By Miguel Hanz L. Antivola, Reporter

MORE THAN its radiant appeal during the Christmas season, the parol persists as a handmade product etched with passion, skill, and unwritten Filipino traditions, according to lantern maker Rolando S. Quiambao.

“The parol is a tradition, and we play it by heart. Ang isang produktong walang kwento ay walang kwenta [A product without a story has no value],” Mr. Quiambao, co-owner of Rolren’s Lanterns and General Mdse., said in an interview with BusinessWorld.

“The parol characterizes our attitudes and lifestyles as Kapampangan,” he added. “There is no course or book on the parol. It was only passed down to us from generation to generation.”

When Mr. Quiambao retired as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) and returned to the Philippines in the 1980s, he became an electrical repairman, who also offered to make a number of parol for rich households.

It did not take long for his friends to notice his creations and convinced him to sell his work on the street and make a living out of his childhood flair. The encouragement was measure enough for him to give it a shot, officially starting his parol-making venture in 1986.

“I tried it and enjoyed, even if [the parols were] in small quantities. You need big investments to make parols,” he said.

THE BIG BREAK
For Mr. Quiambao, the big break for the business came in 1995 when the local government of San Fernando, Pampanga commissioned him to decorate and enliven the city centers with his parols. The greater mission was to lift the spirits of people and traders forced to relocate due to the devastation caused by lahar from the Mt. Pinatubo eruption.
The plan worked and so, beyond the Christmas season, the mayor at the time assigned him and his two craftsmen to make more decorations for the city during festivals, graduations, and other celebrations.

“When our city suddenly became happy and the people returned, that is when we earned our break,” said Mr. Quiambao, who has since been called the “San Fernando Lantern King.”

This allowed him to seek financial support and guidance from government agencies for the business’ next move — hiring contractual workers for its large scale “decorative” arm, serving corporate clients beyond retail.

His brand, Rolren, continued to grow in popularity by traditional means: word of mouth. With the dawning of social media, his works became popular posts by local and international bloggers drawn to the annual San Fernando Giant Lantern Festival — the stage that crowned his business as champion many times over.

“We were suddenly visited by customers and traders who knew us as a legitimate factory where they can get their parols for cheap [prices],” said Mr. Quiambao, even going as far as to export to the United States and Canada. “We don’t stop. Our production is continuous all year round.”
At this point, Rolren expanded its product offerings to table lamps, corner lights, and chandeliers, partnering with architects, hotels, and local government units. His products were now tailored according to requests.

DEMAND: THE MAIN CHALLENGE
Even with a slight drop in retail sales, Mr. Quiambao noted how the market for the business is too big for them to accommodate, compounded by crunched time frames for orders.

“We pick our clients because we can’t cater to the whole market,” he said. “We don’t even have a website.”

“It is difficult to teach a laborious handcrafted skill — from cleaning and cutting the capiz (shells), to assembling, painting, and electrifying,” he added on preserving tradition and product quality. “It’s hairsplitting!”
A little innovation does offer solutions and Rolren came to adopt modern techniques. “We devise systems to lessen time and cost of production, said Mr. Quiambao. “We use some machines now, but the bending is a long handcrafted process.”
At present, the business has about 25 regular craftsmen — men and women with specific expert skills — for retail orders. It also has over 30 contractual workers for decorative orders and commissioned works.

“We only accommodate what our labor force can handle,” said Mr. Quiambao. “When we can’t [accommodate] any more, especially with decorative orders from LGUs, malls, and private companies, we disperse the tasks to subcontractors, offering them jobs.”
Even for exports, he said he prefers accepting orders from the United States and Canada due to ease of adapting to its supply voltage.

“It’s also difficult because the exporter or buyer sometimes chooses to get all the stocks of one design, so you don’t have anything to show for the next customer,” he said.

“What we do is we just keep stocking and never stop. We choose to see it as planting rice to harvest for the next season, per se,” he added.

HONORING TRADITION
More than its business component, Mr. Quiambao is keen on honoring the rich history behind the parol, even being researched and interviewed as a historian of such a tradition.

“It grew from small and simple candle covers during a religious activity we called the lubenas,” he said of the nine-night procession before Christmas, involving the patron saint of each barangay.

According to Mr. Quiambao, this parol display later evolved into the “royal rumble” called Ligligan Parul, or today’s Giant Lantern Festival, where the lanterns are bigger and more intricately designed.

“Our story is deep, from the shapes and parts of the parol, to its overall architecture, symbolic of the well-defined practices, attitudes, and colorful lives of the Kapampangan,” he asserted.

“The terminologies of the elders for the different parts make sense,” he added, noting the parol’s center star as siko-siko, named after the star-shaped angle of the elbow.

He also noted parol components such as the palimbon — from the word “procession” and is the part surrounding the main star like a procession; and the puntetas (from the word “end”), the decorative outer layer signifying the non-conformist attitude of the Kapampangan.

“There is a story and tradition behind the parol, which is why I think it persists even up to today,” said Mr. Quiambao.

“I already felt the strong demand on Dec. 24 unlike last year. I knew I had to increase my stock,” Elmer D. Bolbes, owner of BC Fireworks and Pyrotechnics stationed on Dr. A. Santos Avenue in Parañaque City since 2000, said in an interview with BusinessWorld.

He said that he raised his capital to P250,000 from P200,000 in 2022, also noting a fall in retail prices as the industry catered to an increased demand.

Mr. Bolbes sold a fountain tub for P350, down from P450 in the previous year; and a pack of 10 handheld sparklers at a good buy of P100, from P150 in the goodbyes to 2022.

He noted the competition among suppliers in Bocaue, Bulacan — the fireworks capital of the Philippines — as the main driver for the cutback, which he said grew to five major players from the previous two.

However, the Philippine National Police (PNP) was persistent this season in warning the public against prohibited firecrackers and discouraged online transactions as some sellers might lack the necessary permits.

On Dec. 29, the PNP conducted an inspection of fireworks dealers in Bocaue just to ensure their compliance to the rules under Republic Act 7183, the regulation on the sale, manufacture, distribution, and use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices.

The effort resulted in the confiscation of over P190,000 worth of prohibited firecrackers nationwide, police said in a briefing days before the New Year. It added P17,550 during an inspection in Divisoria, Manila on Dec. 31, according to a Facebook post by the PNP’s Firearms and Explosives Office.

On Jan. 1, the Department of Health recorded 231 fireworks-related injuries from Dec. 21. Illegal fireworks made up 44% of the cases.

Additionally, Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr., Interior and Local Government secretary, urged all local government units to pass ordinances on firecracker bans, advocating for designated supervised fireworks displays instead.

Still, Mr. Bolbes said he remains bullish for firecracker sales come December 2024 with hopes of increasing his capital again for the holiday season.

“On Dec. 31 last year (2022), I finished my stock and closed shop at 3 p.m., only returning to Bocaue once to refill stocks,” he said. “But this year (2023), I even returned to Bocaue twice and closed at 7 p.m.”

He noted that people usually only flock to his stand on Dec. 31, but observed a favorable shift this season.

“Between Christmas and New Year, it is only this year (2023) that I got to sell P20,000 on a ‘slow’ day. This didn’t happen last year (2022),” he said. “They really get ready now [to light up].”

In the end, Mr. Bolbes’ acknowledged that the life of his business is in keeping the celebrations enjoyable and safe for everyone. So his parting shot in this interview was an advice to the public to maintain distance and take necessary safety precautions when handling firecrackers. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

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By Miguel Hanz L. Antivola, Reporter

A SMALL BUSINESS must have all hands on deck, yet it is even better if only a single pair runs a tight ship to effectively manage missteps, according to stay-at-home mom and entrepreneur Bambi Y. Temeña.

Before starting her handmade insulated tampipi basket business, Ms. Temeña was a go-getter who had experienced both business failures and successes.

“I was into events and parties, then I also got into catering and food,” she said in an interview with BusinessWorld. “I had a restaurant, bar, eatery. I think I’ve entered all of them.”

After her graduation, Ms. Temeña began doing gigs such as event planning and catering all by herself for small functions. Eventually, she was invited by four other married couples to start a restaurant-bar.

She used to run the 2000s-famous Tapika Resto Bar along Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, which nurtured musical talents such as Paolo Santos and MYMP.

However, the business had to close down due to increasing traffic in the area from the underpass construction, causing low demand, as stated by Ms. Temeña.

This was followed by the neighborhood barbecue and packed meals stop, Barbi-q-han, along Xavierville Avenue — a partnership with her mother-in-law, which she had to leave unattended for two years to attend to her sick mother in the United States.

The small eatery’s lease expired without her management, and she had to continue home-based as the pandemic came about.

“All those times I had partners, but with this one — it’s really just me myself,” she said, applying the lessons she learned previously in her current venture.

“What I always advise is to start small, and if you can, start just by yourself,” she added on the difficulty of navigating the dynamics that come with having business partners, whether it stems from personal or corporate endowments.

“Because I’m always very much involved in the business as a managing partner, it’s hard to meet halfway and find your place.”

Ms. Temeña noted always having a hands-on, creative, and entrepreneurial mindset, which she has clung onto amid challenges, given the limits of her resources.

