adidas Launches First Regional Shopee Super Brand Day in the Philippines

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, collaborates with adidas to launch “Ready for Sport,” its first regional Super Brand Day (SBD) in the Philippines and across five other markets. Through this collaboration, adidas aims to reinvent the online sports shopping experience to reach and engage more mobile-first shoppers. This effort is part of its growth strategy for e-commerce in the region. 

More people are working out and shopping from home in this new normal, which has led to a boom in demand for athleisure products and sports gear. The adidas Super Brand Day serves to excite users with a fun and interactive shopping experience on Shopee. For instance, users can participate in sports challenges led by KOLs and celebrities to win prizes and access fitness-related content. As live stream shopping continues to gain prominence among shoppers, adidas will host a free workout session on Shopee Live, where users can score discount vouchers and purchase exclusive adidas products.  

“Sports and athleisure is a growing category as more of our users turn to online shopping for convenience and to get the best deals. We’re excited to partner with adidas in bringing their first Super Brand Day to Shopee, where users can enjoy a more interactive experience when shopping for adidas products. We’re confident that our Super Brand Day campaign’s popularity will boost their online visibility, traffic, and sales. We remain committed to supporting brands in achieving their e-commerce ambitions through our robust suite of brand solutions.” ~Martin Yu, Associate Director at Shopee Philippines

Starting November 26, Shopee users will get to access three days of special features on Shopee Live, take part in games and activities, and enjoy promotions on the official adidas store. Users can look forward to:  

● Exclusive adidas originals on Shopee: The adidas Originals Flower Pack for women and Patch Work Pack for men will be available exclusively on the adidas official store on Shopee. 

1. adidas ORIGINALS Stan Smith Shoes Women White Sneakers 

2. adidas ORIGINALS Superstar Shoes Men White Sneakers

3. adidas ORIGINALS Superstar Shoes Women White Sneakers

• Special Promos: Shoppers can also enjoy up to 50% off and a “Buy 3, get an additional 55% off” promo. On November 27-28, users can look forward to discount vouchers up to 15% off.  
• adidas ‘ReadyforSport’ LIVE workout on Shopee Live: Viewers can join a 20-30 minute workout session led by a qualified instructor. They can enjoy vouchers unlocked at the end of the session as a reward for completing the workout. Shopee Live viewers can also win exclusive adidas originals. All featured adidas products will be available for purchase on their official store on Shopee Mall.  
• Special adidas edition of Shopee Catch: Users can earn points by playing the in-app game, where they will have to catch adidas merchandise using an adidas sports bag while avoiding bombs. Users can exchange points for Shopee coins and adidas discount vouchers. In addition, players can also win discount vouchers of up to 30% off. 

Check out the official Shopee store of adidas at https://shopee.ph/adidasph.

Download the Shopee app for free on the App Store or Google Play Store.

About Shopee
Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. It was launched in 7 markets in 2015 to connect consumers, sellers, and businesses in the region. Shopee offers an easy, secure, and engaging experience that is enjoyed by millions of people daily. It offers a wide product assortment, supported by integrated payments and logistics, as well as popular entertainment features tailored for each market. Shopee is also a key contributor to the region’s digital economy with a firm commitment to helping brands and entrepreneurs succeed in e-commerce.

Shopee is a part of Sea Limited (NYSE:SE), a leading global consumer internet company. In addition to Shopee, Sea’s other core businesses include its digital entertainment arm, Garena, and digital financial services arm, SeaMoney. Sea’s mission is to better the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology.

About adidas
IT IS ALL ABOUT SPORT
This is where we come from, everything we do is rooted in sport. And sport plays an increasingly important role in more and more people’s lives, on and off the field of play. Sport is central to every culture and society and is core to an individual’s health and happiness. Therefore, we believe that, through sport, we have the power to change lives. This core belief guides the way we run our company, how we work with our partners, how we create our products, and how we engage with our consumers.

WE PLAY TO WIN
Athletes will not settle for average. And neither do we. We have a clear mission: To be the best sports company in the world. Every day, we come to work to create and sell the best sports and fitness products in the world, and to offer the best service and consumer experience – and to do it all in a sustainable way. To successfully do that, we focus entirely on our authentic sports brands as they connect and engage with our consumers.

For more information, please visit www.adidas-Group.com.

