DOT, Intramuros tap PayMaya to enable safe re-opening of museums and sites through cashless payments

CASHLESS PAYMENTS FOR SAFE VISITS TO INTRAMUROS. Department of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat (in photo) led the re-opening of select sites and museums in the walled city of Intramuros to the public as part of its efforts to re-ignite domestic tourism and boost the recovery of the local economy. In this photo, Sec. Puyat is scanning the PayMaya QR code displayed at ticketing booths using her phone to pay contactless for tickets and other admission costs as part of the minimum health standards being observed in Intramuros.

Visitors to the recently re-opened historic sites and museums in the walled city of Intramuros in Manila will be assured of a safer experience as digital financial services PayMaya offers cashless payment options for fees and tickets in the various tourist attractions in the area. 

The Department of Tourism and the Intramuros Administration have tapped PayMaya to provide cashless payment options via PayMaya QR as it re-opened select sites such as Fort Santiago, Casa Manila Museum, and Baluarte de Santiago on a limited-capacity basis to the public. 

When tourists and visitors go to these sites, they only have to scan the PayMaya QR displayed at the ticket booth using their PayMaya app to pay for the necessary fees and avoiding person-to-person contact with the site personnel. 

“PayMaya fully supports the DOT's efforts to bolster safety in the domestic tourism industry as we chart our path toward economic recovery. With the help of cashless payments powered by PayMaya, local tourists and visitors in Intramuros and other local destinations can be assured that it’s not just more fun but, more importantly, more convenient and safer to travel around the country at this time,” said Orlando B. Vea, Founder and CEO of PayMaya. 

The DOT has been promoting various local tourist destinations such as Boracay, Bohol, and Palawan for domestic travelers in order to re-ignite interest in local tourism sites and support the sector, which was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Linking the past to the future with cashless payments 

“We are glad to offer safe and convenient cashless payments to all of our tourists and visitors in Intramuros with the help of PayMaya. Today we start with select museums and sites but we are looking forward to equipping the other attractions and merchants around Intramuros with cashless payments, so that this historic walled city of the past can also be a progressive, cashless city of the future,” said Atty. Guiller Asido, Intramuros Administrator. 

Aside from empowering Intramuros with PayMaya QR for ticket sales in sites and museums, the Intramuros Administration is also utilizing PayMaya's digital invoicing solution, allowing them to accept card (Visa, Mastercard, and JCB) and PayMaya for online payments meant for rental payments of merchants, permits, and other similar transactions.

Other than cashless payments, the Intramuros Administration has also collaborated with PLDT wireless subsidiary, Smart Communications, in rolling out free Wi-Fi access around various sites and public areas of Intramuros, as well as interactive tourism markers powered by QR codes and Near Field Communication (NFC) technology as part of its nationwide Digital Tourism Program and #TravelSmart campaign.

To support the government in this endeavor, PayMaya has also enabled government agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), as well local tour operators and travel agencies, to accept cashless payments from local tourists and visitors. 

At the same time, PayMaya is the only financial technology company in the Philippines capable of enabling the entire transportation chain across the entire country with the widest range of solutions – a vital component in the revival of the local tourism industry. 

Getting your own PayMaya account and enjoying the convenience of traveling safe and paying cashless is very easy. Just download the PayMaya app at https://official.paymaya.com/CAK1/425eb133 and register an account to find out what it’s like to go cashless with the fastest, safest, and most rewarding way to pay for anything online and in stores! Remember, for your safe travel needs, don’t pay cash. PayMaya! 

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, communities, and government. Through its enterprise business, it is the largest digital payments processor for key industries in the country including "everyday" merchants such as the largest retail, food, gas, and eCommerce merchants as well as government agencies and units.    

Through its app and wallet, PayMaya provides over 28 million Filipinos with access to financial services. Customers can conveniently pay, add money, cash out or remit through its over 200,000 digital touchpoints nationwide.  

Its Smart Padala by PayMaya network of over 37,000 partner agent touchpoints nationwide serves as last-mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved with access to digital services. To know more about PayMaya's products and services, visit www.PayMaya.com or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

The New Spider-Man Movie Has an Official Title

Columbia Pictures has just revealed the official title of the newest Spider-Man live-action film: Spider-Man: No Way Home, coming to Philippine cinemas soon.

Watch the announcement trailer below:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/iqyPvdsOWKk 

Spider-Man: No Way Home will be distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.  Connect with #SpiderManNoWayHome and tag columbiapicph

Cebuana Lhuillier's services can now be done from home

In the past year, we’ve seen how businesses have switched to digital platforms due to the community quarantine. Many have come up with innovative ways to ensure that they are able to provide their basic services to people at home. One of them is Cebuana Lhuillier, which is one of the most accessible pawnshops in the country with 2,500 branches nationwide.

To further make themselves more accessible, they launched Cebuana From Home (CFH), a platform that gives clients 360-degree access to Cebuana Lhuillier’s services—from cash remittance to pawning.

Here’s a quick rundown of CFH and how the platform can help the general public.

Electronic producer CHROMANCE teams up with K-Pop group MOMOLAND for the new version of “Wrap Me In Plastic”

Hit producer CHROMANCE and sensational K-Pop girl group MOMOLAND have recently teamed up for the reimagining of the former’s worldwide smash “Wrap Me In Plastic.” Listen here, watch the video here.