INSULATED TAMPIPI BASKETS
What came about from searching for holiday packaging for Ms. Temeña’s frozen food products in 2020, eventually pivoted into its own online business named “Baskets Just Created for You.”

“Handicraft Christmas packaging was all the rage. There was a market for it,” Ms. Temeña said. “But my business was the food, not the packaging.”

“It’s just that I had to customize the sizes in terms of how many packs I could put in, depending on the client’s need,” she added. “But a lot were asking if they could just buy the basket.”

She saw the opportunity to disrupt the local market by practically lining handwoven tampipi baskets and their lids with insulation material to preserve temperature.

She fully embraced this pivot at the start of 2021 by the end of the holiday season, hiring more weavers to cater to the growing demand.

“It was easy for me to hire more because of the pandemic. Some of them were laid off and concentrated on the supposedly part-time work,” she said, providing alternative income to weavers.

Ms. Temeña also diversified into making custom-designed tampipi bags from clients given their feedback, and receiving orders from celebrities and personalities.

When asked about her expansion plans for the business, she said she is eyeing exports, but only if quality can be maintained.

“I cannot really expand it given my limited resources, finances, and time. Also because I’m very hands-on,” she said.

“Many have offered to distribute, sub-manufacture, and export, but quality control is needed since it’s very handmade,” she added. “I don’t want to let it go to someone.”

“Because I inspect every piece I sell. I always talk to my weavers, especially when there are deformities.”

“With distributors outside Metro Manila, I don’t know how they’re going to store and sell it… After-sale service is very important to me. I don’t know if they can do that.”

She acknowledged how her being hands-on may impede the business from realizing its potential. “This is perhaps one of the things that impedes its full growth.”

However, throughout her three decades of entrepreneurship, Ms. Temeña said she finally gained a sense of content in her current venture.

“At this point in time in my life, I just want to enjoy what I’m doing and at the same time, make money,” she said. “My husband even told me, ‘At last, you’re earning from your creativity.’”

“It’s still important that you know what you’re doing, what kind of business you’re getting into, and your definitive target market,” she added.

HIRAYA PILIPINA, a woman-empowering brand founded by teenage entrepreneur Cleorine Faith C. Loque, is no stranger to reinvention and pivoting its product offerings before it finally saw what clicked.

“I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur,” Ms. Loque said in an interview with BusinessWorld, noting that from seven years old every summer vacation thereon, she put up a mini sari-sari store with loyalty cards for neighbors.

Fast forward to the age of 15 in 2019, Ms. Loque established Hiraya Pilipina and sold statement shirts and tote bags.

“I loaned P20,000 as my starting capital from my parents. That was when I bought 150 T-shirts that I had printed,” she said.

“For three years, I only circulated whatever money we had — around P50,000 to P100,000,” she added. “I didn’t even compensate myself.”

“I just snowballed the money until we had enough capital to order the MOQ (minimum order quantity) for other products.”

Hiraya Pilipina eventually experimented with other products like perfumes and hair removers, but it found its “happy accident” when it started venturing toward inner wear, which includes nipple pasties, bosom cakes, and breast tapes, according to Ms. Loque.

“It wasn’t intentional at the start, but when I started seeing growth with those products, and now venturing into period care as well, it became clearer to me the direction I wanted Hiraya Pilipina to take,” she said on championing inclusivity in those two categories.

Ms. Loque noted the brand’s persistence to accommodate Filipinas in all shades, shapes, and sizes through its products and marketing, even becoming the first Filipino provider of 13-centimeter nipple tapes.

“It’s really important for our customers to see themselves in our models and campaigns,” she said.

Hiraya Pilipina aims to expand its product line next year, with an emphasis on period care, alongside eyeing the establishment of a physical store, according to Ms. Loque.

BEING A YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR
When asked about challenges, Ms. Loque noted balancing her studies as a third-year college student with her business, which requires discipline, resilience, and a good support system.

“When we launched products that didn’t sell for a long time and got piled up… or I didn’t utilize TikTok from the get-go,” she said. “Just keep rising.”

“I am struggling, but I just always have this mindset where I am fortunate to do this,” she added on placing gratitude on top of her head at all times to cope with challenges.

“Pivoting is such a good mindset to have. If it doesn’t work, just pivot. Pivot and rise up.”

Additionally, Ms. Loque realized the importance of building one’s brand as an extension of the business — something she realized any social media-adept Generation Z can do.

“When you’re able to build your brand, you become a key person of influence, capable of putting a spotlight on your business,” she said.

“It’s much easier for you to promote and connect with like-minded people and influencers,” she added.

She also saw how vital it is to cultivate a community of patrons given the abundance of channels beyond social media — what she said not a lot of online business owners talk about.

“We also nurture them through other channels, such as newsletters, e-mail, and SMS blasts, where we’re able to connect one-on-one with our customers,” she said on not keeping all eggs in one basket.

“How do you keep your community intact even with fluctuating situations that happen on social media outside your control?” she added.

“Use social media to your power, to attract an audience, but also have a system in place to sustain them.”

SMALL BUSINESSES in the Philippines increasingly view digital tools as major drivers for growth, a study by a web hosting and entrepreneurial aid company showed.

Around 95% of Philippine small business respondents have planned investments in online sales and marketing spending this year, according to the GoDaddy 2023 Data Observatory report released on Monday.

They have started using digital tools like internal social networks (84%), shared drives (72%), data storage and transfer services (67%), and video conferencing (65%) to improve business processes, the GoDaddy report added.

The Philippines’ digital economy is projected to grow by 13% this year to $24 billion in gross merchandise value, according to the e-Conomy report by Google, Temasek Holdings, and Bain & Co.

This will be mainly driven by e-commerce, which is expected to expand by 21% annually to hit $24 billion by 2025.

“Meaningful customer experiences are recognized by Filipinos as a key component for their business,” GoDaddy said in an e-mailed press statement.

It noted respondents seeing the impact of digital transformation on customer service (71%), payment systems (70%), e-mail notifications (67%), booking systems (63%), and invoicing (56%).

Additionally, 54% claimed to use a customer relationship management tool to manage customer interactions, which is close to the 55% global average, according to GoDaddy.

The top priorities of small businesses in integrating digital solutions include web security (82%), social media presence (82%), establishing an online store (76%), digital advertising (75%), and having an own website (72%), it said.

The Philippines’ digital economy is projected to reach between $80 billion and $150 billion in gross merchandise value by 2030, the e-Conomy report said.

It projected that the Philippines’ internet economy will grow by an annual 20% to reach $35 billion by 2025. This 20% compound annual growth rate will be the fastest in Southeast Asia, along with Vietnam.

“Due to the rapidly rising adoption of digital payments and the global e-commerce boom, it is obvious that digital is the way to go if we want to see exponential growth,” Angelito M. Villanueva, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. executive vice-president and chief innovation and inclusion officer, said in a Viber message to BusinessWorld.

“In this era of smartphones, tablets, and advanced technology, focusing on how to grow our digital economy should be the priority of all governments right now,” he added.

“We must take full advantage of this cash-lite, digitization movement, and capitalize on people’s new post-pandemic, digital-dependent behavior for basic financial transactions.”

The GoDaddy 2023 Data Observatory was conducted globally in March, surveying 4,682 small business owners with one to 50 employees, including the Philippines. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

In an e-mailed statement, Shopee reported a fiftyfold increase in orders on Shopee Live, an interactive live-streaming feature on the e-commerce platform, during its 12.12 Mega Pamasko Sale.

“With the gifting season in full swing, the first two minutes of the highly anticipated sale resulted in 12 million items sold on Shopee Live across markets,” the platform said.

The surge in live-stream shopping led to a forty-sixfold increase in new buyers locally, emphasizing the trend’s popularity, it also said.

Shopee noted that buyers collectively saved P509 million, thanks to partnerships with brands and sellers.

“As the year draws to a close, Filipinos also look forward to year-end bonuses, signaling the opportunity to make major purchases, buy gifts, or reward themselves after a full year’s work,” it added.

Home & Living items emerged as the top-selling category during the sale, indicating a consumer interest in enhancing living spaces. This was followed by Women’s Apparel and Mobile Accessories, reflecting diverse preferences among holiday shoppers.

At the same time, both the Fashion and Health & Beauty categories saw a fivefold increase in orders.

Top-performing brands with the highest number of orders platform-wide included Uni-Care, Maybelline, and Issy & Co.

Furthermore, o.two.o.ph, Uni-Care, and Lovito.ph secured the highest number of orders on Shopee Live.

“Despite all the shopping, Filipinos remain frugal, making wise use of their money by stocking up on top-selling essentials such as face masks, organic baby wipes, and 3-in-1 twin coffee packs,” the platform said. — ALB

The program includes creators forging partnerships with regional e-commerce brands, alongside elevating their content creation strategies, Jel Directo, country manager of Hepmil Creators’ Network, said in an e-mailed press statement to reporters. 

“Since this is fast-growing in the local market, we have trained our creators in effective live selling, live streaming, and also affiliate content building,” she added, also noting the massive growth of e-commerce platforms like TikTok Shop. 

“With this, we continue to be partners of brands that are first-movers in the bottom funnel creator marketing able to support them as they speed up test-and-learn efforts.” 