Bureau receives fire truck donation from SM Prime Holdings

The MBOSS brings the services of the Bureau of Fire Protection to the business sector wherein local fire stations stage one-time permit processing centers in selected malls nationwide. This enables business owners, like SM Supermalls, its affiliated companies, tenants, and business establishments in the nearby communities to renew or apply for BFP issued clearances easily.

“Pupunta tayo kung saan nangangailangan ng serbisyo. Dadalhin natin sa kanilang mga pintuan, kaya po meron nitong MBOSS. Ituloy natin ang laban at ang pagpapalago ng ekonomiya, nandito lang po kami.” ~Jose Embang Jr., Fire Chief Supt.

The innovation is done by BFP also answers the call of President Rodrigo Duterte, for government agencies to provide ways and means for the public including the private sector to have “ease of doing business” when transacting with government offices. More so, in the time of pandemic wherein, the business sector is a major factor for economic development.

“The MBOSS affords our tenants, affiliates, and the business sector within our communities, easy and faster processing and renewal and application of fire-related permits including the fire safety inspection clearance certificates.” ~Atty. Pearly Joan Jayagan Turley, Asst. Vice President for SM Supermalls Corporate Compliance Group

SM Supermalls on its part lauds the BFP for the MBOSS endeavor as this is also another way of guaranteeing that the private sector is a critical participant in the creation of risk-resilient societies since businesses like the malls and its tenants must comply with government-mandated regulations especially the Fire Code of the Philippines and its Implementing Rules and Regulations. Through compliance with BFP regulations, SM helps to contribute to the prevention and suppression of destructive fires on its premises. This endeavor of the BFP is another step for disaster risk reduction and also part of good governance.

SM, as a lead advocate of disaster risk reduction (DRR) for the private sector in the Philippines, supports all efforts towards building a more resilient Philippines. The company puts a significant portion of its investment in the disaster risk resilient features of its malls. It spearheads advocacies and public-private partnerships towards DRR and is an active member and the national secretariat of ARISE-Philippines, the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies. ARISE is a network of private sector entities led by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). 

The Public-Private partnership of SM and BFP which was formally sealed in a Memorandum of Understanding  (MOU) signed in March 2019, is one way of acknowledging that there is progress in preventing disaster risks and losses of lives, livelihood, and health in support of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 - 2030. 

The MBOSS in SM Mall of Asia was simultaneously done in SM City Cebu, SM City Davao, SM Lanang Premier, SM City Sta. Rosa, SM City Iloilo, SM City Palawan, SM City Legaspi, and SM City Bacolod.

Meanwhile, SM Prime also donated a fire truck to the BFP as part of SM’s commitment to supporting the Bureau in its prevention and suppression efforts of all destructive fires on buildings, houses, and other structures. 

BFP Fire Chief Gen. Jose Segundo Embang Jr. received the fire truck from Mr. Steven T. Tan, President of SM Supermalls. Other officials of the BFP include NCR Regional Director Chief Superintendent Gen. Gilbert Dolot, Acting Director for Fire Safety and Enforcement Col. Romeo M. Maltezo, Jr. Also present in the said event from SM Supermalls were Engr. Bien Mateo, SVP Operations; Engr. Liza B. Silerio, VP Corporate Compliance; Atty. Pearly Joan Jayagan Turley, AVP Compliance and former Fire Chief and now SM Consultant, Gen. Carlito S. Romero.

The donated Fire Truck has a water capacity of 4,000 liters and complies with the European Standard (EN) ISO 1028 certification.

Mega Global Celebrates the Second National Sardines Day in the Philippines with Mega Bigay Sustansya sa Pasko

Mega Global Celebrates the Second National Sardines Day

There is no doubt that sardines are a Filipino staple that has graced millions of dining tables for decades. It is affordable, delicious and it’s good for the body as it’s packed with calcium, omega-3, and vitamin D. Leading sardine company Mega Global Corporation highlights the importance of humble sardines through its National Sardines Day celebration which started in 2019. In its second year, Mega Global commemorates this day by launching the nationwide Mega Bigay Sustansya sa Pasko Program. 

Mega Global Celebrates the Second National Sardines Day

With Mega Bigay Sustansya sa Pasko launch and Mega Manufacturing Plant groundbreaking Malasakit is at the heart of Mega Global’s National Sardines Day campaign as they roll-out a nationwide CSR initiative and break ground on their newest manufacturing plant.

