SOCIAL MEDIA

Visa and CIMB Bank Philippines Sign Exclusive SME Debit Card Deal

Sunday, March 2, 2025


Visa (NYSE: V), a global leader in digital payments, and CIMB Bank Philippines, the most-awarded digital-only commercial bank in the country and The Asian Banker’s Best Digital Bank in the Philippines for 2025, have announced an exclusive partnership aimed at enhancing financial solutions for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Philippines. The signing ceremony, attended by senior officials from both Visa and CIMB Bank Philippines, marks a significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration that began in 2023.

This strategic collaboration builds on the strong foundation established in 2023, when Visa and CIMB Bank Philippines first joined forces to provide innovative and accessible financial solutions to Filipinos. The new agreement will integrate Visa's world-class technology and extensive global network in digital payments with CIMB Bank Philippines’ cutting-edge digital offerings to deliver a superior banking experience to the underserved SME market.

To complement an upcoming business deposit product from CIMB, a new Visa Business Debit Card will also be offered by Q3 2025. The card will be linked to the high interest business savings account, where business owners can enjoy zero fees, free fund transfers, insurance product offers, as well as a revolving credit facility that they can maximize to grow their business. These new offerings cater specifically to micro and small enterprises, which make up majority of the SME market, with the potential to expand to larger enterprises later on.

In the Philippines, SMEs are often regarded as the "backbone" of the economy, constituting 99.6% of the economy in the country. This means they create a substantial amount of employment and contribute significantly to the country's GDP. By providing jobs and income to a large segment of the population, SMEs drive economic growth and development. Recognizing their strategic importance, this partnership aims to support the financial needs of SMEs and enhance their growth prospects.

Through this collaboration, Visa will provide CIMB customers with exclusive discounts and privileges at select Visa merchants, adding more value to the CIMB Visa Business Debit Card. This alliance aims to deliver seamless, secure, and innovative payment solutions for SMEs, making it easier for them to access the financial services essential for their operations and growth.

"This milestone marks an important step towards our shared vision of providing accessible and innovative financial solutions to consumers and businesses, thereby boosting financial inclusion for Filipinos everywhere. Building on our successful partnership with CIMB Bank Philippines, there is a tremendous opportunity to enhance the digital capabilities of SMEs in the Philippines. Additionally, SMEs have unique and personalized needs that require bespoke solutions. By utilizing Visa’s global network and expertise, and CIMB’s digital leadership, we are committed to seizing this opportunity to serve the unique needs of SMEs and provide tailored solutions to facilitate their growth and success,” said Jeffrey Navarro, Country Manager for Visa Philippines.

"As a pioneer in digital-only banking in the country, CIMB Bank Philippines has disrupted the retail banking space for the better with our partnership-led model, earning the trust of 9 million customers and counting. We are now dedicated to also empowering SMEs who are looking for better ways to bank, all while we continue to drive digital and financial inclusion," said Vijay Manoharan, CIMB Bank Philippines CEO. "Our partnership with Visa is part of our maiden foray into the SME segment and helps enable us to offer enhanced payment solutions that are secure, convenient, and specifically designed to support the growth and financial health of SMEs. This collaboration aligns with our commitment to empower SMEs and contribute to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap, which targets to make 50 percent of total retail transaction volumes digital."
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Lucky Me!'s Giant Go Cup Bulalo Steals the Spotlight at WINA Summit 2025

Thursday, February 27, 2025


A Filipino favorite just made it big on the world stage—literally. Lucky Me! took center stage at the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA) Summit 2025 with a jaw-dropping installation: a giant Go Cup Bulalo that had international delegates snapping photos and sharing their amazement online.

A Big Moment for a Pinoy Classic


Lucky Me!'s Go Cup Bulalo has long been a beloved staple among Filipinos, capturing the rich, comforting flavors of the traditional bulalo soup in a convenient, ready-to-enjoy format. As one of Monde Nissin Corporation’s best-selling instant noodle variants, it continues to be a top pick for grocery shoppers and a go-to choice for satisfying late-night cravings.

WINA Summit 2025: Bringing Global Leaders Together


Monde Nissin Corporation played host to this year’s WINA Summit, where over 300 industry leaders from around the world gathered to discuss key topics such as food safety, sustainability, and innovative packaging solutions. The two-day event featured insightful forums on recyclable packaging designs, advancements in food safety, and international labeling standards—ensuring that the future of instant noodles remains both delicious and responsible.