Shoppertainment is a fast-growing e-commerce opportunity that seeks to entertain and educate consumers to drive sales, which the Boston Consulting Group said is projected to expand to a market value of over $1 trillion by 2025. 

Influencers have revolutionized marketing strategies, with brands now embracing them as a major advertising tactic, consumer research and data analytics company Milieu Insight said in a July study.

However, the effectiveness of influencer marketing in driving direct sales is not significant, despite the rising number of influencers and 56% of Southeast Asian survey participants following them, it noted. 

Still, influencers’ sponsored content aids brand awareness and plays a pivotal role in the buyer’s journey, it added. 

The global market for influencer marketing was valued at $16.5 billion in 2022 and is expected to multiply 12 times to $199.6 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 28.6%, according to Allied Market Research. 

Hepmil added Jico Umali (Jiconyo), Pipay Kipay, and Adam Alejo to its Creators’ Network community, aiming to pioneer “communication strategies tailored to engage this new generation of mobile-first consumers,” it said. 

“Through organic integration into engaging content, brands can make authentic connections with audiences who want entertainment value,” it added. 

Additionally, the company has invested in creating shows such as “Oner Gang,” which tackles local travel, and “Sa Office,” which offers a satirical approach to workplace culture. 

Erwin Razon, general manager of digital content platform PGAG under Hepmil Media Group, said these aim to “offer brands a strategic entry point into the evolving realm of digital marketing.” 

“We strongly believe in the balance of advertising and entertainment on content, a mindset that allows us to thrive in integrating brand messages seamlessly within our content, while maintaining the authenticity and entertainment that our fans love,” he added. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

PURSUING a hobby for business is no walk in the park, as it still requires discipline and market research to succeed, according to Jacob Reuben A. Cabochan, president of Filbar’s, a comic book outlet turned pop culture collectible hub.

When Mr. Cabochan and his fellow comic hobbyist friends from high school decided to take over the 34-year-old company’s operations a decade ago, they knew it needed to be sustained and transformed for today’s demand.

“We were the customers of the old Filbar’s,” he said in an interview with BusinessWorld. “You had Marvel movie series such as Captain America and Iron Man starting during that time, so we said that maybe it’s time to reinvent Filbar’s.”

Named after its founder, Filemon Barbasa, Filbar’s started in 1979 as a small comic book shop in Greenhills, San Juan, which saw an opportunity to bring international comic fanfare to the Philippines.

“Especially in the 1990s, a comic book would go into print for like 1-5 million copies just for a single issue,” Mr. Cabochan said. “But eventually, it hit cycles and the comic industry fell.”

Filbar’s pivoted to selling back issue magazines in the next decade, yet it took another downturn and forced the business to close some stores, he added.

In 2013, Mr. Cabochan and his partners acquired Filbar’s, adamant to revive the comic market and serve its hardcore fanbases in the country. Yet, they also knew the business had to take another route to keep it standing, separate from their passion.

“We knew it wouldn’t be as big as before, but it wasn’t enough to sustain our operations,” he said. “We thought of what else we could add.”

SHIFTING OFFERINGS
Since the revamp, Filbar’s has started tapping into pop culture collectibles from Western superhero franchises, alongside Eastern intellectual property (IP), such as manga and anime.

Mr. Cabochan has observed that the comic and publishing market favors Japanese and Korean IPs, which the offerings of Filbar’s have started catering to more.

“We found that Japanese publishing companies would outsell Marvel by 10x,” he said, noting that comic book stores in the United States stock more manga now than Western IP.

“If you’re a collectible shop, you have to see and focus on what’s popular. You have to be on trend,” he added, regarding the close attention to the market needed to bolster the business and avoid another plunge.

Aside from stores not operating during the pandemic, Mr. Cabochan noted how the halt of big movie releases also had a halo effect on the collectible industry.

“Studios were hesitant to release during the pandemic, so you didn’t have any big movies or events, which means there is no demand for any collectible,” he said. “But you still had the old fan bases who are still regulars to this day.”

He added inventory management as a challenge the business continuously faces, where collectible and IP licensors cannot share much information for fear of spoilers.

“Sometimes we would order products not knowing what it is,” he said. “When it comes out, you have a range of products, which is not a lot of the popular figure, or only a few that suddenly sell out in a day or two,” he said.

BEYOND A HOBBY
For most, a hobby turned business seems like a dream come true, but Mr. Cabochan said he does not recommend it. “You have to have the discipline to run it like a business.”

“So if you think of it as a hobby, you would lose money because you would only buy stuff that you like,” he added. “I still have to re-educate myself because we cater to a lot of fandoms.”

There is a forced need to research and imbibe the rest of the target market, according to Mr. Cabochan.

“You have other customers as well, and you have to see what else they would like,” he said, adding that the company is currently tapping the younger side of its market as part of its strategy.

“Our challenge is making it usable, affordable, and maintainable for them,” Aileen Judan-Jiao, president and country general manager for IBM Philippines, Inc., said during a briefing on Tuesday.

“The ones who will embrace AI are our ecosystem partners,” she added, which also includes MSMEs and startups offering subscription platforms supported by AI.

IBM Philippines has started adopting a 100% ecosystem market this year as part of its expansion strategy, Felicisimo S. Torres, technical sales lead for global sales at IBM Philippines, told BusinessWorld.

The company reaches out to startups and enterprises with tailor-fit technology and AI solutions, he said.

“This divides their cost [for AI] across multiple clients,” he added, while also allowing them to scale and grow.

IBM Philippines has enabled five enterprises this year, Mr. Torres said, through WatsonX, its new self-service AI and data platform for businesses equipped with scalable and flexible models to address key concerns with AI.

The local enterprises served include Komunidad, a software-as-a-service startup specializing in weather and environmental intelligence services, and Digiteer, a bespoke software development startup.

It aims to double this number next year, eyeing those in industries such as financial services, manufacturing, retail, education, and transport, Mr. Torres said.

However, he also noted the low level of AI exposure and adoption among MSMEs, which tech companies can help bridge. “We need to make them understand the technologies and demystify it for them to see its potential.”

The International Data Corp. said the Philippines ranked 12^th out of 14 economies across the Asia-Pacific region in terms of AI adoption for business and consumer transactions.

The Trade department projected that AI could contribute as much as $90 billion to the country’s economy by 2030.

A report released by technology firm Cisco this month said only 17% of Philippine organizations are ready to utilize and deploy AI, with the majority of them raising concerns about the impact of not adopting these advances.

It added that about 44% of Philippine organizations consider themselves chasers or are only moderately prepared; 35% are followers with limited levels of preparedness; and about 4% are laggards, not prepared to leverage AI at all.

Additionally, the global AI market size is expected to reach $407.0 billion by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate of 36.2% during the forecast period of 2022-2027, according to a report by analytics firm MarketsandMarkets.

To build trust and adoption, Ms. Jiao highlighted the need for AI to be explainable — with an understanding of its risks, benefits, and overall implications for the organization.

She also mentioned IBM Corp.’s commitment to reskill 30 million people globally by 2030 through its free SkillsBuild online micro-credential platform, alongside “the right context and mindset” to grow the technology. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

There was a 193% increase in the popularity of gift sets in December 2022, based on queries from the January-November period, followed by cosmetic sets (163%) and gift cards (156%), Picodi’s e-mailed report on Wednesday showed.

Gift sets were also found to be the most popular type of gift globally, with a 510% increase, it added.

“The ranking was created based on the increase in popularity of gift-related Google queries in December 2022 compared to the rest of the year, utilising data collected through Google Trends,” it noted as its methodology for the analytics. 

“The list of queries we analysed consists of various gift suggestions, ranging from traditional gifts such as chocolate, toys and cosmetics to modern tech, including smartwatches, smart speakers and air humidifiers,” it added. 

Pyjamas (125%) and sweaters (120%) came behind the ranking, trailed by electric kettles (100%), eau de toilette perfumes (91%), massagers (87%), wireless headphones (86%), and thermal mugs (85%), according to Picodi. 

It noted some similarities among Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, which saw thermal mugs, gift sets, and gift cards as its most sought-after gifts. 

For Singapore, electric grills, scented candles, and gift sets landed on top, it added. 

Additionally, the InMobi 2023 Holiday Retail Guide for Advertisers showed that 57% of local holiday shoppers have increased their budgets for online shopping, yet it noted 43% have less than P10,000 in budget. 

It added that 35% have a budget of P10,000 to P25,000, 13% can spend P25,000 to P50,000, and 5% eye running through over P50,000. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

SILINGAN COFFEE, founded by Redemptorist brother, photojournalist, and entrepreneur Ciriaco B. Santiago III, is not just a business; it is a platform dedicated to keeping alive the stories of victims of extrajudicial killings (EJK) and promoting human rights in the Philippines.

“Our vision is to keep the nation’s stories alive and promote human rights,” Mr. Santiago said in an interview with BusinessWorld. “They are the living testaments of the crimes that happened in six years.”

The establishment of Silingan Coffee in Cubao, Quezon City, traces back to the height of the pandemic when Mr. Santiago, on his mission to deliver food packs to underserved communities, witnessed the dire need for support among families affected by EJK.

