As they continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects, Quezon City will be promoted as an excellent destination for investors and enterprises during the eagerly awaited “Quezon City Investors Summit: Future Ready.”

“The summit will put the spotlight on Quezon City as top business destination for local and international investors. We hope to attract many investors who can help further stimulate the economy and provide employment for QCitizens,” Mayor Belmonte said.

The event, which is slated for October 7 at the Novotel Manila at Araneta City, will bring together investors, business executives, chambers of commerce, business associations, foreign dignitaries, and representatives of the Quezon City government for discussions on strategic investment opportunities, PPPs, and chances for expansion and growth.

“Quezon City is future ready, ready for investors, ready to build a better and more prosperous city so that our QCitizens will be able to enjoy the resulting benefits,” said Margarita Santos, head of the Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD) of Quezon City.

Aside from its strategic location, Quezon City also has the homegrown QC E-Services platform that makes business processes such as permit and license applications easy for investors, according to Santos.

“The LGU has automated and digitized 95 percent of the city’s services through its QC E-Services platform. This means potential investors can apply for business permits online,” said Santos, adding that the “permit will even be delivered to the applicant’s business or home address free of charge.”

As a matter of principle, the Quezon City government constantly consults and coordinates with the business sector, which has enabled both sectors to build a relationship of mutual respect and support. “This continued dialogue with the private sector helps all stakeholders to address various challenges and issues, and to think up ways to create a free, fair and fertile business environment,” Perry Dominguez, head of the Local Economic Investment Promotions Office, points out. The local government is known as an ardent supporter of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), providing them with incentives from tax breaks, tax payment extensions to changing the validity of business permits and licenses to help businesses especially during the pandemic.

Soon, Quezon City will launch its Start-Up QC program to further strengthen and develop the city’s start-up business ecosystem. “This program is calibrated to provide financial gains to innovative, creative and promising business models that can help provide solutions and recommendations to social issues and challenges,” Jay Gatmaitan, Investment Affairs Office head, explained.

The city’s commitment to good governance saw results when the Quezon City government received its second straight unqualified opinion from the Commission on Audit for its annual audit report for the year 2021. An unqualified opinion is the highest audit rating that can be rendered by COA to a government agency.

Recognized for its quality public service, Quezon City has increased its social services budget over the past three years, enabling the local government to provide livelihood opportunities and create more jobs, support education, and provide permanent housing, better healthcare and social safety nets, among others.

The summit’s organizer, Margie Santos, had stated that it intends to increase investor trust in Quezon City, attract investments and public-private partnerships, and establish Quezon City as a top-of-mind preferred investment destination.

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IMMAP DigiCon’s co-presenter, Angkas, develops the roadmap for the tech-enabled industries and players in the coming years.

According to the Center for Economics Business Research, the Philippines is poised to be one of five ASEAN countries that will become digital powerhouses in the next fifteen years, despite the global pandemic (CEBR).

As per Angkas CEO George Royeca, the nation is prepared for a significant advancement in the innovation and startup sectors. The key focus of this year’s IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022, which will be co-presented by Angkas, the top motorbike taxi and delivery platform, will be these industries and their consistent growth in recent years.

Text Box: Angkas CEO George Royeca“While the pandemic has been the worst global crisis of the millennium undeniably opened new avenues for rapid growth in the country, particularly in the tech sector. Overnight, e-commerce, online payments, e-wallets, telemedicine, online gig employment, digital banks as well as delivery and logistics services experienced exponential growth which then had to be supported by faster internet speeds,” points out Royeca.

“The pandemic and the restricted mobility it necessitated primed the market in terms of tech literacy and a willingness to adopt tech-based solutions. There are products and services the market is ready for now that would not have been viable pre-pandemic, and that might have otherwise taken another 5-10 years for the country to be ready for,” adds Royeca. “We have had, and continue to have an ideal and unprecedented climate for both developing and funding tech startups. The kind of businesses that offer innovative products and services we couldn’t have even imagined pre-pandemic,” he concludes.

The road less trafficked

Angkas was itself an innovation, far more unconventional than it seems on the surface. Motorcycle taxis were already in wide use for public transport all over the region at the time of Angkas’ inception in 2015. Despite the crippling traffic in Metro Manila and its staggering economic cost, motorcycle taxis were not a solution being considered by anyone at the time, because motorcycles had an appalling safety record.

