Microsoft Office 365 for Co-Working Spaces

If yesterday that I set up my small business, co-working spaces already existed, then I could have saved a bundle of money and, should things turned to the worse – which it did – I didn’t have to lose big time. Even just less than a decade ago, setting up shop for your new small business meant a huge bundle of money to spend on capital expenses whose depreciation period is at least two years. For a startup small business owner, that’s a huge investment.

So, Microsoft Philippines recently invited me to showcase their solution for a freelancer, entrepreneur or small business owner. But instead of a small business owner setting up production by renting or leasing an empty office space, building its interiors, buying furniture and fixtures, contracting a systems integrator to install structure cabling, servers and networks, buying all the enterprise or premise-based software you need, subscribing to a dedicated internet connection that’s much expensive than your regular home DSL service, hiring a receptionist, security guard and all-around administrative assistant, and other minor expenses that drive up the cost of starting a business with hardly any income coming it (Whew! That was long!), you subscribe to a co-working space.

This is where Microsoft Philippines’ Office 365 comes into the picture, a technology solution that gives the freelancer, the entrepreneur and the small business owner the ability to save on long-term cash by paying on-the-go or on-demand. Combine this with a co-working space like Penbrothers and the small business owner today has a way to reduce start-up costs (expenses that needs to mature for a long time before it goes back as an investment) and start the business without huge capital expenditures and worrying about the upkeep and maintenance of the workplace.

I’ve been a Microsoft Philippines Office 365 customers for quite a while now. For a mere $5 a month, you get both online and offline versions of Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, OneNote and a few others I don’t really use. You also get 1TB of cloud space for your files – called OneDrive – which you can automatically sync on-the-go or manually update your files. Your Microsoft Windows Explore will reflect your OneDrive so you can just drag-and-drop files between your OneDrive and hard drive. I also have all five Microsoft Office 365 apps on my other devices in case I don’t have my laptop with me and I have to edit.

That 1TB of cloud space in my OneDrive is a biggie. It costs $3 or $5 per month to get an extra 100GB space in your Gmail; of course, Google Apps is free to use but I’m really more comfortable with Microsoft Office. I’ve also had a Mediafire.com cloud drive of about 50GB since 2007 or something like that, and use that to store photos and images that I want my blogs to access it, as opposed to uploading photos to my blog’s limited cloud space.

Going back, the partnership of Microsoft Philippines technology solutions and Penbrothers co-working space just makes sense. One solution that Microsoft Philippines offers Penbrothers customers is Windows 10 Pro for Business, an upgrade from my Windows 10 Home or personal edition. Like today’s requirement of work from anywhere, anytime, the Pro for Business edition has the built-in security and flexibility to keep up with an entrepreneur or small business owner’s growth, protecting your files and business information from digital threats.

Microsoft Philippines is on the road to more partnerships with co-working spaces in the country, as more and more freelancers, entrepreneurs and small business owners choose to start up in these virtual office space than the traditional but expensive route.

To learn more about Microsoft Philippines Office 365 and Windows 10 Pro for Business, go to www.microsoft.com/en-ph.

To learn more about Penbrothers co-working spaces, visit www.penbrothers.com.

Source: Press event from Dominguez Marketing Communications

Photos from (1) penbrothers.com | (2) microsoft.com

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ACCEL is the No. 1 Filipino Sportswear Brand

I was recently privileged to sit down with Paolo Ortiz who is the second generation of the families running and managing the top Filipino sportswear company in the country which is more popularly known for its primary sports brand – ACCEL (pronounced /əkˈsel/).  I met him at his main warehouse in Pasig City and together with three other journalists and bloggers, we all casually talked to Paolo to hear his thoughts and experiences regarding the company and brands they have given to the Filipino public since its inception in 2002.

Hey! I remember owning a pair of ACCEL rubber shoes. Back then, probably around 2005, I always thought Accel was an international brand. “Well, what didn’t I know then?” So, I should shout, “Proudly Filipino!”

There are presently 342 outlets nationwide of Sporteum Philippines, Inc., the company that manufactures, markets and sells the ACCEL line of sportswear, most of which are concession-oriented and outright stores, while around 10 are company-owned specialty boutique shops. By research, I also found out Lazada is also selling the ACCEL brand though I do not know if it is a direct sale from Sporteum. But no franchising for now.