“I started roaming around communities to bring food packs, vegetables, or anything that can help mothers of victims of EJK, even as far as Bulacan, Quezon, Laguna, and Batangas,” Mr. Santiago said.

The Philippines fell three spots to 100^th out of 142 countries in the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index this year, remaining among the weakest in the region and better only than Myanmar and Cambodia.

The government estimated over 6,000 suspected drug dealers killed in police operations during the term of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte. Human rights groups, however, suggested a much higher figure of up to 30,000 individuals.

More than 30 member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council urged the Philippine government in November last year to take action on extrajudicial killings in connection with Mr. Duterte’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

STAFF AND STORIES
What sets Silingan Coffee apart is its dedicated staff — all direct family members of EJK victims.

“They are victims whose cases happened before Duterte withdrew [the Philippines] from the ICC (International Criminal Court) in March 19, 2018,” Mr. Santiago said.

“Some are known cases whose stories are followed by other media entities, while some are unknown and have no idea how to pursue their case,” he added.

Among the employees is Mary Ann Domingo, who has been assisted by the National Union of People’s Lawyers since 2017 in filing cases against the policemen involved in the arrest of her husband and son in 2016. The legal battles are ongoing, Mr. Santiago said.

The Navotas Regional Trial Court dismissed the four-year case of Grace Garganta, a team lead barista in Silingan Coffee, in October on the ground of demurrer to evidence filed by her, according to a court document shared with BusinessWorld.

The Court said that there was “no valid warrantless arrest” for Ms. Garganta when the arresting officers conducted a buy-bust operation on Jan. 16, 2019, against her husband.

“We evolve not simply because of our coffee, but because of their stories — the nation’s stories,” Mr. Santiago said, shedding light on the deep connection between the business and the personal narratives of its employees.

CHALLENGES AND TRIUMPHS
The journey of Silingan Coffee has been fraught with financial challenges, especially during its first year when the pandemic-induced lockdown measures took a toll on businesses.

The profits were barely enough to sustain the initial eight employees and expenses due to the lockdown measures, Mr. Santiago noted.

To keep the business afloat, Mr. Santiago had to make personal sacrifices, selling his camera lenses, and taking loans from friends.

“In business, you have to take loans, and you can do that if you have good standing and credibility with them,” he said.

He said the slow growth during the first year did not deter his team. Silingan Coffee remained steadfast in its commitment to the vision, even when faced with financial uncertainty, he added.

EXPANSION PLANS
As the lockdowns eased and Silingan Coffee gained attention from local and international media, Mr. Santiago and his team realized the potential to expand their impact.

An assembly with the staff was organized to discuss the vision-mission for the future, leading to the decision to move outside Cubao, Quezon City.

The strategic expansion plan includes the use of mobile vans renovated to fit the business, targeting churches and communities that were hotspots for EJK.

Mr. Santiago took more loans to purchase an old van in Laguna, recognizing its potential to reach areas that needed the advocacy the most.

“It needs to go to churches and communities, which were the hotspots of the killings,” he said.

The business envisions a total of four vans and one physical store within a five-year timeframe.

Additionally, plans to produce and sell candles are in the pipeline to cater to mothers and elderly individuals who may not be able to become baristas, Mr. Santiago said.

SUSTAINING AN ADVOCACY-DRIVEN BUSINESS
Running an advocacy-driven business comes with its unique set of challenges and responsibilities, according to Mr. Santiago.

“One must have a clear and courageous vision for something like this,” he advised to those considering a similar path.

“And you need to give back to the community, which means loving your staff.”

The staff at Silingan Coffee not only represents the cause but embodies the hope for justice, he also said. “They will fight for their cases even if they feel they can’t do anything.”

The importance of fair treatment and compensation for the staff is highlighted as a core principle in sustaining an advocacy-driven business, Mr. Santiago noted.

Beyond just serving coffee, Silingan Coffee strives to create a supportive and empowering environment for its employees, he added.

DEMAND FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
Silingan Coffee transcends the conventional definition of a business by actively demanding accountability for past injustices.

The business, Mr. Santiago said, goes beyond profit-making to continuously share the narratives of EJK victims, acting as a voice for those who have been silenced.

“We evolve not simply because of our coffee, but because of their stories — the nation’s stories,” he said, emphasizing the role of the business in demanding justice and accountability.

As of now, Silingan Coffee boasts a team of 28 baristas and 30 candlemakers.

The numbers, however, tell only part of the story. For Mr. Santiago, the true success of Silingan Coffee lies in the human stories it has touched and the hope it has instilled in the hearts of its employees.

“A lot of our sellers are female; an overwhelming majority, 70-80%, are female,” Macy Castillo, Enstack co-founder and chief executive officer, said in interview with BusinessWorld.

“It’s predominantly female categories, such as healthy, beauty, and fashion that have repeat buyers,” she added. “That is a really good indicator for us.”

Ms. Castillo noted that the gender disparity in business stems from how much more women have to do as the main caretakers of the family. “They have a lot more responsibilities for the home they’re juggling at once.”

The Global Progress for Women report by Avon in March said that 52% of Filipino women it surveyed admitted to a lack of confidence being a barrier to starting a business, with 79% citing inadequate financial resources.

Societal stereotypes and conventional expectations in the Philippines continue to pose challenges for women, affecting their career and financial prospects, it added.

Globally, the most prevalent challenges faced by women in starting their own businesses were financial constraints (61%), fear of failure (44%), uncertainty about where to begin (36%), inadequate knowledge of the market (34%), and low confidence (33%).

At the same time, the report noted that 77% of women globally aspire to increase their earnings, either by exploring alternative income sources or by progressing in their current employment.

The digital streamlining of business processes through platforms and tools has allowed entrepreneurship to open in the country, Ms. Castillo said, especially where a lot of women have begun to realize their potential as business proponents.

“We’re cutting down the time they spend on business so they spend it on the other things they want,” she said on Enstack’s community of entrepreneurs and tools for SMEs as an omnichannel store builder.

“For women, they always think they have to give up a lot to become entrepreneurs,” she added. “Will I have enough time for my family or other things I want to do if I start business? And that’s all true.”

“Of course, there’s still some investment of resources — time, effort, and money — so for us, it’s really a matter of making sure that they are comfortable and confident to start their business on their own.”

“If it’s always been at the back of your mind, try it out,” she said, addressing Filipino women who are also aspiring entrepreneurs. “The not knowing might be harder than just doing it.” — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

“Holiday shopping can become excessive quite easily. However, with careful planning and budgeting, festivities don’t have to drain your finances or push your credit cards to the limit,” Lista Co-Founder Khriztina T. Lim said in an e-mail interview with BusinessWorld.

For Lista, it starts with the mindset. Shoppers should prioritize thoughtful spending over extravagant gestures, emphasizing meaningful experiences rather than materialistic ones.

As Christmas nears, Filipinos will buy gifts, but choosing alternative gifts that demand time and effort can increase their sentimental value, Lista said.

“Investing in moments with family and close friends is a special exception worthy of celebration. Rather than relying on traditional gift shopping, I find more value in curating food baskets for my loved ones annually. Whether it’s a jar of garlic confit paired with breadsticks or a DIY champorado kit accompanied by a heartfelt note, these simple yet thoughtful gestures make for more meaningful gifts than store-bought items,” Ms. Lim said.

Discuss spending limits with family or friends and use sales and discounts to save money. Be cautious about deviating from priorities. Ms. Lim also advised sticking to a shopping list and researching before setting priorities.

“Additionally, suggesting alternative celebrations, such as shared experiences or potluck gatherings, redirects the emphasis towards quality time rather than the financial burden of expensive gifts. This approach can contribute to a more enjoyable and inclusive holiday experience for all participants,” she added.

“It’s also vital to underscore the value of sticking to one’s budget, avoiding overspending, and staying on track with expenditures,” Ms. Lim said.

In terms of financial goals, shoppers should set realistic objectives for both the long and the short term to avoid overspending.

The key is to prioritize essential needs and formulate a comprehensive shopping list. Shoppers can use cash or debit cards to automatically set spending limits. Lista also suggests opting for more budget-friendly celebrations.

“Long-term goals, such as saving for a down payment on a house or a retirement fund, should be balanced with short-term goals like travel or acquiring gadgets. Avoiding burnout or discouragement requires finding the right balance and allowing oneself a chance to experience a sense of accomplishment through short-term goals,” Lista said. — Aaron Michael C. Sy

THERE is a growing recognition of the commercial value of creative work among Filipino artists, fueled by the emergence of online and offline showcase platforms, according to Ma. Roma Agsalud-Agsunod, co-founder of local arts and crafts retail hub Common Room PH.

Ms. Agsunod said that when she and her sister set up a hub in Katipunan, Quezon City, eight years ago, their primary goal was not to establish a community of art entrepreneurs but to expand their home-based craft business, Popjunklove.

The business grew its initial P5,000 starting capital in 2007 through profits from weekend bazaar hustles, she said in an interview with BusinessWorld. In 2015, they finally had their own brick-and-mortar space but realized it was too large for their needs.

“In other countries, you see a thriving creative industry, gathering together in one space,” Ms. Agsunod said. “Somehow that idea was planting bigger dreams for us, but we never really thought it was something we could do.”