The Buzz Around Lucky Me!’s Show-Stopping Installation


While discussions about industry innovations were a major highlight, Lucky Me!’s giant Go Cup Bulalo proved to be a viral sensation, reinforcing the brand’s strong presence in the global instant noodle market. 


The installation not only celebrated the rich heritage of Filipino cuisine but also showcased how Lucky Me! continues to resonate with consumers worldwide.

Craving Bulalo? Satisfy Your Hunger Now!


Feeling the urge for a warm, savory bowl of bulalo? (We don’t blame you!) Grab your own Lucky Me! Go Cup Bulalo—thankfully, in a more practical size—at your nearest supermarket or convenience store. Experience the rich, beefy goodness that has captured the hearts (and taste buds) of Filipinos everywhere!
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Manulife Philippines and Erwan Heussaff Launch Video Series with Tips on Healthy Cooking

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Erwan Heussaf

Manulife Philippines celebrates National Heart Month with the launch of a special video series starring its brand ambassador, Filipino restaurateur and multi-awarded cultural storyteller Erwan Heussaff.

The video, now live on Manulife Philippines’ social media pages and YouTube, features Heussaff cooking up kinilaw, a raw tuna dish on top of a tangy sauce served with roasted vegetables, for a simple lunch date with wife Anne Curtis. The traditional recipe uses quality and easily accessible Filipino ingredients that promote heart health that can support longer, healthier lives.

“We know from research that heart disease and diabetes are among our most feared critical illnesses in the Philippines, and these are heavily lifestyle-influenced diseases. It’s my ambition to show Filipinos that we can take practical steps to improve our health and reduce the chance of suffering from these diseases. This video series partnership with Manulife, which shows how simple things such as cooking with whole foods and choosing local ingredients, is a great way to get this message out there,” shared Heussaff.

A 2024 study conducted by Manulife Philippines found that many Filipinos still find it challenging to adopt and maintain a “healthy lifestyle.” Most respondents cited barriers such as healthy food being too expensive, less appetizing, or taking too much time to prepare, despite diet and nutrition being among their top priorities.”

“Through this collaboration with Erwan, we hope to inspire more Filipinos to see healthy meals as more than just nourishment. Cooking these meals is also a simple yet meaningful way to care for yourself and those you hold dear,” shared Rahul Hora, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Philippines.

“Living a healthier lifestyle starts by taking small yet proactive steps, and through conscious efforts to watch one’s diet and nutrition, Filipinos can stay on top of their health and wellness goals. At Manulife, we are committed to doing our share of helping and empowering Filipinos to make smarter health decisions – one meal, one plan at a time,” Hora added.


Manulife Philippines is slated to release more videos with the Heussaff family to encourage Filipinos to prioritize their health and wellness.

For more information on Manulife Philippines’ products and services, visit manulife.com.ph or follow their official social media channels.





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DoubleVerify Launches Content-Level Controls on Meta, Powering Media Quality and Advertising Effectiveness

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Global brands gain comprehensive coverage with both content-level avoidance and post-bid measurement, augmenting ad quality controls on Facebook and Instagram

DoubleVerify (“DV”) (NYSE: DV), a leading software platform for digital media measurement, data and analytics, has announced the launch of content-level controls for Meta’s Facebook & Instagram Feed and Reels – expanding the company’s footprint of trusted, independent brand suitability and media performance tools. This release will allow advertisers to proactively avoid content they deem unsuitable before their ads are served, enhancing brand impact across Meta’s platforms. This launch builds on last year’s release of post-bid brand safety and suitability measurement on Meta’s Facebook and Instagram Feeds and Reels.

Mark Zagorski

“DoubleVerify’s new content-level controls are a game changer for advertisers,” said Mark Zagorski, CEO of DoubleVerify. “By combining content-level controls with post-bid measurement, we’re enabling brands to maximize both the quality and impact of their campaigns. Advertisers can ensure their ads appear in environments that align with their brand, powering media effectiveness and boosting advertising ROI. This release strengthens our commitment to provide industry-leading, independent solutions that help brands improve quality reach and drive meaningful engagement on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.”

Implementing a comprehensive media authentication strategy aligns protection controls with post-bid measurement, delivering significant value to brands. Post-bid measurement analyzes content after impressions are purchased, offering advertisers insights into ad delivery that aligns with their brand preferences. DV’s newly launched content-level controls evaluate inventory before impressions are delivered, and identify content that falls below the brand safety floor and does not align with the company's suitability tiers in an automated manner –– supporting the delivery of ads to appropriate environments. This approach helps brands optimize future campaigns and media investment decisions.