The sportswear brand ACCEL is more known for its rubber shoes (Yep! That’s old school terminology, kiddos!), particularly in the area of Philippine basketball since Sporteum has been a licensee of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) for quite some time – jerseys, caps, sports sandals and bags.

Besides sports shoes, Accel also has sports sandals, shorts, indoor shoes, basketball shoes, caps and other accessories as its more marketable brand categories. You have past and present ACCEL endorsers like Asi Taulava, Manny Pacquiao before he became famous, including the likes of Bearwin “DaBear” Meily (Filipino actor), Rey Saludar (boxing), Dennis Orcollo (billiard), Engelberto Rivera (bowling), Onyok Velasco (boxing), Treat Conrad Huey and Ceil Mamiit (tennis), La Salle Green Archers (2007 83rd UAAP), Gilas Pilipinas, Maico Buncio (superbike), Gary David (basketball), Natasha Alquiros (women’s football), and Diego Dalisay (tennis).

As prominent is ACCEL to men’s sports, the sportswear company is now aggressively marketing its women’s line for the past two years, starting with women’s sport shoes and following it with women’s sports apparel – footwear, sports sandals, apparel, leggings, sports bra and more.

While interviewing Paolo Ortiz, I learned that he actually finished with a degree in Landscape Architecture and ventured out on his own before joining the family business two years ago. Sporteum was founded by three families, namely the Ortiz, Laroza and Go families, with Willie Ortiz more known with the ACCEL brand. Prior to setting up Sporteum, these three sportswear industry stalwarts actually came from another well-known sportswear company, Rubber World, which as I recall was the first distributor of Adidas in the country. This only means these founders have been in sportswear industry for decades.

ACCEL has only one market – the Filipino market. They are competing head-on with internationally known brands like Addidas and Nike but are priced well below these expensive sportswear products so that the average Filipino can afford ACCEL – with equal quality and durability to the international brands. A local brand, World Balance, may well be its direct local competitor but ACCEL outpaces it in variety, availability and affordability. This is because ever since they started, Sporteum’s goal was to be the No. 1 Filipino sports brand. Today, I believe that to be very true.

A new addition to the ACCEL brand is not a sub-brand but rather a new technology, which they call Quantum Plus (or Quantum+ as it is popularly labeled). This is a patented technology inside select ACCEL sportswear products that provides a healthy balance of ionized charge. Something similar to magnets and infrared (IR) in wearables like bracelets and necklaces, Quantum Plus balances out the negative charges for us urban dwellers; rural folks have a balanced diet of these charged ions. From sport shoes to apparel, Quantum Plus is (still) in its promotional stage despite being launched sometime early 2014. Wearing something with Quantum Plus is like placing nature’s energy in your shoes to boost your stamina, whether it involves casual sports or extreme ones. If you go to one of ACCEL’s outlets, the Quantum Plus products are visibly labeled with a large, prominent tag. Of course, there are no scientific or medical claims for endurance and strength but global research will tell you a balance of charged ions can provide a healthy balance for the body. In fact, one of the interviewers attested giving her extra endurance on her regular jogs when she started using ACCEL with Quantum Plus.

The prevailing market of ACCEL products have always been the Gen X (generation), seeing that the company began as the official licensee of PBA in its early days. But Sporteum is slowly developing products for the Millennial market, especially the women’s segment. Besides conducting surveys for new and upcoming designs, they also rely on feedback from their endorsers and other athletes.

September next month is the anniversary of ACCEL. Paolo says they have promotions in store which he did not want to reveal – not just yet. Sporteum will continue to add Quantum Plus in more of their products and continue to support Filipino sports with the likes of PBA, UAAP, NCAA, Shakey’s V-League, PBA D-League, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Sportswriters Association, PBA Press Corps and the UAAP-NCAA Press Corps.

For more information, visit www.accelsports.com or follow them at Facebook and Instagram.

Source of text from an interview with Paolo Ortiz, Operations Director of Sporteum Philippines, Inc.