“If together we can somehow make that individual smallness have an impact, then maybe we can give that bigger dream a shot,” she added, noting the 33 fellow art entrepreneurs whom she met through bazaars and first made up the hole-in-the-wall in Katipunan.

Even with four branches to date, there are obvious physical limitations to the roster of artists Common Room can accommodate, which is currently at over 200 from the more than 2,000 applicants the business has had over the years, Ms. Agsunod noted.

To address this challenge, Common Room introduced in-store popup spaces to its business model this year to showcase new makers on a rolling basis of three months, compared to the three-day duration of a typical popup, she added.

“For the top brands that we were able to welcome that year, they get a chance to come back for the holidays,” she said.

ONLINE OPPORTUNITIES
Alongside such an initiative, the business also invested in creating videos to strengthen its online and e-commerce presence — a lesson Ms. Agsunod mentioned they learned from the pandemic when the whole business almost closed down.

“We realized it was so hard to put all your eggs in one basket,” she said on previously relying solely on physical store sales.

“E-commerce helped us survive the pandemic years,” she added, noting the business’ pursuit to continue fortifying its e-commerce arm even when online profits are lower than those from their physical stores.

Aside from its marketplace website, Common Room regularly uploads videos on YouTube and TikTok regarding its business journey, craft and business tutorials, and artists’ stories, hoping to further cultivate the potential of the local creative industry and small businesses alike, Ms. Agsunod said.

“Common Room is also an incubation space, even for those not in our retail space yet,” she added.

“Our shoppers are very mindful now, seeing the importance of supporting an artist,” she said, highlighting the growing appreciation and support for local creatives in the country given the business’ successes.

Additionally, she noted how Common Room patrons largely contributed to the virtual fundraising campaign they held during the pandemic, which helped them weather through a few more months before they opened again.

“We have a very solid community of makers and both shoppers who really understand the story of the business,” she said.

GROWTH AND OUTLOOK
While physical growth is limited to an extent, Ms. Agsunod said the business aims to double down on its “temporary activations” for artists and patrons next year.

“Our plan is really to focus on our weakness, which is making space for more amazing Filipino makers and artists,” she said. “We see right now there are so many cons, art fairs, and bazaars popping up, and people are really going to see these experiences.”

However, she noted that Common Room will conduct such opportunities as gathering experiences in line with their advocacy, and not just buying events. “It’s most likely something that will involve workshops and talks with other makers.”

Ms. Agsunod has observed progress in local creatives recognizing the value of their work, especially amid exploitation through lowballing clients.

“It’s really a process… an artist’s journey of discovering their value,” she said on how some price their work low or settle for X-deals to build up their portfolio.

“There is still a lot of work to do on this front,” she added, noting that some brands, businesses, and government projects have rightfully started compensating artists fairly.

In the age of digital transformation, consolidated software capabilities allow enterprises to spend less and focus more on the needs of both employees and customers, Lindsay Brown, vice-president and general manager at GoTo Asia Pacific and Japan, said in an interview with BusinessWorld.

“There are probably eight key IT management capabilities you’d have to get eight software licenses for,” he noted. “Especially as a small business, it becomes very expensive.”

Mr. Brown said digital adoption has grown as a necessity for the survival of any business today. “For a small business, it can end them.”

He added that the increased demand for flexibility across all generations can be observed, catalyzed by the pandemic. “Older employees want flexibility for more time with their family, while the younger ones for multiple jobs.”

Results of the Asia Pacific Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2023 showed the Filipino workforce preferring hybrid work (51%) and full-time remote work (24%) arrangements.

The 2023 PhilCare Wellness Index, which studied Gen Z — the digital-native cohort born in the late 1990s and early 2000s, found flexible work arrangement and having multiple sources of income as their priorities.

GoTo, originally known as 3am Labs, started two decades ago in the river-bisected city of Budapest, Hungary when its founder finally refused to drive through traffic from the Buda district to Pest where he worked, Mr. Brown said.

“He created remote software to allow him to access his computer from Buda,” he added, noting that the company eventually included remote support, management, and communications for businesses over the years.

GoTo aims to open such opportunities for small and medium businesses and simplify the complex environment of hybrid work with all-in-one automated IT management and business communications software solutions, Mr. Brown said.

These include remote access and support, conversational ticketing, visual engagement, and remote monitoring and management for its Resolve product, he noted.

It also allows phone and messaging, video meetings, webinars, and contact centers for its Connect platform, he added.

He added that GoTo’s solutions portfolio employs zero-trust security by design. “Any transaction has to be authenticated before it happens, which makes it almost impossible for anyone to get in,” Mr. Brown said, noting the potential data and financial risks associated with digital adoption.

The company also caters to large enterprises in the country like the Philippine National Bank and business process outsourcing company Inspiro Relia, Inc. for off-network support through its Rescue tool, he added.

Mr. Brown said the company has plans to set up servers in Southeast Asia beyond Singapore in the coming months, and continue the growth it has recorded in the Philippines.

“We’ve seen about 65% revenue growth, 30% customer growth, and 40% channel growth [in the Philippine market],” he added. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

IN THE EVOLVING landscape of grooming services, Bruno’s Barbers has shown resilience, facing challenges and seizing opportunities to become a nationwide wellness hub, its president said.

Providing complete services from head to toe — such as hair and scalp care, facials, massages, and hand and foot care — Bruno’s Barbers started in 1989 in Ayala Alabang.

Jose Marco M. Pascual, Bruno’s Barbers president, reminiscing about the early days, said, “Well, I was much younger then. It was in 1989 when my mom and her sisters founded Bruno’s Barbers.”

The birth of Bruno’s Barbers was not solely driven by entrepreneurial aspirations but by a genuine commitment to addressing the needs of the community, Mr. Pascual told BusinessWorld.

Recalling the challenges they faced, he said, “The only option that we had was to either go to the country club or go outside of the village where you had to travel to either Las Piñas or BF Homes, which if you’re coming from inside Alabang, it’s quite a distance.”

“We weren’t members of the country club, so my mom had to really take me to those places, and at that time, for a mom, I guess the standards of the store environment weren’t up to par. So she decided to put up our first branch in Alabang Town Center,” he added.

He said that Bruno’s Barbers now has 65 shops in the Philippines.

ELEVATING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
At the heart of Bruno’s Barbers’ journey lies a commitment to elevating the customer experience, Mr. Pascual said.

Emphasizing the role of the store environment, he said, “Since the beginning, the store environment has been very central.”

This focus on providing a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere has been pivotal in attracting and retaining customers, he noted.

Training workers and staying ahead in the industry are also important. “We try to make sure we’re on top of [it].”

Bruno’s Barbers saw a 9-13% growth in month-on-month transactions across its 65 branches across the country this year, according to Mr. Pascual.

“The whole industry is now at $5.6 trillion,” he said, citing the report of the Global Wellness Institute on its industry revenue worldwide, which valued the personal care and beauty segment in Asia Pacific at $273 billion. “I am very optimistic.”

“After COVID, people’s mindsets have changed. People now care more about themselves, are self-conscious about how they look, and want to feel more confident,” he added.

Mr. Pascual said the company has plans to open 10-15 branches each succeeding year, onboarding 200 barbers and therapists on a rolling basis to its nationwide network. “Generally, if there’s an applicant willing to apply, we’ll find a way.”

“They’re already skilled,” he said. “From that point on, we just try to engage them and enhance customer service, so it’s just fine-tuning.”

NAVIGATING CHALLENGES
When asked about how the company stayed afloat during the strict pandemic lockdowns from March to June 2020, Mr. Pascual said it all came down to financial prudence, or making sure everything was in check.

“We were closed the entire time, so the whole network was not operating,” he said.

“We only got our first signs of life in June 2020, when we had different capacities allowed by the government.”

Bruno’s Barbers was fortunate enough to not shut down and keep all its stores, he added.

“In entrepreneurship generally, there’s no one way. It takes a lot of hard work and determination,” he noted as key traits for an entrepreneur.

“You got to enjoy what you’re doing because not every day will be a good day. You’ll have some setbacks, but you even have to find that enjoyable as well,” he added.

“The startup ecosystem is persisting amid these headwinds,” Katrina R. Chan, executive director at IdeaSpace Investments and QBO Innovation Hub, told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of the Philippine Startup Week 2023 press conference on Tuesday.

“The people and the government are already paying attention, but in times like these, it’s really about synergistic collaboration and executing plans, policies, and incentives,” she added, emphasizing the importance of opening access for all local startups.

Ms. Chan noted strengthening business education, funding mechanisms, mentoring programs, and international exposure opportunities as key ingredients for growing the local industry.

“We want more people driving the future of the economy,” she said, emphasizing the expansion of investors’ valuations and advocating for multiple kalabaw, not just one unicorn.

Startup investment in Southeast Asia declined after an uptick in 2021, as reported by Deal Street Asia and Kickstart Ventures. The first quarter of 2022 recorded about $5 billion in deals, down from a peak of $8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Startup tech fundraising declined this year due to adverse market conditions, according to Gobi-Core Philippine Fund, which provides early-stage venture capital.

In its Philippine Startup Ecosystem Report, Gobi-Core said that the year-to-date fundraising in the Philippines is running 40% below the year-earlier level.