Mega Global's 2nd National Sardines Day

Driven by a culture of malasakit, Mega Global has always strived to uplift the Filipino community by providing only the best products to their consumers and contributing to nation-building efforts. Led by the Mega Tiu Lim Foundation, Mega Global’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm, the company has been giving back to the people and helping those that need it most through various initiatives and programs. This year alone, Mega Global has been taking part in different COVID-19 and disaster relief donation drives in partnership with LGUs, hospitals, and other private organizations and has been consistently providing meals to frontliners and underprivileged communities. 

Mega Global Celebrates the Second National Sardines Day

Recognizing that malasakit is needed now more than ever, Mega Global decided to celebrate the 2nd National Sardines Day by launching the Mega Bigay Sustansya sa Pasko CSR program that aims to feed 100,000 nutritious meals to Filipino families and communities all over the country, and building their Mega Manufacturing Plant to help drive economic growth and create over 1,000 jobs.

“The culture of malasakit is deeply embedded in our company, and it is second nature for us to step in when and where we can. That’s why we wanted this year’s  National Sardines Day to be more meaningful by scaling up our  CSR program to reach more Filipinos and breaking ground on our newest manufacturing plant which will be fully operational by February 2022. We will always work hard to improve the lives of Filipinos,  whether it's through providing quality and nutritious canned goods, providing jobs, or through the company’s CSR initiatives. We believe that if we all work together, whether you’re working inside the company or just a regular consumer, we will be able to make a difference in the lives of those around us.” ~Mr. William Tiu Lim, President & CEO Mega Global Corporation

Mega Global Celebrates the Second National Sardines Day

Mega Global invested over PHP 1 billion to build its second manufacturing plant in order to meet the growing demand for its canned goods both in Luzon and abroad and to help boost the nation’s economy amidst the pandemic. Located in Sto. Tomas Batangas, this state-of-the-art, multi-line food manufacturing facility will implement Mega Global’s meticulous and sustainable practices in all its operations and will run on an energy-efficient light source to minimize its carbon footprint. 

Mega Global's 2nd National Sardines Day

Mega Global's 2nd National Sardines Day

Mega Global's 2nd National Sardines Day

Mega Global's 2nd National Sardines Day

Mega Global's 2nd National Sardines Day

Mega Global's 2nd National Sardines Day

Mega Global's 2nd National Sardines Day

Improving Everyday Lives

As a company that not only provides Mega Sardines but other well-loved products like Mega Tuna, Mega Creations, and Mega Prime, Mega Global has always been focused on health and nutrition. 

With every product it makes, they hope to provide the Filipino people with food that not only tastes good but is also able to provide them with the nutrients they need everyday. 

The Mega Bigay Sustansya sa Pasko Program is another step towards Mega Global’s goal of improving the health and Foundation in partnership with Reach Out Feed Philippines (ROFP) and Nutrition Center of the Philippines, (NCP), this the initiative is a 30-day meal planning and distribution program that aims to feed over 100,000 Filipino families nationwide before the year ends. Seeing how their Covid-19 response program last April was able to positively impact the lives of those they served, the company wanted to extend this to more communities in need and to make the holiday season special for everyone despite the pandemic.

Mega Global's 2nd National Sardines Day

Mega Pasko sa Puso ng Pilipino

For Mega Global, National Sardines Day has gone beyond simply appreciating sardines and its importance in our pantry and on our tables. National Sardines Day has become a way for them to continue their mission in uplifting the lives of the Filipinos and at the same time, pushing for the importance of proper nutrition for everyone.   

 

That is why Mega Global is inviting everyone to join the culmination of the 2nd National Sardines Day on November 24. They will be hosting an online celebration on their Facebook page so that everyone can celebrate and share their love for sardines together. Leading the event is Mega Sardines’ brand ambassador Piolo Pascual together with key personalities and influencers, who will talk about the importance of nutrition in the family and their love for this Filipino food staple. Everyone is welcome to join the fun!

Mega Global's 2nd National Sardines Day

Mega Global's 2nd National Sardines Day

An Invitation to Help

Mega Global is also encouraging Filipinos to take part in this year’s Mega Bigay Sustansya sa Pasko Program. Through the participation of its consumers, Mega Global will be able to reach more people and to impact more lives. For every purchase of any National Sardines Day Bundle in the Mega Online Store, Official Mega Global Stores in Shopee and Lazada, 100 pesos will be donated to the ROFP beneficiaries. 