The Metro Manila Accident Recording and Analysis System (MMARAS) Traffic Accident report for 2015 indicated that motorcycle accidents comprised 39.6% of all vehicular accidents and 33.6% of all fatal accidents in Metro Manila. In each case they were by far the single largest contributors. Filipino motorcycle riders were regarded as too undisciplined for such a service to be reasonably safe.

Angkas’ innovation was in actually believing that with training, motivation and support, Filipinos could be the backbone of a safe and professionalized app-enabled motorcycle taxi service. “We shoulder the training of all rider applicants, then we carefully select only the top 30%. We also hold regular company events that serve as refreshers, and venues for more training in soft skills, and even things like anti-sexual harassment education,” explains Royeca. “The result is that after literally millions of rides booked, our safety record is 99.997%,” he concludes.

Sense of purpose, grit resilience

“I think the number one thing that potential startups should begin with is seeing the bigger picture: are you solving a real problem?” asks Royeca. “Any business venture is always going have a money-making aspect, but in this day and age, it is businesses that have an innate sense of purpose and that offer real solutions to real problems that are embraced by the public,” Royeca points out,

Royeca had specific advice to would-be startups on failure: “Don’t be afraid of failure or adversity, these build grit. As long as you are imbued with a sense of purpose, you will overcome failure and adversity and come out stronger, and with more grit.”

In Angkas short history, they were ordered to cease operations twice, their rider pool was capped, and just when they seemed in the clear, the pandemic hit. Showing true resilience, it was then that Angkas launched a courier and buying assistant service, allowing more people to do errands and business safely from home. Angkas also formed a partnership with the Red Cross to assist with the delivery, and administration of COVID-19 test kits. When it became reasonably safe to do so, Angkas also offered free rides to medical frontliners.

Co-creation Breeds Innovation

Community building begins when everyone contributes for the welfare of everyone, and that is exactly what resonated with Angkas to sign up and be a co-presenter for this year’s IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022, one of the most anticipated digital conferences in the industry which gathers professionals from marketing, advertising, and digital sectors to hear and learn from world-renowned and celebrated local keynote speakers.

Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP) is an organization that works toward educating and providing the necessary digital tools for advertising and integrated marketing professionals to make better communication decisions. One such effort is the yearly DigiCon.

Royeca explains, “When you have a business that serves many, it is impossible to innovate without co-creation. Angkas would not have been possible without the coming together of technology innovations, government regulators, customers, and of course our rider partners, to create a “winnovation”, an innovation in which everyone has a stake, and in which everybody wins.”

From L to R: Brian Go (Angkas Chief Marketing Officer), Denise Haak (IMMAP DigiCon Co-Chair), Janelle Barretto (IMMAP DigiCon Ways & Means Head), and Trish Elamparo-Esteban (IMMAP DigiCon Co-Chair).

After two years of purely virtual connections, this year’s IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022 will finally bring back face-to-face networking through the DigiCon After-Hours, which will be held during the evenings across the city, promising to provide cocktails and entertainment, and allow delegates to physically reconnect with other industry players.

“I think what Angkas is excited about is this live interaction; a lot of the best collaborations and partnerships happen because of these more spontaneous, in-person things, and human interaction is what makes all the creativity and innovation grow more,” muses Royeca.

As co-presentor for this year’s IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022, Angkas hopes that this can be a great model to induce new SMEs in the tech and startup sector, while also introducing a community mindset that can hopefully solve daily problems for Filipinos.

DigiCon Valley 2022 is happening on October 10-14 from 9AM to 1PM PST using ViVYD platform, with all new tracks that tackle the different stages of innovation: Launchpad, Hypergrowth, Breakthrough, and Enterprise.

This year’s prestigious keynote speakers include one of the most influential women in the world and Huffington Post founder, Arianna Huffington; Rappler Founder and the first Filipino Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Maria Ressa; internationally acclaimed marketing expert and academic, Mark Ritson; co-founder of Character ventures and Design Sprint inventor, Jake Knapp; and Global CMO of Dole Sunshine Company, Rupen Desai.

Buy tickets now and learn more about IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022 at www.digicon.com.ph and follow their social pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022 is co-presented by Angkas, and would like to thank Platinum Sponsors: Manulife Philippines, Share Treats, and TikTok; Gold Sponsors: Investing in Women, an initiative of the Australian Government, Grab Ads, Kroma Entertainment, McDonald’s Philippines and Meta Philippines; and Silver Sponsors: Digital Turbine, Hepmil Philippines, and Metrobank.

A special thank you to Kickstart Ventures, Endeavor, and Creators and Influencers of the Philippines (CICP), the event sponsors of IMMAP. Join IMMAP right away!