“It was super high during the pandemic, given the urgent demand for digital solutions,” Ms. Chan said regarding the current decline in investments, causing a conservative stance for investors.

“It has become more level-headed now, and it’s not something to be scared about,” she added.

Gobi-Core identified the five biggest challenges that founders or startup owners face as inadequate infrastructure, talent and manpower shortages, government and regulatory hurdles, access to funding, and cultural challenges.

Ana Yang-Calubad, founder of enterprise software-as-a-service (SAAS) startup Britana, urged the government to make it easy for aspiring and existing startups to run their businesses through streamlined processes and tax incentives.

Dennis Velasco, founder and chief executive officer of the real estate SAAS startup Prosperna, said fostering global partnerships among startups is one of the vital strides the local industry needs to take. “This is going to make the Philippines an exciting [investment] place in the next 10 years.”

Beyond top-down support, Mr. Velasco added the need for bottoms-up initiatives at the local government unit (LGU) level. “We need to help them understand programs and initiatives for business sustainability and give them access to our tools and services.”

Lorena Flores, founder of the digital community hub startup Hey Roomie, said startups should be seen as an opportunity or an extra arm for LGUs to extend their services. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

The Bain-Altagamma global luxury fall 2023 report recognized Thailand as the leading player in the region.

It said the luxury market in the Asia Pacific and Japan region is estimated at about €560 billion, accounting for the biggest share globally at 37%, with a 6-8% compound annual growth rate from 2019 to this year.

“The market is set for long-term growth, rooted in strong fundamentals,” Federica Levato, Bain partner and report co-author, said in an e-mailed press release to reporters on Monday.

“Capturing and amplifying the market potential will be key, as the clear convergence among luxury markets allows for further expansion,” she added.

“Players have the opportunity, but also the responsibility, to reinforce their meaning, while leveraging strategic M&A [mergers and acquisitions] to redefine the boundaries of the industry. These will be foundational drivers for growth in the future.”

The report said the global luxury market is projected to reach €1.5 trillion this year, an 8-10% growth, and over €160 billion increase from last year across luxury categories.

The luxury market has nearly reached pre-pandemic levels in the thick of geopolitical and macroeconomic shifts, which are expected to continue, it noted.

“Headwinds remain heading into the fourth quarter, including fragile consumer confidence, macroeconomic tensions in China, and sparse signs of recovery in the US,” it added.

Claudia D’Aripizio, Bain partner and lead author of the report, noted resilience, relevance, and renewal as the new key ingredients to unlocking further potential in the luxury industry.

She said only 65-70% of luxury brands this year are generating growth, a significant decrease from 95% last year. “To stay in the game, it will be crucial for brands to make bold decisions on behalf of their customers.”

“In an increasingly crowded market, brands must focus on creativity and innovation to enhance relevance to consumers, with the ultimate goal of cultivating a base of brand lovers to broaden their reach,” she added.

Among categories, Bain and Altagamma deemed fine jewelry as a “bright spot for investments amid uncertainty,” due to a €30 billion market value projection this year.

The ready-to-wear, beauty, and watches categories are being favored by consumers this year, while leather goods slowed down after an overperformance in recent years, it said.

Monobrand channels lead the distribution ecosystem this year with consumer demand for physical experiences and sales clienteling, or building long-term relationships with customers, it added.

“Conversely, multi-brand environments suffer a sharp slowdown in both department and specialty stores, with rising questions on how to evolve their value proposition to best serve consumers’ needs.”

Additionally, brands must cater to the varying needs across their consumer base given the rise of ‘multigenerational complexity,’ it said.

“Generation X and Y are in their peak income years, representing the bulk of luxury purchases and the key pool of income growth in the near future,” it added.

However, it also noted Gen Z is positioned at the forefront of sociocultural change, with a strong desire for lived experiences and meaning.

“By 2030, Gen Z will account for 25-30% of luxury market purchases, while millennials will account for 50-55%.” — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

When compared to an average day, Shopee Live saw an increase in products sold of 33 times, alongside an 8 times uplift in new viewers on 11.11 itself, Shopee Philippines said in an e-mailed press statement on Wednesday.

It also noted a seller’s livestream selling over 67,000 items, generating P1 billion in sales on the day alone.

“We are elated by the overwhelming response and record-breaking success of our 11.11 Mega Pamasko Sale,” said Vincent Lee, head of Shopee Philippines.

“[We] will continue elevating the platform for more rewarding shopping experiences,” he added.

The e-Conomy SEA report by Google, Temasek Holdings, and Bain & Company showed the Philippines’ digital economy is forecast to reach between $80 billion and $150 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV) by 2030, slightly lower than its previous projection of $100-150 billion.

According to the report, it is projected to grow by 13% this year to $24 billion in GMV. This will be mainly driven by e-commerce, which is expected to expand by 21% annually to hit $24 billion by 2025. E-commerce is forecast to reach $60 billion in GMV by 2030.

Shopee Philippines said its top categories during the 11.11 sale were home and living, followed by health and personal care.

The links of an affiliate were able to generate P1.2 million in total sales, which grew five times from a normal day, it added.

It noted 12 million vouchers redeemed and 1.2 million entries for its Shopee Live Milyonaryo program, which has a P1 million prize.—Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

CURATING moments of joy and surprise is the driving force behind M Proposals MNL, a wedding proposal planning company that hopes to expand all over the country, its founder Carmela Denise A. Alcordo said.

“We researched this several years ago, and until now, we’re the only one doing this full time,” Ms. Alcordo said in an interview with BusinessWorld.

Her journey started during high school in Batangas when a feasibility study project sparked her entrepreneurial spirit.

“Our teacher asked us to do a feasibility study, and what I did was create an events company. I saw that it was a viable business and something I could do.”

“So I started with weddings, debuts, social and corporate events. And then, right after I graduated, I went to a corporate job, and I saw there was potential in proposal planning because I saw one of those showbusiness proposals, and I saw it usually goes viral (on social media platforms),” she added.

The transition from general events to a niche as specific as proposal planning was not without its challenges.

“I didn’t have a business model to guide me; everything I created was based on my experience,” Ms. Alcordo said.

“It was challenging but exciting to really come up with a business that is unique but with a lot of opportunities and potential.”

M Proposals also experienced an unexpected surge in inquiries during the pandemic period, reaching an average of 10-20 per day, Ms. Alcordo added.

She said that the demand could be attributed to the hunger for surprise-filled proposals and the convenience the company offers to busy clients.

“We cater to overseas Filipino workers, nurses, executives, CEOs — people who lack time to conceptualize proposals.”

PERSONALIZED PROPOSALS
At the core of M Proposals lies the art of personalization.

Ms. Alcordo detailed the process: “From significant details to shared hobbies, we use these elements to conceptualize a proposal perfect for the couple.”

She recalled a flash mob proposal in a busy street, saying, “The unforgettable moment was the girl’s reaction.”

“She dreamt of this her whole life but didn’t expect her boyfriend could do it to her.”

Such moments, she said, epitomize the emotional impact M Proposals aims for, resonating not just with the couple but also the surrounding audience.

DIVERSE OFFERINGS AND INCLUSIVITY
M Proposals embraces diversity through ready-made proposal packages starting from P30,000, Ms. Alcordo said.

Options like the hotel proposal, complete with decoration, cocktails, and an overnight stay, or the scenic lush proposal, offering breathtaking views, cater to varied preferences, she noted.

The inclusivity extends to LGBTQ couples.

While M Proposals does not have specific packages for them, Ms. Alcordo said, “They’re unique, [and] we give them the creativity they require.”

“Basically, we really cater to their requirements because they’re really unique and glamorous, and I like that,” she added.

FUTURE EXPANSION AND VISION
As M Proposals continues its journey, Ms. Alcordo envisions expanding to different Philippine destinations and partnering with international companies.

“Clients ask about proposals in other locations like… Singapore,” she said.

This aligns with her ultimate goal — making M Proposals a well-known name in proposal planning.

“I really want M Proposals to be a well-known proposal company in the Philippines,” Ms. Alcordo said.

Beyond individual success, her vision extends to a collaborative network where proposal planners share creativity and craft unique experiences.

“Even if we are the first, definitely, I feel like we can have a network of proposal planners where we can help each other, but we will be top of mind when it comes to proposal planning. With all the clients that we’ll have, we can provide them with creativity, and the unique and unforgettable experience that they would like to have,” she said.

For Ms. Alcordo, her entrepreneurial journey embodies the essence of her business — unique, creative, and passionately driven.

“The good thing about this is the anticipation of surprises and having the privilege to listen to all of our clients’ love stories and make the most out of those stories to create unforgettable memories,” she said.

“Even if I’m working, it feels like I’m not… For example, if I have a client and ask them what their love story is, that’s the most precious part of my work.” — with Aaron Michael C. Sy

It offers health maintenance organization (HMO) plans for SMEs and startups with outpatient, inpatient, emergency, and dental care, Hive Health said in an e-mailed statement.

Hive Health also provides small business owners and human resource managers with an HR dashboard that streamlines onboarding, offboarding, and invoicing of employees, it added.

Benefits include mental health sessions, maternity care, preventive care, and medicine coverage, which are typically not offered to smaller teams and minorities such as the LGBTQIA+ and domestic partners.