Mega Global's 2nd National Sardines Day

For more information on National Sardines Day and Mega Bigay Sustansya sa Pasko Program, visit Mega Sardines’ social media page - https://www.facebook.com/officialmegasardines/.

Mega Global's 2nd National Sardines Day

UNIQLO Provides Aid to The Philippines for the Families Affected by Typhoon Rolly and Typhoon Ulysses

UNIQLO Philippines donates 300,000 pieces of AIRism masks through SM Foundation, Inc. for the families affected by the recent typhoons in the Philippines. In photo: UNIQLO Philippines Co-COO Geraldine Sia, UNIQLO Philippines COO Masayoshi Nakamura, SM Foundation, Inc. Executive Director Debbie Sy, and SM Foundation, Inc. Executive Director for Medical and Health Programs Connie Angeles.

Japanese global apparel retailer UNIQLO offers its deepest condolences to the families affected by Typhoon Rolly and Typhoon Ulysses in the Philippines. To support relief and recovery efforts, UNIQLO, via its parent company Fast Retailing, will donate 1 million USD (approx. 48 million in PHP) in aid.

The donation will be made through the SM Foundation, an entity that manages the CSR activities of the SM Group - the managing partner of UNIQLO in the Philippines. The donation will be used to provide emergency food supplies and rebuild flooded housing, as well as build preventative infrastructure in areas susceptible to flooding.

Furthermore, UNIQLO in the Philippines will donate 300,000 AIRism masks to affected areas through the SM Foundation. The masks will be donated to evacuees in the affected areas of the Bicol Region, Bulacan, Cagayan, Isabela, Pampanga, and Rizal provinces, as well as Marikina City.

UNIQLO opened its first store in the Philippines in Manila, in June 2012, and currently operates 60 stores throughout the country. The typhoons have not caused any direct damage to UNIQLO stores.

UNIQLO hopes for the speedy recovery of these regions and that the families affected by these disasters can return to their normal lives as soon as possible.

 

About UNIQLO LifeWear

Apparel that comes from the Japanese values of simplicity, quality and longevity. Designed to be of the time and for the time, LifeWear is made with such modern elegance that it becomes the building blocks of each individual’s style. A perfect shirt that is always being made more perfect. The simplest design hiding the most thoughtful and modern details. The best in fit and fabric made to be affordable and accessible to all. LifeWear is clothing that is constantly being innovated, bringing more warmth, more lightness, better design, and better comfort to people’s lives.

About UNIQLO and Fast Retailing

UNIQLO is a brand of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., a leading Japanese retail holding company with global headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. UNIQLO is the largest of eight brands in the Fast Retailing Group, the others being GU, Theory, Helmut Lang, PLST (Plus T), Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse tam.tam and J Brand. With global sales of approximately 2.0088 trillion yen for the 2020 fiscal year ending August 31, 2020 (US $19.06 billion, calculated in yen using the end of August 2020 rate of $1 = 105.4 yen), Fast Retailing is one of the world’s largest apparel retail companies, and UNIQLO is Japan’s leading specialty retailer.

UNIQLO continues to open large-scale stores in some of the world's most important cities and locations, as part of its ongoing efforts to solidify its status as a global brand. Today the company has more than 2,200 stores in 25 markets including Japan. In alphabetical order, the other markets are Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, U.K. U.S., and Vietnam. In addition, UNIQLO established a social business in Bangladesh together with the Grameen Bank in 2010, and today there are more than 15 Grameen-UNIQLO stores, mostly located in Dhaka.

With a corporate statement committed to changing clothes, changing conventional wisdom, and change the world, Fast Retailing is dedicated to creating great clothing with new and unique value to enrich the lives of people everywhere. For more information about UNIQLO and Fast Retailing, please visit www.uniqlo.com and www.fastretailing.com.

Emirates crowned Best Airline and Best Long-Haul Airline at Leading UK Travel Awards 2020

Emirates has been recognized as the Best Airline for 2020 at The Sun Travel Awards, and the Best Long-Haul Airline at The Times and The Sunday Times Travel Awards. Following an unprecedented year for travel, hundreds of thousands of votes were cast by readers looking to celebrate the best in the industry. 

Emirates' range of world-class products and services onboard its modern, wide-body aircraft helped to secure the award wins, with passengers able to enjoy over 4,500 channels of entertainment on ice – the airline's award-winning inflight entertainment system – as well as regionally inspired meals and complimentary beverages.