Photos by @raffypekson

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The Perfect Pint Brewpub Opens in Alabang

The Perfect Pint brewpub just recently opened another of its gastronomic and gastropub-o-nomic (is there such a word?) The first one was a year ago at the 32nd Street of Bonifacio Global City (BGC); and the next? The Perfect Pint at Molito Lifestyle Center in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. My blogger-friends dared to trek the bustling super hi-way of the south to end up a little early than expected.

Original URL: https://miniphilippines.wordpress.com/2016/05/07/the-perfect-pint-brewpub-opens-in-alabang/

The Perfect Pint craft beers have been around my palate for more than a year. I’ve invited and brought a lot of friends and relatives to its place in BGC and would venture in tasting one type of craft beer after another. But The Perfect Pint gastropub offers more than just craft beer; it made sure the food was beyond contemporary. How? It partnered with one of the more famous chefs in the country: Chef Gene Gonzalez of the Café Ysabel fame (friends would smile when I quip my famous phrase – SentiSabado, anyone?) The Perfect Pint food pairing is exactly what it is – food paired by a famous chef for each kind of craft beer. If you’ve been to food and wine pairing, and not everyone goes for wine, then this is your place to be. Beer enthusiasts love The Perfect Pint because it serves a unique ensemble of food.

The Perfect Pint brewing process is where its Molito branch becomes different. High up the second floor encased in glass walls is where The Perfect Pint craft beer is made. Brothers Alec, Noel and Raymond Tempongko, owners of The Perfect Pint, proudly toured us guests around the second floor where The Perfect Pint fermentation rooms are located. Master brewer Alec Tempongko explained to us each step in each room until at last four perfectly brewed craft beer flavors were loaded into the familiar-looking beer-on-tap dispensers. But I heard from master brewer Alec that The Perfect Pint craft beer flavors were six, not just four: Thirsty Dog Wheat Beer, Hoppy Road IPA, Street Smart Pale Ale, Oakey Dokey Bourbon Barrel Porter, Black Mamba Stout and Holy Grail Double IPA. The latter was the best for me, someone who likes strong beer with that distinctive brewed taste. And just for that evening, they came up with The Perfect Pint Anniversary Pale Ale.

The Perfect Pint craft beers are exclusively distributed at The Perfect Pint branches. I’m already thinking that other bars, pubs and gastropubs will be asking to serve their homebrewed flavors very soon, like my neighborhood Bugsy’s Sports Bar and Grill. Yeah?

Now, you have The Perfect Pint BGC and The Perfect Pint Molito to choose from – central Metro Manila or the south.

Source: Press Release

Photos and images: The Perfect Pint | @raffypekson

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Globe, Facebook Partner to Support Developers, Startups

Digital lifestyle leader Globe Telecom and social media behemoth Facebook are teaming up to support developers and startups in the Philippines through Internet.org, an initiative which is incidentally run by Facebook to provide internet connectivity to two-thirds of the world which is not yet connected.

To drive the partnership, Kickstart Ventures Inc. is hosting an event called “Raid The Fridge,” an everyone-is-an-equal startup community event with an atmosphere that builds bridges across startups and corporates, founders and investors, developers and business. Kickstart Ventures is a wholly-owned venture capital subsidiary of Globe. For the 8:00PM speaker’s slot, Globe is bringing in Jackie Chang, Product Partnerships Manager for Internet.org at Facebook, who will be talking about the Internet.org initiative and how it can impact local startups and developers for a much-needed global exposure.

Globe Senior Advisor for Consumer Business Group Daniel Horan says, “Globe continues to share with Facebook a common pursuit of broadening the digital lifestyle to make it more mainstream. By opening Internet.org to developers and entrepreneurs, we see more opportunities for the local digital startup community to expand their reach, propagate social advocacies, and push entrepreneurial pursuits at the grassroots level.” Last May, Facebook announced the Internet.org platform aimed at supporting local developer communities.

Attendees to Raid The Fridge will have a chance to learn more about developing relevant content and services for Internet.org, happening on Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 8:00pm at the Kickstart office in Makati City, Philippines.

Source: Press release from Globe Telecom.