In addition, DV has rolled out 30 new and unique content-level avoidance categories, such as Youth and Young Adults, Youth Entertainment, and Gambling. These expanded categories offer advertisers precise control and protection tailored to their brand preferences.

With this release, advertisers will benefit from:

End-to-end Performance: Seamless alignment of content-level controls with post-bid measurement, improving campaign suitability rates, reducing media waste, and enhancing ad performance on Meta’s Facebook & Instagram Feed and Reels campaigns.

Operational Efficiency: Automated, hourly refresh of content-level avoidance that requires no manual intervention.

Trusted Coverage: Independent, third-party monitoring and protection of ad placements.

DV’s solution is powered by its proprietary, AI-powered Universal Content Intelligence™ classification engine. DV analyzes video, image, audio, speech, and text elements to deliver superior content classifications at scale. Its innovative key frame extraction method is a smarter and faster way to analyze video content. Instead of examining each video frame, which can be repetitive and time-consuming, key frame extraction focuses only on the most important moments where changes happen. This streamlined approach ensures quicker, more accurate analysis, uses less computing power and reduces environmental impact –– ensuring efficient analysis of campaigns, without sacrificing quality or precision.

Measurement data insights and content-level controls are available through DV Pinnacle®, the company’s unified service and analytics reporting platform, enabling advertisers to monitor and optimize their Meta ad campaigns.

For more information about DoubleVerify, visit http://www.doubleverify.com.
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Bringing Light and Hope: SM Cares Partners with Global Peace Foundation to Empower Sustainable Communities

All Lights Village project

SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, has joined hands with the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Philippines to support the transformative All Lights Village project. This partnership was solidified with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on February 14, 2025, at the SM Prime Headquarters, marking another significant step forward in promoting sustainable development and empowering underprivileged communities in off-grid areas.

The All Lights Village project, spearheaded by GPF Philippines, is an innovative initiative designed to improve the quality of life for families living in rural areas without access to electricity. By providing solar lighting, educational resources, and livelihood opportunities, the program is creating brighter futures for these communities while championing clean energy solutions and sustainable growth.

A Shared Commitment to Uplifting Communities

Through this partnership, SM Cares will provide spaces in SM Aura, SM Megamall, and SM Mall of Asia for fundraising booths dedicated to the All Lights Village project. Funds raised through these booths will directly support the initiative, enabling more families to benefit from solar lighting, better education, and sustainable livelihoods.

During the MOA signing, Joaquin San Agustin, Executive Vice President for Marketing of SM Supermalls, emphasized the importance of this collaboration. “SM Cares is proud to support the All Lights Village project and its mission of empowering communities through sustainable development. By providing these families with clean energy and opportunities, we are not just lighting homes but also paving the way for brighter, more hopeful futures.”

Leonard Faustino, Executive Director of GPF Philippines, shared similar sentiments. “This partnership with SM Cares reflects a shared vision of creating lasting change in communities that need it the most. Together, we are proving that even the smallest actions, like providing light, can spark transformative impact.”

Impacting Lives Through Clean Energy and Sustainability

The All Lights Village initiative has already made a significant difference in rural areas by reducing reliance on harmful kerosene lamps and offering children a safe and well-lit environment for studying. This partnership will enable even more families to access these benefits, creating ripple effects of progress across communities.

The fundraising booths at SM malls will serve as a platform for shoppers to participate in this cause, ensuring that the public becomes an integral part of this life-changing initiative. More details about the booth locations and schedules will be announced soon, inviting everyone to contribute to a brighter tomorrow.

Looking Forward: Building a Better Future Together

This partnership underscores SM Cares’ continued commitment to empowering communities and supporting impactful initiatives that improve lives. The All Lights Village project is not just about providing light—it’s about illuminating opportunities and fostering a sense of hope and unity among the most underserved populations.

For more information about the fundraising activities or how to support the All Lights Village project, follow SM Cares’ social media channels.
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Leche Flan Biz Finds 'Sweet Spot' Through E-commerce

Spoonful Delights

How far can P5,000 take you? For this Laguna-based couple, it was all they needed to launch their sweet enterprise: Spoonful Delights.

"When we began our business in 2016, we just used our own kitchen. Back then, I really liked leche flan, and I thought about selling flavored leche flan in a bottle. That eventually became one of our flagship products," said Cholo Quiaonza, who owns Spoonful Delights with his wife, Gladys.

After quitting his job and several false starts, Cholo, a former retail and food service employee, found himself down to P5,000.

"It was with this seed money that we started Spoonful Delights," he recalls.

