged as one of the most popular products in the Philippines for Gigacover. As the first of its kind in the region, Earnings Protection Insurance provides informal workers access to paid medical and sick leaves – a benefit that is typically associated with regularised employees. Expanding into serving salaried workers, Gigacover’s Employee Benefits is a comprehensive and competitively priced product to cover full-time employees. Participating organisations would be able to provide comprehensive benefits for its employees such as Inpatient and Outpatient services, Hospital Room and Board, Annual Physical Examinations (APE), Comprehensive Wellness Program, as well as Emergency and Preventive Care Benefits. Leveraging the Philippines e-Commerce boom, Gigacover has also introduced Parcel Insurance to provide affordable coverage for different categories of parcels with a highly efficient claims process.

In addition to Gogo Xpress powered by QuadX, who has recently renewed its partnership with Gigacover for the coming year, Partipost has also come on board in January 2022 with the aim of providing employee benefits for its full-time staff. Delivery platforms Pick-A-Roo and When In Baguio among others that have most recently been added to Gigacover’s client portfolio in February 2022, extending enhanced coverage and protection for their gig workers and employees.

“We are grateful for the trust that our clients and partners have placed in us, an essential factor behind our success. Our growth momentum reaffirms the value that Gigacover can bring to the Philippines’ gig economy with our strategy of offering right-sized products. This has provided the basis for the innovation of our new offerings, tailored to the unique needs of the local markets,” said Sebastian Raphael San, Country Manager of Gigacover Philippines and Singapore.

In comparison to the independent workforce in broader Southeast Asia, Gigacover has observed increased priorities being placed by the Philippines’ gig economy in areas such as personal accidents and income protection. These are often deciding factors influencing gig workers’ decisions to work for a certain matching platform. Gig workers are also focusing on having access to a level of security that their regular salaried counterparts typically enjoy exclusively. Moving into 2022, Gigacover aims to launch Motor Excess Reduction into the Philippines by Q2 2022, reducing the financial liability in the event of accidents which will be especially useful for professions such as delivery riders that spend most of their working day on the road.

“We’ve successfully processed our first Earnings Protection (Outpatient Benefit) claim, enabling a rider from Gogo Xpress to recover his lost income for his leave of absence while on bed rest. We hope that these improved benefits will continue to help our clients attract and engage with their employees, and will be instrumental in advancing our objective of empowering underserved segments of the local workforce with enhanced coverage and financial stability for inclusive growth,” added Sebastian.

In the near term, Gigacover’s immediate priorities are to continue growing its customer base by as much as 90 per cent, and further optimising its claims experiences so that users can look forward to receiving their payouts faster. It will also continue its push to cover 100,000 informal workers in the Philippines by the end of 2022. Gigacover will also look to expand to more industries, such as construction, to continue to provide inclusive worker benefits and co-create new products specifically tailored to different business needs.

Axie Infinity’s Zyori joins local crypto news site BitPinas webcast to discuss NFT gaming and e-sports

Andrew Campbell (aka Zyori), the Program Lead for Esports & Content Creators at Sky Mavis, will be joining the BitPinas Webcast to discuss e-sports, NFT gaming, and the upcoming Battles V3 (dubbed “Origin”) of the category-defining blockchain game, Axie Infinity, this coming March 3rd at 10 PM (UTC+8). The webcast will be live via Facebook and Twitter. (more…)

Level Up Your Shopee Loyalty Tier and Enjoy Unli Free Shipping!

Gold and Platinum members of the Shopee Loyalty Program can avail exclusive benefits that will make the shopping experience more rewarding

MANILA, FEBRUARY 24, 2022 – Are you a true Shopee-holic? If you’re waiting for a sign to check out those items in your cart, look no further as Gold and Platinum Shopee Loyalty Tier members can avail of unlimited Free Shipping vouchers. Make it a habit to claim those hard-earned vouchers, because you definitely deserve it!

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Thinking of a short vacation? Get the most out of the long weekend with ShopeePay

MANILA, FEBRUARY 24, 2022 – Need a change of scenery or want to take advantage of the long weekend? Then a getaway with family or friends is just what you need! But before you get too excited about taking a vacation, remember to assess and determine if it’s advisable to travel. Whether it’s an out-of-town trip that’s weeks in the making or just a quick, laid-back staycation—safety should always be the number one priority.

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Statement Urging President Duterte to Veto the SIM Card and Social Media Registration Act

by Democracy.Net.PH – We urge President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to veto the bill entitled “An Act Eradicating Mobile Phone, Internet or Electronic Communication-Aided Criminal Activities, Mandating For This Purpose Ownership Registration of All Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Cards For Electronic Devices and Social Media Accounts”, also known as the “Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card Registration Act” recently ratified by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines. (more…)