Photos: 1 | 2

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More Foreign Banks Open in the Philippines

The entry of more foreign bank opening to operate in the Philippine can only mean increased competition to the local banks. The latter will have to find more creative ways to keep their customers away from their foreign rivals. They could partner with these foreign imports, improve their service specific to the Filipino habits and lifestyles, or tap into the market which really doesn’t benefit from all these new foreign banks – the low income consumers and small businesses.

Recently, the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP (Philippine Central Bank) has allowed the entry of four new foreign banks into the country, on top of the 28 now operating. These four new foreign banks are:

• Cathay United Bank
• Industrial Bank of Korea
• Shinhan Bank
• Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.

The 28 foreign banks now operating in the Philippines are the following:

1. ANZ Banking Group
2. Bangkok Bank
3. Bank of America
4. Bank of China
5. Bank of Singapore
6. Barclays Bank
7. BNP Paribas
8. Citibank
9. DBS Bank
10. Deutsche Bank
11. ING Bank
12. J.P. Morgan Chase Bank
13. J.P. Morgan International Finance
14. Japan Bank For International Cooperation
15. Korea Development Bank
16. Korea Exchange Bank
17. Mega International Commercial Bank
18. Mizuho Bank
19. Rothschild (Singapore)
20. Standard Chartered Bank
21. State Bank of India
22. Taiwan Cooperative Bank
23. The Bank of New York Mellon
24. The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ
25. The Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank)
26. The Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC)
27. UBS
28. Wells Fargo Bank

Source: GMA News Online | Wikipedia.org

Title photo from Wikipedia.org.

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Powerbank Plus Bluetooth Mic and Speaker

What is PowerPlay2?

In today’s world, one way people are living better lives is to stay connected with each other on the go. We rely on our mobile devices to keep going as long as we do.

With PowerPlay2, you can have the convenience of carrying power to keep your devices going wherever you go. It’s the ultimate accessory for all of your Bluetooth-enabled devices.

Listen Better Anywhere

A compact and light-weight design allows you to place your speaker wherever you want – up to 33 feet away from your smartphone, tablet or computer. Wirelessly stream your music library from you iPhone, iPad, iPod, Android smartphone or laptop loud and clear, without earphones.

With PowerPlay2, you have the convenience to carry the power that keeps your devices going wherever you go. The PowerPlay2 fits right in your pocket, purse, backpack, etc. Never have your favorite device run out of juice again, with a long-lasting backup battery that lets you carry the power everywhere you go. Now there’s no need to hunt for an electrical outlet to charge your devices. Take this with you when you travel or just to have as a backup.

Features & Benefits

• Pump it up! Play Music wirelessly from your phone, tablet or computer
• Talk it up! Take calls hands free anywhere
• Charge it up! Charge your phone or tablet without an outlet

BUY NOW!

When you click the “BUY NOW” button below, you can pay using your Visa, MasterCard, Discover or Amex credit card, or pay “cash on delivery.”

Some things to remember before clicking “BUY NOW”:

• On the first page, just SCROLL DOWN to select the products you want to buy. PowerPlay is the third product (on the right).
• Click “ADD TO CART”.
• Click “SHOPPING CART” link found at the top of the web page.
• SCROLL DOWN and click CHECKOUT.
• You can CHECKOUT as a GUEST, meaning you don’t have to register.

How to Get Fast Business ROI with PLDT Cyberya

PLDT KaAsenso Cyberya is a coined term from two words: “Cyber,” involving cyberspace and the Internet, and “Barya,” a Filipino word meaning “coins” in literal translation. In reality, it’s a coin-operated machine that allows people to drop as little as one Peso to surf the Internet.

The Cyberya business is touted to be a high-profit, low-maintenance small business or minigosyo, helping provide extra income for small business owners or jumpstarting a small business into a bigger venture with multiple Cyberya machines. In partnership with Intel Philippines, the global leader that develops technologies, products, and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live, PC Express, one of the leading computer retailing shops in the Philippines that provides high-quality PC and electronic parts and accessories, and PLDT KaAsenso, PLDT HOME’s trusted enabler for minigosyos. Cyberya was launched in late 2012, it is now available nationwide.