“The goal is for all Filipinos to feel secure that their health is taken care of, and to give employers a sustainable way to take part in making that happen,” said Camille Ang, co-founder and chief executive officer of Hive Health.

Only around 2% of Philippine businesses, mostly large ones, provide healthcare coverage to their employees, according to the multichannel insurance platform Kwik.insure.

The Insurance Commission noted only 20,248 enterprises that provided healthcare coverage to their employees as of 2021. There were more than 1.08 million establishments in the country that year, according to the local statistics agency.

“We started Hive Health with the mission to make healthcare more accessible in the Philippines and in many other developing countries where social safety nets are capped,” Jiawen Tang, co-founder and president of Hive Health, said.

“Our goal is to leverage tech and data to make quality healthcare more affordable and easier to use, especially for the underserved SME segment,” she added.

Ms. Tang noted the company’s in-house electronic medical records system that enables its team of doctors to better accommodate the concerns of patients who book on-demand video teleconsultations with them.

Members can request approval letters, view plan benefits, find nearby providers, schedule physical exams, and access medical records through their phone or device, Hive Health said. For out-of-network reimbursements, it claims a duration of three to five days.

Hive Health said it has a nationwide network of 1,700 hospitals and clinics, with over 60,000 doctors. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

A COMPLETE network of partners and tools is a growing necessity for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to leverage the steady rise of e-commerce, according to entrepreneur Jacqueline Y. Chua.

Just when the pandemic hit, Ms. Chua, along with her colleague, saw an opportunity. Drawing from their experience in setting up e-commerce ventures for a conglomerate, they embarked on a new venture dedicated to serving MSMEs.

Ms. Chua, as the co-founder and chief executive officer of We Empower Ecommerce Solutions, Inc. (FullFill), took the initiative to convert her business partner’s facility into their startup’s headquarters.

With just a single year in full operation, FullFill grew to become a one-stop e-commerce support hub with micro-warehouses, co-working spaces, photo studios, and other services, Ms. Chua said.

“We are a startup, small business owners as well, so we understand the challenges faced by each MSME,” she said. “We wanted to create an end-to-end solution for them.”

“Our main advocacy is to help as many MSMEs as possible like us so they will have an easier time scaling and finding partners to grow their businesses,” she added.

The Philippine e-commerce market reached P500.9 billion in revenues with a growth rate of 31.3% last year, according to GlobalData analytics.

It is expected to grow by 22.9% to reach P615.7 billion this year, it added.

While Ms. Chua recognized the high growth trajectory of the e-commerce industry, she noted that online-native MSMEs eventually integrate into brick-and-mortar businesses after gaining critical mass. This integration also prompted FullFill to expand its services.

“For things that we cannot do ourselves, we work with collaborator partners,” she said on partnering with other businesses and service providers for MSMEs.

“FullFill was originally intended for e-commerce players,” she said. “But over the course of the past year that we’ve been operating, we have actually expanded to include B2B or business-to-business channel fulfillment services as well.”

Ms. Chua also noted that most MSMEs born in the e-commerce space, typically pandemic-born partnerships, struggle with manpower and finding a trusted service provider that suits their needs.

“If I am the owner myself. I do not have time to run the actual operations, picking and packing orders, or creating social media content,” she said.

“It’s very important for you to have a partner or outsource these services to those who are experts in that particular field,” she said on FullFill’s collaborator partners for other resources.

“In terms of output, content, and the efficiency of fulfillment, your KPIs [key performance indicators] will all be better instead of you doing all the work by yourself,” she added.

“What we strive to do is create an ecosystem where these MSMEs would know who to talk to.”

EXPANSION
While FullFill is still in its first year of operations, Ms. Chua said it is focused on ensuring its business concept is acceptable to the 40 clients it is serving.

“Once we actually tick that box, we will move on to expanding to about 10 more locations in five years,” she said.

Currently headquartered in Pasig, Ms. Chua noted the company’s convenient and strategic location in the metropolitan area.

“We are very near C5 and near Makati, Bonifacio Global City, and Quezon City,” she said. “In general, if you look at the radius, we are a maximum of 20 kilometers away from every location within Metro Manila.”

“But the intent is really to expand outside the metro already,” she added on the company’s plans to build hubs in provincial metropolitan areas such as Davao and Cebu.

Ms. Chua noted that some of FullFill’s clients are based in the provinces and are eyeing expansion in Metro Manila.

“They don’t have the bandwidth to create another team here because it’s not efficient anymore,” she said. “So they actually outsource the fulfillment and even the content creation to us already. We’re like their business partner in Manila.”

“It’s really the maturity of the MSMEs right now,” she said on the main industry driver. “At this point, it is very important that we listen to them as their business partners.”

It will now take one business day for Southern Vietnam exports to reach the Philippines and major Asian markets, the company said in an e-mailed statement to reporters on Monday.

“Local businesses serving international customers may gain a competitive advantage with expedited delivery times,” said Maribeth Espinosa, managing director at FedEx Express Philippines.

“The improved transit time from Vietnam to the Philippines will support the growth in trade volumes between both markets,” she said.

“Combined with the projected revenue growth of e-commerce in Southeast Asia, the role of logistics in enabling intra-Asia trade becomes even more pronounced,” she added on enabling access to more import and export opportunities.

FedEx Express noted that deliveries taking too long were the number one consumer pain point for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), followed by handling returns, according to a study it commissioned last year.

It said consumers typically expected delivery within three days to one week. “There is a desire for delivery to be at least more reliable if not faster.”

However, it also noted how SMEs in India, Malaysia, Philippines, and Vietnam were among the most optimistic about their future e-commerce growth in the next three years.

Trade between the Philippines and Vietnam increased by 14.7% last year, reaching $7.8 billion in revenues, the Philippine News Agency said in July.

“We anticipate increased investments within the world’s largest free trade area, stimulating economic growth in Southeast Asia,” Ms. Espinosa said on the new FedEx service alongside the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The Senate ratified the RCEP in June, which is billed as the world’s biggest free trade agreement (FTA). This involves a third of the global economy as the participating countries include the members of ASEAN, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea.

RCEP-participating countries are expected to have increased trade among participants as the FTA allows a liberal, facilitative, and competitive investment environment, especially in terms of quantity, tariffs, and import taxes.

“The new flight will use a dedicated B767 freighter flying four evenings a week from Ho Chi Minh connecting Asia and Europe through the FedEx Asia Pacific Hub in Guangzhou, China,” FedEx Express noted.

The company now offers nine weekly flights departing from Vietnam to Asia, Europe, and the United States. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

 “The FMC AR game is a new addition to FMC Philippines’ FMC on Wheels initiative, a multi-purpose vehicle that brings training and crop advisory services right to the doorsteps of farmers,” FMC said in an e-mailed statement.

The game allows players to take on the persona of a farmer, allowing them to choose the appropriate personal protective equipment for a range of FMC products while offering guidance on how to use them correctly and the recommended dosage.

“The gamer can also learn about harmful insects and combat the pests in a game to win small prizes,” FMC said.

Veronica Tiburcio, FMC Philippines country manager, said FMC on Wheels is a unique learning platform that reaches farmers for crop protection solutions treated with the company’s technology.

“The addition of the AR game is a differentiated value-add that not only allows us to deepen our engagement with farmers, but to share product knowledge while encouraging good agricultural practices,” she added.

FMC said the project travels to rural areas, where it gathers farmers for a mini crop exhibition showcasing both untreated and FMC-treated crops.

It also provides educational talks on agricultural practices and showcases FMC products, all in a single vehicle, the company noted.

Since the project’s launch in 2022, it has reached over 15,000 Filipino farmers, according to FMC. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

SUSTAINING a social enterprise means having a close loop with the community — an endeavor that goes beyond self-profit, according to farmer, artist, and social entrepreneur Bernadette B. de Los Santos.

“You employ the skills and materials of your community, and the benefits should also go back to them,” Ms. De Los Santos, founder of BidiBidi Enterprise, said in an interview with BusinessWorld.

“Success here is not measurable in terms of monetary value; it’s more about its effect on me and my community, and not only the pocket,” she added.

Ms. De Los Santos aimed to revive hand embroidery in her town, providing off-season income opportunities for farmers and their families.

“In between those two periods (planting and harvest seasons), farmers don’t do much, so they get buried in debt,” she said about the farmers in Baao, Camarines Sur. “By the time they get paid from their harvest, they use the money to pay off their debts.”

Ms. De Los Santos started her social enterprise after the Baao local government asked her to teach women hand embroidery.

Initial efforts to establish the project were not sustained, she said, noting that when she approached various government agencies with her idea, many were doubtful or did not immediately understand her initiative.

“They could not see the wisdom in teaching non-agricultural skills to farmers or their wives,” she said.

She eventually found support. The Department of Social Welfare and Development saw the potential of the proposal, she said.

 “In early 2017, I began teaching hand embroidery to 150 women through the Sustainable Livelihood Program, and this was also the year I registered the BidiBidi Enterprise.”

A noticeable community benefit of the social enterprise is the economic empowerment of Baao women from zero income to an average weekly income of P1,000, Ms. De Los Santos noted.