Be an IMMAP Member today! Visit www.immap.com.ph for more information on IMMAP, or get in touch with us at: [email protected] (0917) 6310206 / (0918) 577 2357 for SMS/Viber.

Piracy is theft: Rex Education launched its anti-piracy campaign at the MIBF 2022

Piracy is theft; piracy is a crime.

Rex Education began its anti-piracy campaign during the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) 2022 in an effort to persuade customers to oppose piracy, safeguard intellectual property, and promote the local book publishing sector.

“After more than 70 years in the publishing industry, I can say that I am proud of the contribution and impact that every REX book has had in the lives of our learners. And we, at REX, would like to keep serving the Filipino learner through our learning materials—may it be printed, audio, or digital form. Through this anti-piracy campaign, we can keep the book industry flourishing and thriving. We can keep the passing of knowledge a sacred endeavor,” said Atty. Dominador Buhain, chairman of Rex Education.

Piracy is punishable by law

The Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, also known as Republic Act (RA) 8293, protects the publication of educational books. This law makes it against the law to reproduce and distribute unlicensed copies of books, audiobooks, and other printed or digital educational materials. Violations are subject to up to 1.5 million PHP in fines and/or jail time.

However, piracy remains widespread in the country. According to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), they received a 25% increase in piracy reports from consumers and complaints from rights holders in 2021 compared with reports in 2020. General and educational books and e-books accounted for 49% of reports on piracy, suggesting that many learning materials are still being downloaded and distributed illegally despite the rise of legitimate e-commerce shops and the prevalent availability of e-books and audiobooks.

Rex Education launched its anti-piracy campaign to continue educating Filipinos about the damaging effects of piracy on authors and publishers. Rex also encourages consumers, who have become ubiquitous keepers of knowledge in this digital age, to help stop the illegal reproduction and distribution of books, e-books, audio books, and all other learning tools and materials.

The movement aims to protect the hard work and talent of creators, and ultimately create a ripple effect in strengthening the respect for published materials to keep the publishing industry thriving.

“Time, effort, money, and hard work go into every book that comes out of REX’s printing house. Hundreds of authors and thousands of employees are sustained by the learning materials we produce. Piracy is a crime. Piracy is disrespectful to authors, editors, artists, and the publishing industry as a whole,” said Jeanne Tordesillas, chief marketing officer of Rex Education.

No to book piracy; respect creativity

(L-R) Alvin Halcon, vice president of Philippine Group of Law Librarians (PGLL) and member of the Network of Academic Law Librarians; Alexis Vien Regala, national president of the Association of Law Students of the Philippines (ALSP); Jeanne Marie Tordesillas, chief marketing officer of Rex Education; Atty. Anna Marie Melanie B. Trinidad, chairperson of the Legal Education Board; Atty. Dominador Buhain, chairman and president of Rex Group of Companies; Dean Gemy Lito Festin, president of Philippine Association of Law Schools (PALS); Danda Crimelada Garcia, chief external affairs officer of Rex Education; Franklin Benedict Guerra, general manager of Rex Education’s Law Business Unit; and Bernice Mangabat, treasurer of PGLL See less

MIBF 2022 showed a strong confluence of the book publishing industry, educators, stakeholders from the education sector, creators and authors, consumers, and Filipino learners. Anchoring the movement at one of the biggest and most sought-after book fairs in the country meant bringing it closer to the learners and creators protected by the anti-piracy campaign.

With the call “No to book piracy, protect intellectual property, respect creativity,” REX staged a rally around the venue with placards, t-shirts, and flyers. The staged rally gained instant attention and traction throughout the fair, leading attendees to the REX booth where the launch of the anti-piracy campaign was held.

“We would like to keep providing authors an avenue to share their talents and pass on their knowledge to the next generation. We would like to keep providing jobs to our employees and workers of the publishing industry, most especially during these trying times. We want to teach the culture of discipline and respect to the next generation, so they value what goes into every book that passes through their hands,” said Buhain during the launch. “Today, we invite you to join us. Support the local publishing industry. Say no to piracy.”

Saying “no” to book theft and “yes” to the protection of originality and intellectual property are two things Rex Education supports. Buy authentic items from reliable vendors. Watch and share the “Proud Ako” anti-piracy campaign video, which was unveiled at MIBF 2022 and demonstrates the labor of love that goes into each book published and educational resource developed by REX.

Visit www.rex.com.ph to support Rex Education’s efforts to safeguard the publishing sector.