A Cyberya package is an all-in-one surfing or gaming console comprised of PLDT’s wired broadband connectivity up to 2Mbps (minimum speed of 150 kbps at 80% reliability) and a complete personal computer (PC) set that the minigosyo owner can pay through their PLDT Bill with extended 24-month warranty (depending on parts) and after-sales service.

The more Cyberya units you get, the faster your return on investment (ROI) is. Revenue is always dependent on a good location where people will want to use the Cyberya unit, like a place where there is high foot-traffic. Make sure the location is not beside any existing Cyberya units. Remember, the longer the operating hours of your Cyberya unit is, the more customers it can service.

Here’s an illustrative way of making money with Cyberya:

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You can apply for the Cyberya Package in any accredited PLDT sales and service centers, or PLDT Home sales agents. You will need a valid ID (must be government-issued or company ID with SSS and TIN) and proof of business registration (Barangay Permit is allowed). Remember, this is a small business you are setting up and PLDT cannot allow you to purchase and lease a Cyberya package without proof of business registration. You will also need to fill-up a customer information sheet and a subscription certificate. For existing KaAsenso subscribers, all you need to present is your valid ID.

For more information, please visit the PLDT Home Cyberya website.

Images from PLDTHome.com.

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The Best Kind of Business in the Philippines is in Prepaid Load

UPDATE: The prepaid load business is now inoperable.

In replacement, I would like to offer you something else, which is VOICEBLAST.

What is “VoiceBlast?” Do you know what TEXT BLAST is?

Well, instead of text blasting people to death and yet not knowing if they received the message, deleted it, may be interested in it but decline to text back, or simply the number is already dead or terminated, VoiceBlast is the better alternative. With VoiceBlast, you get 100% statistics on all numbers called so you’ll know what the outcome or disposition per number. Plus, voice is definitely 100x better than text.

Read more about VoiceBlast by clicking this line.

We also have a Referral Partner Program where you can get paid for referring SMEs, large companies and other organizations every minute they use the VoiceBlast service. E-mail me at raffy@goautodial.com if you’re interested it this.

—–oOo—–

It’s an obvious fact that more than 90 percent of the mobile phone market in the Philippines happen to be prepaid. It’s a market where almost a billion text messages (technically called SMS or small message system) is sent out every day. Yes, you read it right – one billion text messages a day! That’s why this huge market lives and breathes on text messaging promotions like unlimited text messaging between like telecom providers per day, per week or per month. Sometimes, that includes sending text messages to other telecom networks. For voice calls, there are also unlimited calls within the same telecom network or even discounted calls abroad.

Now, what if you can use prepaid load as an entrepreneurial business for yourself? “Why?” you’d say since not only the telecom companies are doing that for themselves, there have been one or two doing it through a network marketing model. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford the joining fee or start-up cost. Juan dela Cruz (a.k.a. John Averageman) and his meager salary can’t invest thousands of Pesos to join this direct selling business.

Enter “KikoLoad,” today’s cheapest and easiest way to start a prepaid load business in the Philippines by paying a registration fee of not thousands of Pesos but only 500 Pesos! “What’s the catch?” Actually, nothing. In fact, what Mobile Ventures did more was to give half the amount back as a starting credit to the new member of KikoLoad. So, out of the 500 Pesos you paid for joining, you get back 250 Pesos as your initial KikoLoad so you can start your business instantly. On top of that, they’re also giving away 50 Pesos as a recruitment incentive to the member (that’s you) for every person who joins KikoLoad as part of your network. And that’s not all – every new recruit is eligible to receive a 20,000 Pesos life insurance coverage for FREE! That’s probably the best incentive to join a direct selling business using the most popular product in the Philippines.

“Why the heck should I join this kind of business?”

Let me repeat what I wrote above: more than 90 percent of the mobile phone market in the Philippines are prepaid phones. There are more than enough relatives, neighbors, office colleagues, professional acquaintance, real friends and Facebook friends for you to earn a lot of money by selling prepaid load and recruiting others to sell as well.

If you see how those prepaid load sellers in flea markets and the malls use three phones for each telecom network provider, KikoLoad simplified it into just one mobile phone, regardless of the telecom network provider or SIM card you are using. You say you use a Globe Handyphone SIM card owner? Sell and transfer your KikoLoad credits to a Smart or Sun user. “Now, how do you do that?” To simplify my answer, don’t even worry about it. It’s KikoLoad’s job to give you that convenience. Just focus on selling and recruiting, and KikoLoad does the rest of the technical stuff for you.