The wins underscore Emirates' commitment to offering a better and safer customer experience in the air and on the ground across every class of travel. Emirates has re-introduced its iconic A380 products and onboard experiences, including the Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa, as well as social areas in Business Class and First Class on select Boeing 777- 300ER aircraft following a thorough review and the implementation of additional health and safety measures.

Emirates has recently rated the safest airline in the world in its response to the COVID-19 Pandemic according to the Safe Travel Barometer. It topped the ranks with a 'Safe Travel Score' of 4.4 out of 5.0 among 230+ airlines evaluated worldwide. The airline has set industry-leading safety standards at every step of the customer journey, including the distribution of hygiene kits, personal protective equipment for cabin crew, and enhanced cleaning procedures including the disinfection of aircraft lavatories every 45 minutes on flights longer than 1.5 hours.

Customers can stopover or travel to Dubai this winter as the city is open for international business and leisure visitors. From eclectic landmarks, pristine beaches, and world-class shopping malls – the city remains one of the most popular global destinations.

The award wins come as Emirates continues to safely resume operations and rebuild its network to provide more opportunities for travel, connecting customers to more than 95 destinations via Dubai.

The State of Diabetes in the Philippines Know the facts, step up and act

Step Up for World Diabetes Day!

Amidst the pandemic, there is another disease that has gone under the radar and is silently affecting millions of people—Diabetes. Described as a chronic, non-communicable disease, diabetes is a major public health problem globally and persons afflicted with it are also vulnerable to a host of other diseases such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and COVID. 

“Last year, there were 463 million adults living with diabetes globally. That’s 1 out of 11 people who have the condition. There are about 3.7 million diabetic Filipinos, and this number is expected to double in the next 5 years. Only 34% are diagnosed, 27% are treated, and only 11% are on insulin. Among those treated, less than 50% are able to manage or control their disease. Globally, 1 life is lost every 7 seconds because of diabetes and its complications. As partners for building a healthier Philippines, we have the chance to step up in solidarity for our friends and family with diabetes. Even a simple gesture of raising awareness, getting the word out to help people better understand the disease and the risk factors behind it can go a long way in the prevention and management of diabetes. Another way to describe diabetes is a lifestyle disease. If we actively promote an active and well-balanced lifestyle for our families, where we get sufficient physical activity and proper nutrition, this will play a major role in reducing the prevalence of chronic disease in the coming years. If we actively promote an active and well-balanced lifestyle for our families, where we get sufficient physical activity and proper nutrition, this will play a major role in reducing the prevalence of chronic disease in the coming years.” ~Amal Makhloufi Benchouk, Sanofi Philippines Country Lead

World Diabetes Day (WDD) was created in 1991 by IDF and the World Health Organization in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes. It is marked every year on 14 November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922. WDD is the world’s largest diabetes awareness campaign reaching a global audience of over 1 billion people in more than 160 countries. The campaign draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public and political spotlight.

HealthierPH Session: Step Up for World Diabetes Day!

More alarmingly, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) reports that a further 232 million people remain undiagnosed, with the majority of them believed to have type 2 diabetes. In the Philippines alone diabetes is one of the leading causes of death and places a heavy burden for many families who are living with the disease. 

Stepping up for World Diabetes Day

Among other factors such as diet and lifestyle, Makhloufi stresses that there is a distinct lack of awareness and understanding of diabetes which has led to its widespread prevalence in recent years. To address this, Sanofi Philippines hosted Healthier/PH sessions: Step Up For World Diabetes Day, a virtual media event that featured a multi-disciplinary panel to tackle the issue of diabetes and educate the public on managing the disease.

How to Join:

1. To join, you may register at Takbo.ph, where you can select your preferred distance of 15k, 30k, 50k, or 100k. Registration lasts until November 30 only.
2. We recommend you use Strava, Nike, or Garmin to record and keep track of your time. If you wish to use a treadmill, you may do so provided that your time and distance will be indicated.
3. Should you choose to run outdoors, always remember to practice social distancing and make use of the proper protective equipment.

For Tiktok Virtual Run Challenge

1. Register on #StepUp4WDD Virtual Run via https://app.takbo.ph/all-races/step-up-virtual-run-2020 
2. Post a video while running on TikTok and tag 5 of your friends to join.
3. Use this caption upon posting: I pledge to #StepUp4WDD in the fight against diabetes. I challenge @name1 @name2 @name3 @name4 @name5 to join.
4. Use the following hashtags upon posting: #WorldDiabetesDay #SanofiPH #PanatangSanofi #DiabetesYourType

Other speakers during the online panel include fitness expert, Jinoe Gavan of Takbo.ph, who shared simple at-home workout tips to keep active during the quarantine. Social enterprise Gising Gising, represented by Bianca Dualan, RND, was also present during the talk and educated the audience on the proper nutrition and diet for regulating sugar levels, which is essential in managing diabetes.