"Since I didn't have enough money for an actual store, I used online platforms instead. I realized I could earn even more money online, considering I didn't have rent expenses," he explained.

Today, aside from leche flan, they also sell local delicacies such as ube halaya and inutak, as well as alamang (sauteed shrimp paste) and specialty vinegar. They sell online, in bazaars, and supply pasalubong shops and grocery stores.


Recently, Spoonful Delights participated in PLDT and Smart's exclusive employee sale held at their Makati headquarters, supporting micro and small entrepreneurs. This initiative is part of PLDT and Smart's broader commitment to empowering MSMEs through technology and digital inclusion through their flagship program for MSMEs called ‘eBizNovation’.

Since 2021, PLDT and Smart have been working alongside the Department of Trade and Industry, local government units, business chambers, and e-commerce platforms to equip Filipino entrepreneurs with digital skills and e-commerce training to support the government's efforts to strengthen the MSME sector.

COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Opportunities

When the pandemic hit, Spoonful Delights was among the many businesses affected. With traditional markets closing at the time, Cholo helped local vendors by selling their goods online. This also expanded Spoonful Delights' customer base. Demand soared, and the business grew to employ 20 workers, producing 1,800 pieces of leche flan daily.

"We were surprised because it wasn't exactly a necessity, but people were looking for it," Cholo says.

Today, even as pandemic restrictions have long been lifted, work-from-home setups remain popular. Here, Cholo and his team found yet another opportunity for their business—and a way to support their hungry 'WFH' neighbors after hours.

"We noticed that a lot of people in our community worked from home, so we started selling silog (a Filipino breakfast dish) in the evenings. In just two hours, we could earn enough to cover our utility bills," says Cholo, adding that his neighbors mainly contacted him on Facebook or via their group chats.

'If Running a Biz Were Easy, We'd All Be Rich'

For Cholo, nothing beats the feeling of fulfillment that one gets from running his own business, even in the face of challenges. He offers some advice to fellow MSMEs.

"It's not easy to run a business, especially in these times. If it were easy, everyone would be rich by now," he says with a laugh.

"You need a lot of courage and prayers. Don't stop innovating and partnering with the right agencies, such as PLDT and Smart. Be open-minded to new updates and use e-commerce to promote your products. Sometimes, you don't even need a physical store anymore. You can promote your business from home using social media," he says.

Today, Spoonful Delights continues to flourish, adapting to the changing market landscape through continuous learning and innovation.

"As an entrepreneur, you can't rely solely on what you know. You have to keep studying your market, especially online," he says. The business now has a commissary and advanced equipment, a far cry from its humble beginnings.

Spoonful Delights' journey is a testament to the power of e-commerce and the internet in building and sustaining successful enterprises, regardless of size. Nearly a decade since its establishment, Spoonful Delights has demonstrated that with determination and adaptability, sweet success is within reach.

It is one of the more than 32,000 MSMEs nationwide that have been supported by PLDT and Smart, highlighting their overall goal of helping MSMEs thrive through technology.
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Appdome Stops AI-Deep Fakes at the Mobile Doorstep

AI-Deep Fakes

Unveils 30 Groundbreaking Deep Fake Detection Plugins to Strengthen ATO Protection inside Android & iOS Apps

Appdome, the leader in protecting mobile businesses, today announced it is extending its Account Takeover Protection suite with 30 new dynamic defense plugins for Deep Fake Detection in Android & iOS apps. The new plugins are designed to guarantee the integrity of Apple Face ID, Google Face Recognition and 3rd party face and voice recognition services against AI-generated and other deepfake attacks. Like all Appdome defenses, each of the 30 new dynamic defense plugins for Deep Fake Detection is available by choice using the Appdome platform without the need to integrate code, perform manual coding, implement SDKs, or deploy servers.

“The mobile economy depends on the integrity of facial recognition, FaceID and other biometric authentication methods as they are more and more used to reduce friction,” said Eric Newcomer, CTO and Principal Analyst, Intellyx. “However, attackers are constantly finding new ways to bypass biometric authentication. Appdome is taking on the challenge of AI-Generated Deepfake Attacks head on and providing mobile businesses the granular detection and control defenses to stop these attacks inside the mobile app, preventing them from passing attack data to other systems. This is a great way to combat ATOs and ODF quickly and efficiently.”