People are now flocking to join KikoLoad!

Here’s another benefit for the would-be entrepreneur: prepaid load is a product that does not need inventory management and warehousing. This means no need for any bookkeeping to tag assets, depreciation, obsolescence, spoilage, theft, bond payments or deposits, and a whole kaboodle of accounting work that drives many entrepreneurs nuts. Sell KikoLoad, get the cash from your customer, type a command on your mobile phone, and your customer’s phone is credited with the new prepaid load you just transfered.

In fact, the method by which you earn selling (or transferring) prepaid load to another person is something like instant rebate: when you sell 100 Pesos to your friend, only 90 Pesos is actually deducted from your KikoLoad. Repeat this cycle and increase the amount of sales, and you get the drift of the business. No need to travel the distance to get a check payment. No need to wait in line to en cash the check in a bank far away from where you live. The instant rebate means instant revenue or on-the-spot earning.

However, everything I just mentioned above is selling. What about recruiting people to join KikoLoad and being tagged under your network, also called in network marketing or direct selling parlance “your downline?” Every recruit you bring in gives you an instant rebate of 50 Pesos, a small token of appreciation for the effort of convincing that person to join the business under your network. Once your direct recruit starts buying more KikoLoad credits to sell, you instantly earn 0.5 percent. But they don’t stop there. When your direct recruit (let’s label this recruit your “Level 1” or L1) starts building his or her own network of recruits (let’s call this network your “Level 2” or L1), and those recruits also starts buying KikoLoad credits to sell, you also earn 0.5 percent from them. In summary, you earn 0.5 percent from each of your L1 and L2 network members. How many you recruit directly and how many your recruits recruit directly, too, including how much KikoLoad they buy to sell, equals your instant rebate or your instant earning.

This is just the tip of the iceberg because all I’ve been writing about is prepaid load or credits. You can also sell life insurance and a host of other products that’s in the pipeline which, again, needs no inventory management and warehousing. As a direct selling company, there are performance incentives and promotions, and reward and recognition for top performers. It’s a whole new way of doing business using one the most popular product in the Philippines today – prepaid load.

Think about it! If you recruit someone, you may not even have to push your recruits to sell to earn a percentage of their sales. Almost everyone needs prepaid load. It’s as if you just need to sit pretty on your comfy couch and watch the Pesos come in. However, do you think people won’t bother you to sell them prepaid load? They will! Do you want to earn more? Think about a girl named RITA. “Huh?” Yes, RITA. Her name means “Recruitment Is The Answer!” It’s your ticket to a luxurious retirement, right?

So, rather than go on and on repetitively, let me just post the million Peso question:
Do you want to earn money while sitting down? “Who doesn’t!”

“More than 90 percent of the mobile phone market is prepaid. Make it your business today!“

Call or message Raffy to learn how to join, today! • 0927-726-9949 • raffy@pekson.com

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A New Social Media Website for the Filipino Community

Home page of PinoyKubo.com

I’m wondering what Canadian company Astraqom, describing themselves as “a world leading provider of online community platforms leveraging IP communications,” is doing playing a “me, too” venture with the Facebook vs. Google+ world of social media networking by coming up with PinoyKubo, its social networking platform beta-tested in June this year. Here are some of the quips I’ve seen so far:

PinoyKubo is home to several online games, Filipino e-cards, chat, blogs, videos and more.

PinoyKubo is a global online meeting place reaching people of the Philippines around the world.

PinoyKubo offers the following applications: Chat, Video Chat, Photo and Video Uploads, Online Games and a lot more!

“The online community’s audience, membership, and market include Filipina and Filipino expatriates, business people and students who are in the Philippines as well as abroad. It also is popular with those who are in a position to develop business with those in the Philippines and those who wish to learn Tagalog or just be immersed in the exciting Philippines world culture.” I do hope it’s not one of those Match.com-wannabes touting “Filipina” (notice that was the first word description talking about membership).