• Lifestyle and Chronic Diseases

And in its thrust to raise further awareness on the impact of the disease and promote healthier lifestyles, Sanofi Philippines launched the Step Up For World Diabetes Day Virtual Run 2020. This virtual running event was launched on November 14 and runs through December 15, and was initiated in partnership with Takbo.ph.

For more information on how you can join the Step Up For Diabetes Virtual Run 2020, log on to Takbo.Ph. Login to www.sanofi.ph to learn more about Sanofi Philippines.

About Sanofi Philippines
Sanofi is your health journey partner. We are dedicated to being there through life’s ups and downs—for every challenge, big or small, lifelong or temporary. We transform scientific innovations into healthcare solutions to prevent and manage a broad range of medical conditions. We prevent illness with vaccines and provide treatments to fight pain and ease suffering. We also stand by the few who suffer from rare diseases and the millions with long-term chronic conditions. Login to www.sanofi.ph to learn more about Sanofi Philippines.

AI a vehicle for customers to achieve aspirations – UnionBank Senior Advisor for Data and AI

UnionBank of the Philippines' 6th E-TalkTales: Transforming the Banking Engine: The Art of Artificial Intelligence

Data science and artificial intelligence (or “DSAI”) are two “tandem”-technologies that are now taking over many industries across the globe. Artificial intelligence has brought about many exciting prospects that have ushered more personalized, “tailor-fit” digital experiences for many of us. This has made many of the things we do in our lives simpler, more instantaneous, and, thus, more convenient.

As Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) is now in the next phase of its digital transformation journey, the country’s leading digital bank has continued to invest in talent, infrastructure, and other resources needed to innovate and co-create using data science and AI, which is led by global data science expert Dr. David Hardoon Ph. D., as the Bank's Senior Advisor for Data and Artificial Intelligence.

On the sixth installment of UnionBank’s exclusive “eTalk Tales” with Media, Dr. Hardoon discussed how UnionBank is translating data science and artificial intelligence insights into a very individualized way of banking, making sure that everyone is statistically significant and provided the ‘VIP’ treatment with a wide range of personalized services and solutions.

“DSAI is a key element within UnionBank’s digitize or perish journey. It is the differentiator between just “Digitize to survive” versus “Digitize to flourish. AI is the engine of the digital renaissance.  It is a vehicle to achieve an aspiration. It is important to anchor AI on what truly matters—people, whether customers or employees. AI is truly about being human-centric first. The purpose is us, primarily as customers, and how do we leverage the insight and knowledge that can be derived from AI to help shape financial services around us. The Bank has been introducing and enhancing countless digital touchpoints for customer ease and fluidity of engagement. These touchpoints mean exactly that, that customers engage with the Bank on a more regular basis. It is our responsibility to...imagine. Imagine the ability to provide bridging or intra-day loans without a customer's need to submit hefty financial historical statements.” ~Dr. David Hardoon Ph. D., as the Bank's Senior Advisor for Data and Artificial Intelligence

UnionBank of the Philippines' 6th E-TalkTales: Transforming the Banking Engine: The Art of Artificial Intelligence

UnionBank of the Philippines' 6th E-TalkTales: Transforming the Banking Engine: The Art of Artificial Intelligence

UnionBank of the Philippines' 6th E-TalkTales: Transforming the Banking Engine: The Art of Artificial Intelligence

UnionBank of the Philippines' 6th E-TalkTales: Transforming the Banking Engine: The Art of Artificial Intelligence

UnionBank of the Philippines' 6th E-TalkTales: Transforming the Banking Engine: The Art of Artificial Intelligence

UnionBank of the Philippines' 6th E-TalkTales: Transforming the Banking Engine: The Art of Artificial Intelligence

Hardoon emphasized that AI is a must-have to enable scalable customer-centric finance of tomorrow, today. The goal is to make finance relevant, specific, and contextual to each individual consumer.  His use of AI is not artificial intelligence but ‘augmented intelligence’. The reality is that humans are phenomenal in creativity that machines do not have. Machines may be able to replicate but it cannot originate. This, according to Hardoon, is where augmentation comes in. Data science uses insights from machines to operationalize and contextualize. “It’s not a question of ‘can we do it’ but ‘should we do it’.”

