Tag: Philippines

Globe Telecom and Western Union Join Forces to Deliver Money Transfers through Mobile Phones in the Philippines

Posted by | Jan 29, 2008 | |

The Western Union Company, Globe Telecom and its wholly owned subsidiary, G-Xchange, Inc., announced today that they will join forces to introduce a cross-border mobile money transfer service supporting low-principal, high-frequency remittances.

Globe Telecom, a leading telecommunications provider in the Philippines, offers its GCASH service with an “electronic wallet” feature that allows users to send and receive cash and make payments, including bill payments, donations and online purchases via texting. Globe Telecom had more than 19 million subscribers as of the end of September 2007 and close to half a million active GCASH users.

Once the Western Union(R) mobile money transfer pilot has launched, the service will connect operators to Western Union’s existing global money transfer system. Once connected to the Western Union service, operators will be able to use their own “mobile wallet” software to enable person-to-person mobile money transfers over Western Union’s cross-border remittance network. The Mobile Money Transfer service will enable consumers to transfer money to or from mobile wallets and will offer a global network of Western Union Agent locations for cash-to-mobile and mobile-to-cash transactions.

Mobile networks now cover more than 80 percent of the world’s population, and 3 billion people have a mobile phone,(2) creating a unique opportunity to extend the benefits of financial services to many of the world’s families for the first time.

The agreement with Globe is part of the pilot program of Western Union and the GSM Association, a global trade association representing over 700 GSM mobile phone operators, to facilitate the development of cross-border mobile money transfer services.

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SMART Communications and Western Union to Deliver Mobile Remittances in the Philippines

Posted by | Jan 29, 2008 | |

The Western Union Company announced today that it has joined forces with Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART), a leading wireless services provider in the Philippines, to jointly develop and pilot a Mobile Money Transfer service.

The service, which is being developed as part of the GSM Association’s Mobile Money Transfer strategic initiative, aims to make low-principal, high-frequency remittances available to the country’s more than 8 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).(1)

SMART, which ended 2007 with more than 30 million subscribers, already has an established mobile financial service platform linking local bank accounts to mobile handsets, providing significant convenience for banked consumers. At the end of 2007, more than 7 million SMART subscribers were in the Smart Money system, close to 2 million of whom are cardholders. The company has agreements with five Philippine commercial banks and links to over 7,000 ATMs nationwide, more than 100 Smart Wireless Centers and thousands of third-party Smart Money fulfillment partners.

“More than 44 percent of households in the Philippines have a relative or family member working abroad,(2) and the mobile phone plays a tremendous role in keeping families connected,” said Matt Dill, General Manager, Western Union Mobile. “We believe there is a real opportunity to extend the reach of Western Union’s brand and service proposition to a new and more mobile consumer base.”

The number of immigrants globally is about 200 million – approximately 3 percent of the world’s population.(2) According to recent World Bank data, the Philippines is the fourth-largest receiver of remittances in the world and received an estimated $17 billion USD in 2007.

Once the Western Union(R) mobile money transfer pilot has launched, the service will connect operators to Western Union’s existing global money transfer system. Once connected to the Western Union service, operators will be able to use their own “mobile wallet” software to enable person-to-person mobile money transfers over Western Union’s cross-border remittance network. The Mobile Money Transfer service will enable consumers to transfer money to or from mobile wallets and will offer a global network of Western Union Agent locations for cash-to-mobile and mobile-to-cash transactions.

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DHL increases air network capacity for Manila & Hong Kong

Posted by | Jan 21, 2008 | |

DHL has further strengthened its Asia Air Network by increasing the uplift capacity for its dedicated Manila and Hong Kong air service to meet growing cargo demand.

The enhanced dedicated service, operated by an Air Hong Kong B727-200 freighter, provides a cargo capacity of 24 tons, up from 19 tons previously. The flight frequency has also been increased from four to five times a week. This represents a total payload capacity of 240 tons or a 58 percent (88 tons) increase in payload capacity for the service. Air Hong Kong is a 60/40 joint venture between Cathay Pacific and DHL.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, exports from the Philippines to China grew by an average of 43.8 percent between 2000 and 2005, while imports from China to the Philippines grew by an average of 30.5 percent in the same period. As a consequence, cargo volumes between Manila and Hong Kong are anticipated to rise significantly.

DHL’s Asia Air Network currently comprises more than 30 destinations in 16 countries and territories, served by over 20 aircraft in dedicated air operations. This allows major Asia Pacific cities and other business centers to be interconnected through DHL’s regional hubs and gateways, providing DHL’s customers with overnight services across the region.

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PhilPost-8 now accepts cargo services

Posted by | Jan 9, 2008 | |

The Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost), Region 8 headed by Regional Director Fabioleta P. Ferraris is proud to announce that their office now accepts transport of cargoes from one city or municipality to another for a minimal fee.

According to PhilPost Information Officer Designate Oscar E. Bioco, said postal service is facilitated through their mail service vehicle to and from the following post office points: Tacloban City – Ormoc City and way offices; Ormoc – Kanaga – Palompon – Isabel – Merida and way offices; Tacloban – Catbalogan, Samar – Calbayog City – Catarman, Northern Samar and way offices; and Tacloban – Borongan, Eastern Samar way offices.

Bioco added that other postal points are: Ormoc – Albuera – Baybay City; Tacloban – Baybay – Maasin and way offices; Maasin – Sogod, Souther Leyte and way offices; Sogod – Silago – Abuyog – Tacloban and way offices; Guiuan, Eastern Samar – Borongan, Eastern Samar; and lastly, Borongan – Oras, Eastern Samar and way offices.

Interested parties who want to avail of this cargo service, known as Priority Express or PREX, are required to inform the consignee to pick up said cargo at the post office destination point. Bioco said that Philpost guarantee’s a same day delivery of items posted within the specified cut-off time.

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PhilPost-8 introduces PREX Project

Posted by | Nov 23, 2007 | |

In its efforts to give more satisfactory and improved quality of postal services to its constituents, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost), Region 8 through the leadership of Regional Director Fabiolita P. Ferraris recently introduced the premium services of Priority and Express (PREX) mails which has been proven to be faster, safer and more reliable mail service delivery.

According to PhilPost’s Oscar Bioco, Administrative Finance Division Chief, Proof of Delivery (POD), and Registry Return Receipt (RRR) for registered mails are attached to mails sent through this newly introduced postal service. Said POD and RRR will be returned by PhilPost to the sender.

Further, it was learned that the project which was officially launched last November 5, 2007 coincided with PhilPost’s opening of its 109th Anniversary Celebration of the Postal Service, and their observance of Postal Consciousness Week.

To give meaning to the event, Director Ferraris spearheaded series of activities involving the postal personnel.
Reports have it that the diligence of postal officials and employees in its campaign resulted to an impressive quantity of mails posted region-wide, specifically so when they introduced the PREX Project. To make sure that mails for delivery will not be delayed, Tacloban City PhilPost staff goes out of their way to assist each other in filling up the PODs and RRRs of the large volume of mails posted daily.

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