The mobile economy trusts Face ID and facial recognition for authentication, Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance, and to combat on-device fraud (ODF). Mobile brands rely on facial recognition, including liveness checks, to streamline authentication while also building and maintaining trust with their users. Brands tell users that facial recognition will ensure that only the authorized account holder can access their apps, accounts, and services. However, the number and sophistication of attacks targeting every aspect of facial recognition and biometric authentication have exploded in the last nine months, driven by the rise of AI-generated deepfakes, virtual cameras, image substitution, buffer attacks, voice cloning and other methods. Deepfake attacks easily generate hyper-realistic and adversarial replications or manipulations that can fool facial and voice verification systems. Sometimes attackers use virtual cameras to inject pre-recorded or live video streams into the facial recognition process. Other times, image buffer attacks manipulate face data processing in real time to bypass liveness detection processes. The speed of evolution, ease of use, and ubiquity of deepfake attacks make deepfake detection one of the top anti-fraud and anti-ATO objectives for brands and enterprises in 2025.

“Everyone, from mobile app developers to enterprises to Face ID and Facial Recognition vendors, are struggling with the technical challenges of detecting AI-generated Deepfakes and Face ID Bypass techniques,” said Tom Tovar, CEO of Appdome. “While no one can stop the creation of deepfakes, we’ve succeeded in stopping their use inside mobile applications and we’re making our innovations available to mobile app developers and face recognition vendors alike.”

Despite the growing sophistication of Face ID and facial recognition services for mobile applications, Face ID bypass techniques, which manipulate biometric authentication processes, use virtual cameras and use AI-generated synthetic images or streams to mimic legitimate users, have started to outpace biometric authentication methods. Additionally, malicious actors are developing tools and techniques to exploit vulnerabilities in device hardware, face recognition software and face recognition APIs to compromise the integrity of biometric authentication. These challenges highlight the need for enhanced security measures around the biometric authentication workflows, to safeguard Face ID and facial recognition against deepfake attacks.

Appdome’s Deep Fake Detection plugins sit on top of OS-native or third-party Face ID, facial recognition and voice recognition methods, including face verification SDKs. This approach ensures that any facial recognition process is secure from deepfake attacks and provides enhanced integrity and security for authentication workflows, regardless of the provider. Specific attack vectors that Appdome’s Deep Fake Detection protects against include:

Face ID Bypass: Detects attempts to bypass Native Android and iOS biometric, facial recognition authentication systems on mobile devices, including FaceID and Biometric API calls, hardware abstraction layers and more.

Deep Fake Apps: Detects deepfake and face swap apps that can be used to spoof facial recognition services used by Android and iOS applications, including in combination with virtual camera and video injection tools.

Deep Fake Video Detection: Detects synthetic identity attacks, video injection, frame and image buffer attacks, Direct Memory Access (DMA) attacks, monitors face embeddings and more.

Appdome Liveness Detection: Applies primary or secondary liveness check to ensure a real face is used during the facial recognition process, applying AI models to verify 3D depth, skin texture, lighting, eye reflectiveness, the strength of liveness image, and more.

Voice Cloning: Detects synthetic voice spoofing and voice cloning apps when in use with the protected application, perfect for applications that rely on “my voice is my password” authentication workflows.

Brands and businesses can expect each Appdome defense to detect a Deep Fake attack as well as its variants. Appdome dynamic defense plugins use real-time behavioral analysis to detect the behaviors and methods that the multitude of FaceID bypass and AI-based Deep Fake and Voice Cloning Tools use to exploit authentication checks in Android & iOS apps. As a learning system, it constantly evolves to ensure continuous defence against Deep Fakes and related threats.

“It’s amazing how fast facial recognition, FaceID and other biometric authentication methods were undermined by AI-generated deepfakes in the mobile economy,” said Chris Roeckl, Chief Product Officer at Appdome. “Appdome is the only solution on the market that places sentries and defenses deep in the execution framework of the mobile application to prevent the deepfake delivery model and well as the use of deepfakes in the applications themselves.”

Like all Appdome mobile app defenses, the new deep Fake Detection plugins combine the power of choice-driven defense in depth, and no-code, no SDK delivery with innovative on-device detection, defense, and intelligence options to satisfy any implementation objective. All Android & iOS Deep Fake Detection Plugins are available with Appdome’s Threat-Events™ Intelligence and Control Framework and ThreatScope™ Mobile XDR service. Threat-Events allows mobile brands and facial recognition SDK and API providers to gather data on each attack and use the data to control the application or user experience when deepfake attacks happen. Mobile brands and facial recognition SDK and API providers can use Threat-Events to gather deeper threat intelligence and create unique workflows and user messages leveraging the power of their brand voice when threats are present. Mobile brands can track and monitor Deepfake attacks via Appdome’s ThreatScope™, either before or after the deployment of the anti-Deep Fake features.

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