Digital transformation is heralded as the game-changer for the banking sector in today's reality and for tomorrow's necessity. The transformation is rooted in the aspiration of inclusive and resilient financial services and is about achieving a reality where ones’ moments of life are not defined around the financial products available, but where financial services and products are created to support the milestones in life. 

UnionBank uses AI to upgrade its existing strategy and accelerate further innovation, an example of which is its use as an additional layer of defense against financial crimes. AI enables the Bank to detect more instances while making sure that the existing defense and process will not be disrupted to ensure operational efficiency.  AI is also being leveraged by the Bank to predict future volume of inbound calls that can reduce some of the volatility in call management. Through AI, the cash management solutions team is provided with data-driven relevant recommendations and proposals for customers.

Data Science and AI (DSAI) enables capabilities in understanding customers' needs through their various engagements with the bank and providers and the ability to go beyond a templatized approach to ascertain relevance, suitability, and affordability.  This makes UnionBank, Philippine banking’s best in the data science and AI field.

Consistent with its commitment to making banking simpler and more inclusive via best-in-class digital and mobile capabilities, UnionBank President and CEO Edwin Bautista believe that leveraging Data and AI is a key driver to the next level of its digital transformation as the Bank continues to put the customer—both individuals and corporates, at the heart of its business.

About Dr. David Hardoon

Dr. David Hardoon is Senior Advisor for Data and AI at UnionBank of the Philippines. As part of his responsibilities, he works with various centers, groups, and units to reinforce data infrastructure and governance, behavior modeling, machine learning, and AI capabilities as well as applications in the Bank.

In addition to his responsibilities at UnionBank, Dr. Hardoon also serves as an advisor for a number of other institutions on matters related to data and AI.

He is concurrently Senior Advisor for AI to Singapore's Corrupt Investigation Practices Bureau (CPIB), where he externally advises the Bureau’s Chief Data Officer and Chief Information Officer on a digital transformation journey and strategic development of analytics capabilities and machine learning. He is also Senior Advisor for Data Science to Singapore's Central Provident Fund Board, working as an external advisor to the Board’s Chief Data Officer.

Prior to his appointment at UnionBank, Dr. Hardoon was the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS) first appointed Chief Data Officer and Head of the Data Analytics Group, and subsequently MAS’ Special Advisor on Artificial Intelligence. In these roles, he led the development of the AI strategy both for MAS and Singapore’s financial sector as well as efforts in promoting open cross-border data flow.

He also led and established the ASEAN Advanced Analytics of Ernst & Young Advisory Singapore as Director of EY Data, IT Advisory Services, and co-founded Azendian Solutions Pte. Ltd., an information management and data science consultancy between 2013 and 2017. He was also Head of Analytics at SAS Institute Ltd. Singapore from 2010 to 2013.

Dr. Hardoon is an Academic Council Member of the Global Fintech Institute (GFI) in Singapore, where he oversees the academic matters of the Chartered FinTech Professional (CFtP) Programme, which is jointly developed by the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), and the GFI.

He is also Visiting Faculty at the Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics at Singapore Management University (SMU) and a Board Member of SMU’s School of Accountancy Data Analytics Advisory Board; Executive Education Fellow at the Advanced Computing for Executives (ACE) of the School of Computing at the National University of Singapore where he advises on data, machine learning and artificial intelligence from concept to practice cross-industry, and Executive Education Fellow at SUSS, where he advises on fintech and AI-related teaching and research activities.

In addition, he is an Honorary Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Computational Statistics and Machine Learning at University College London.

Dr. Hardoon is a published author. He co-penned the book “Getting Started with Business Analytics: Insightful Decision-Making” and is a contributor to three other books related to data and AI. He is also a contributor to various news outfits including Singapore’s The Business Times, The Straits Times, and Moody’s Analytics.

He also regularly speaks at events and conferences, the most recent of which are speaking engagements with The Asset, the Institute of International Finance, and SGInnovate, to name a few.

Dr. Hardoon is a graduate of Royal Halloway, the University of London with First-Class Honors B.Sc. in Computer Science and AI, and a holder of a PhD in Machine Learning from the University of Southampton School of Electronics and Computer Science United Kingdom.