Just when we thought things couldn't possibly get any better for CHROMANCE's successful single 'Wrap Me In Plastic' (50+ Million Spotify streams, 60 Million YouTube views, 650+ million streams in mainland China), a new exciting collaboration comes along to spice things up. MOMOLAND (568+ million YouTube views, 133+ million Spotify Streams and 12 million likes on TikTok) joins the mysterious hit producer to bring a new captivating version of the record.

The collaboration came about as CHROMANCE wanted to build on to the global success of WMIP to South Korea, started to dig into the world of K-Pop, and immediately took interest in MOMOLAND’s musical and visual style. Simultaneously, MOMOLAND had noticed the major success of WIMP in Asia and found the single to be such a perfect match for them, that they reached out to CHROMANCE who was instantly into the idea of collaborating.

The Battle for the Shield Forges on: Asia Pacific Predator League 2020/21 Set for This April

The Asia Pacific (APAC) Predator League 2020/21 Grand Finals will be pushing through as an online-only tournament from April 6-11, 2021.

Qualified teams from the APAC Predator League 2020 Grand Finals have received direct invites for this tournament, with the rest of the teams revealed over the next few weeks.

The tournament is now divided into four sub-tournaments, two for PUBG and two for Dota 2. All matches of the four sub-tournaments will be held from April 6-11.

Acer announced the Asia Pacific (APAC) Predator League 2020/21 will be held from April 6-11, 2021. Fans who were left on the edge due to the 2020 league’s postponement have something to look forward to as teams across the Asia Pacific will finally battle it out in an online-only tournament.

“The decision to host the Asia Pacific Predator League fully online, instead of a cancellation, demonstrates Acer’s commitment to the gaming community,” said Andrew Hou, President of Acer Pan Asia Pacific Regional Operations. “With the ongoing COVID-19 situation, we made the decision to move the competition to Spring 2021 for the safety and best interests of the tournament’s competitors, fans, spectators and staff.”

PayMaya’s workplace programs cited by LinkedIn and Anvil Awards

Digital financial services leader PayMaya has been cited by global technology firm LinkedIn and the local Anvil Awards for its trailblazing efforts in creating the workplace of the future today amid the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

PayMaya effectively utilized a variety of digital tools and programs that allowed for higher employee engagement, accelerated business growth, continuous learning initiatives, and recruitment of top talent.

“Behind all our groundbreaking achievements at PayMaya are our employees. The collective purpose, passion, and expertise propels our unique end-to-end digital payments ecosystem providing crucial services to more than 28 million registered users and over 116,000 merchant partners and their customers across the country,” said Charee Lanza, Chief People Officer of PayMaya. 

“Creating the workplace of the future today is key to the fintech industry, especially as we support the recovery and growth of the Philippine economy through digital and cashless technologies,” she added. 

Government and private sector join forces to launch national anti-hunger initiative Pilipinas Kontra Gutom

“Lahat kasali, lahat kasalo”. On February 22, the Pilipinas Kontra Gutom movement shared plans on how the different members of the private sector and the government intend to collaborate to uplift 1 Million Filipinos from hunger by 2022, and eventually, to reach zero hunger in the country. Seen in the photo are the different leads from around 70 organizations, companies, and groups that have come together to beat hunger.

“Lahat kasali, lahat kasalo”. This is the rallying call of Pilipinas Kontra Gutom (PKG), a national, multi-sectoral anti-hunger movement that was formally launched on Monday by government and private sector partners that will work together on various programs with a common goal: one million fewer hungry Filipinos by 2022.

‘Napakalaking tulong’: Zambales official credits Globe for town’s improved economic standing

A local official in Sta. Cruz, Zambales says fast, reliable and steady access to the internet has made it possible for his constituents to cope with the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vice Mayor Kristan Rommel Misola says the presence of new Globe cell sites proved to be the push and support they needed to deal with the challenges of the new normal and for their municipality to remain relevant and competitive.    

“Sa pagdami kasi ng mga cell site nagkaroon ng mas magandang opportunity ang mga tao lalo na sa business. Yung social media, yun online selling at yung communication ng mga information sa update sa pandemya at kung ano ang nangyayari sa ating bayan at bansa ay nakatulong ng malaki, (Additional cell sites give good opportunity to the people especially those who have business. Social media, online selling and communication of updates on the pandemic and what’s happening in our country help us a lot)” Misola explains.

Enjoy Free Shipping, Cashback, and More at the 3.3 ShopeePay Cashless Festival

Shop, buy load, and pay bills with ShopeePay to grab exclusive deals and rewards this February 22-25, 2021

ShopeePay, an integrated mobile wallet that offers users easy access to digital payment services, launches the 3.3 ShopeePay Cashless Festival this February 22-25. Users who shop, buy load, and pay bills with ShopeePay can enjoy exclusive perks and rewards such as free shipping, ₱1 deals, load discounts, cashback, and more.

An ‘Inevitable’ Pairing: How Ben&Ben’s music made it to Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin’s TVC for Smart

While it was important for Smart to grant wishes of its subscribers when it comes to bringing consumers closer to their foreign idols, the latest Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin TVC presented an opportunity to put a Filipino band behind the soundtrack and musical scoring.  

Here’s where Ben&Ben comes in, providing “Inevitable,” the song that is heard in the background while Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin pursue each other in this romantic-sci-fi TVC.  

With lyrics inspired by real-life events, Ben&Ben members simply happen to be CLOY fans as well. In a collaboration set to motion by the band, Smart, and Sony Music, things started falling into place when it came to lending soundtrack and musical score for this collaborative campaign.