What does it have that Facebook doesn’t have? That should be one of the first few questions that comes into mind. PinoyKubo has an answer:

“You can record your own audio and then save it and load it as message to your friends. You can enjoy a lot of our OPM songs or choose and play with something like 20,000 games. Take a test or make a test. But most people really love how they can draw and write a message literally and send it via the PK chat! Sing-along on the Karaoke! Make friends and have endless chatting, gaming or listening fun.”

PinoyKubo touts groups, too, but it relates it to businesses and organizations becoming popular, or as champions, via sponsorships, ads, partnering options, and special events. Add the phrase “…and be an important part of 2011 and future image and branding.” The list of companies who are taking part in the new Filipino social networking site are Astraqom (obviously, the creators of PinoyKubo), Manuel S. Enverga University, Virtual Phone Line, Globe Telecom, Smart Communications and Sun Cellular.

There’s an e-commerce component mentioned by PinoyKubo. “Any PinoyKubo member can start and operate his or her own electronic store and sell services and products online. Because of the company’s emphasis on empowering Filipinas and Filipinos in the Philippines and abroad and also those who enjoy the culture, there are no fees for transactions. Payments are made via Paypal.” (Again, the emphasis on Filipinas. Why not use a generic, non-gender term?) Their PR.com publication writes, “The PinoyKubo e-store is available to retail brand names or home hand-crafted items. The PinoyKubo community members do not have to buy their own store website, nor do they have to install anything to get started. With a minimal few minutes of effort, they are up and running with their own stores.” Click here to watch a YouTube video of a demo in setting up an e-store.

Jonathan Sowah is the founder of PinoyKubo and AstraQom. He is reported to say that the PinoyKubo social network’s stores is an effective way to expand entrepreneur and businesses’ reach into the benefits of social media.

TMCNet contributor Rahul Arora writes that with PinoyKubo’s features and tools, the participants can easily meet long-term social and entrepreneurial goals. They can make friends to collaborate with, get appreciated for one’s talents, accomplishments and abilities, and discover and employ new methods and tools to reach social and business (also may be entrepreneurial and financial) goals. But most of what he writes are copied from the Astraqom website.

Let’s summarize. PinoyKubo is:

• Social networking site, like Facebook (photo, links, chats, etc.)
• Online gaming site, like Friendster;
• Blogging site, like Blogger or WordPress;
• Meeting place, maybe like LinkedIn Groups
• e-Cards? Plaxo.com comes to mind
• e-Store, like Multiply
• Video uploads, like YouTube
• Anything else I missed?

PinoyKubo today has about 50,000 members (they call it “friendships”) after three months of beta-testing. They are planning a comprehensive game archive with over 14,000 different games and activities, plus social-oriented ones.

AstraQom Corporation merged with Aon Communications (Canada) Inc. in 2009 and has operations in Ottawa, Montreal, Maniwaki, Toronto, Miami and Mexico City (Mexico). It is a member of the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA).

I salute a Canadian company offering a service for Filipinos, worldwide. I advocate cloud-based applications and social media for the workplace. I’m not much of an online game afficionado but maybe it’s a carrot to the younger generation who are prospective buyers of its e-stores. So, join http://www.PinoyKubo.com and see what a predominantly Filipino market can do for you and your small business.

Sources: Facebook Page | PinoyKubo Info & Fansite | SGE Entrepreneurs | PR.com | TMCNet.com | American Banking & Marketing News

Image of Home Page at PinoyKubo.com

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Overseas Filipino Workers Can Loan Up To 2 Million Pesos Payable in 7 Years

Filipino Migrant workers in Hongkong

The Macau Daily Times recently reported that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) working in area are now eligible to borrow from 300,000 Pesos up to 2 million Pesos with a fixed interest rate of 7.5 percent per annum. This program is a joint effort of the Department of Labor and Employement (DOLE), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Land Bank of the Philippines. This special loan program is open to all migrant and overseas Filipinos legally working abroad.

Eligibility rules require the applicant to have a net monthly income of no less than 10,000 Pesos and has made at least one contribution to OWWA. Approved applicants have seven years to pay the loan.

Source: Macau Daily Times

Photo by dying_of_the_light at Flickr.com

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