“People may think it is small, but they do not work in a factory; they work on the designs at home,” she said. “They continue to be mothers, wives, and sisters to their family.”

“They arrive every Saturday with their finished items, and they get paid by the piece,” she added.

Additionally, a portion of the profits from BidiBidi’s handicraft bags allowed Ms. De Los Santos to establish a scholarship fund for farmers’ children, which has already sent over 30 students to college, she said.

“I have a scholar who is going to be a public school principal,” she said. “It’s a matter of giving them a chance to have education.”

GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY
BidiBidi significantly expanded its market after the selection of Ms. De Los Santos as a beneficiary of the Gender Responsive Economic Action for Transformation Women Project Phase 2 in 2018.

Entrepreneurial experts mentored her to leverage social media marketing and broaden her reach.

“My market is not big in the sense that I export. It’s just local, but that is where the demand started.”

“That is also the time when the consciousness of Filipinos to buy local grew,” she said about BidiBidi handwoven bags also gaining recognition from celebrities. “We were able to keep up with the demand.”

While BidiBidi is not currently eyeing export quantities for its handicrafts, Ms. De Los Santos noted plans to join international trade fairs for wider exposure.

“The real plan is to make my enterprise sustainable,” she said. “My definition of success for what I do is when more people are hired, more hands are involved in making my products, so that means more mouths are fed.”

“I always get asked, ‘Did you get rich doing your business?’ I always say, ‘I got enriched,’” she added.

“It gives me a lot of joy — it’s non-negotiable… I have a better purpose for money.”

With more micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) being urged for digital transformation, easier technology solutions are needed to spur faster adoption, Dinesh Varadharajan, chief product officer at Kissflow, said in an interview with BusinessWorld on Wednesday last week.

“Low-code, no-code platforms” can democratize technology use among small businesses, which can be as simple as drag-and-drop, he noted.

“Business users can’t understand code and programming. We need to create a product that allows businesses to solve their own problems,” he said. “Just drag and drop to create an application for a specific need.”

“For example, if I am from the HR [human resources] function, and I want to automate the performance appraisal application, then I should be able to create it myself,” he added.

With full implementation by 2030, digital technology could create up to P5 trillion in economic value, equivalent to about 27% of the Philippines’ gross domestic product in 2020, according to a study conducted by global tech advisory firm Access Partnership and commissioned by Google.

This requires the Philippines to embrace digital skills training and education, accelerate digital adoption and innovation, and tap opportunities for digital trade, the study said.

“Unless these MSMEs change the way they operate, there is a significant threat to them,” Mr. Varadharajan said regarding more digital native competitors entering the market.

“They need to digitize faster through simpler products, especially those who do not have a huge IT [information technology] function,” he added, commenting on the opportunity Kissflow sees in the country.

With its core value ‘Keeping It Smart and Simple’ as an acronym in its brand name, Kissflow aims to modernize the legacy system of enterprises, small or large, by creating efficient applications around it, said Mark Anthony B. Zaplan, country sales manager for the Philippines at Kissflow.

“Business units, everyone in the organization, can build their own application as soon as they need it,” Mr. Zaplan said. “It is not exclusive to IT and programmers.”

Kissflow has served enterprises in the Philippines for the last seven years, garnering 30 customers to date, with plans to tap business districts outside the capital region, Mr. Zaplan said.

He noted the Philippines as the company’s first leg of expansion in the region.

Mr. Varadharajan said Kissflow is growing its global customer base of 1,600 companies, aiming to be one of the top two low-code industry players in the next few years. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

Closing the financial inclusion gap in the Philippines requires inclusive and scalable technology solutions, said Jamey Butcher, Chemonics president and chief executive officer, in an e-mailed press release to reporters.

“We can create groundbreaking, scalable solutions with the potential to help millions,” Mr. Butcher said on combining Talino’s record of developing “high-impact” technology and Chemonics’ access to global expertise.

Based on the 2021 Global Findex Database, more than half (51%) of Filipino adults had accounts with banks or mobile money services, an increase from 34% in 2017.

The Philippine government aims to increase the proportion of Filipinos with bank or financial services accounts to 70% by 2024.

Winston L. Damarillo, chief executive officer of Talino Venture Studios, noted sustainable innovation as a driver for fulfilling the inclusive fintech goals of the partnership among the local unbanked citizens and other low-income economies.

“We want to replicate the innovation we started here in the Philippines to the world, where Chemonics has presence in 98 countries,” Mr. Damarillo told BusinessWorld in a phone message.

Talino has helped build fintech companies such as BayaniPay, a neobank serving the Filipino-American community in the United States; Asenso, which caters loans and tailored funding of small businesses; Earnie, which manages the payments and invoicing of Filipino freelancers with US employers; and Saphron, which uses artificial intelligence to provide microinsurance for small businesses.

“While Talino’s ventures are built on Filipino innovation, our partnership with Chemonics enables us to go beyond the Filipino diaspora and make a positive impact on the lives of many more people,” Mr. Damarillo said on further expanding financial inclusion. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

Data from Kantar Philippines, released on Thursday, showed a 7% spending uplift in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) from December last year to January, versus the rest of the year.

The food and beverage categories saw an 11% and 9% spending increase, respectively, Kantar said in an e-mailed statement. Spending on dairy products also grew by 6%.

“While the Christmas spirit is felt as early as September, Christmas spending in the FMCG segment typically starts in December when Filipinos receive additional disposable income through 13th month bonuses and other incentives,” said Nino C. Nierva, account director at Kantar Philippines Worldpanel Division.

“Despite economic challenges, families will continue with their Noche Buena and Media Noche traditions but with compromises in their brand choices,” he said on persisting value-consciousness among consumers to cope with rising prices and enjoy the celebrations.

Headline inflation accelerated to 6.1% in September from 5.3% in August but slowed from 6.9% in September 2022, preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.

The heavily weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages index rose to a seven-month high of 9.7% in September from 8.1% in August. Food inflation alone soared to 10% from 8.2% a month ago.

“Inflation continues to impact FMCG in terms of pack size and brand choices,” Kantar said. “Household strapped for cash may downsize or buy less quantity of holiday meal staples… and may choose to purchase more affordable brands.”

Mr. Nierva suggested retailers to release holiday promotions or bundle packs, helping consumers save this season.

Kantar noted shopping basket staples that registered growth in December last year, which include spreads (34%), canned fruits (25%), alcoholic beverages (24%), noodles and pasta sauces (21%), lechon sauce (17%), condensed milk (9%), mayonnaise (8%), and all-purpose cream (6%).

On average, Filipinos spend P1,309 per month in sari-sari stores during the holidays, while seven in 10 households spend P1,559 in hyper and supermarkets, Kantar said.

Additionally, Kantar said Christmas baskets or boxes typically include the following FMCG products: pasta, pasta sauce, canned meats, biscuits and other snacks, instant coffee, cheese, canned fruits, sweets and even personal care items like soap.

Kantar Philippines based its findings and analyses on the spending habits of over 5,000 Filipino households. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

The GoDaddy 2023 Data Observatory showed that 56% of Philippine small business respondents embrace marketing automation, which is on par with the 57% global average, it said in its second set of findings released on Thursday.

They used automated tools for reporting and analytics (62%) and customer behavior tracking (59%) to leverage insights for informed decision-making, it added.

For companies that develop or sell marketing automation tools, the data suggests a robust market potential in the Philippines.

“It is clear that respondents believe that having a comprehensive digital marketing strategy is essential for future success,” Selina Bieber, vice president for international markets at GoDaddy, said in an emailed press statement to reporters.

“We encourage them to build a strong online presence to help their business grow,” she added.

The survey found that 65% of Filipino small business owners are keen to sell their products and services online, which is way past the global average of 53%.

It also noted online marketing investments as an increasing priority among respondents, with 85% planning to advertise on social media platforms, 70% seeing to create a responsive website design, and 69% intending to monitor page traffic.

With digitalization efforts ongoing for smaller enterprises, 34% of respondents have mentioned plans to build their own business website in the next three months, while 55% aim to do it next year, the report said.

Benefits of having a website-powered online presence pointed out by respondents included a better showcase of products and services (75%), enhanced visibility (72%), more information about their target audience (72%), exploring new sales channels (71%), and attracting new target audiences (70%), the report said.

The GoDaddy 2023 Data Observatory was conducted globally in March, surveying 4,682 small business owners with one to 50 employees, including the Philippines. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

The InMobi 2023 Holiday Retail Guide for Advertisers showed that 57% of local holiday shoppers have increased their budgets for online shopping, yet it noted 43% have less than P10,000 in budget.

It added that 35% have a budget of P10,000 to P25,000, 13% can spend P25,000 to P50,000, and 5% eye running through over P50,000.

“They pick mobile for its convenience and physical stores for tangible product experiences and assurances,” InMobi said on holiday deal sources.

On one hand, respondents preferred shopping on mobile due to the convenience of ordering (72%), app-only discounts (60%), and ranges (47%), InMobi noted.

These included purchases in clothing and accessories, health and beauty, hobbies, and gadgets, it added.

On the other hand, in-store shoppers cited getting to see or try the product (96%), lesser chances of buying the wrong product (82%), and in-store offers (60%) as their top reasons, InMobi said.

It mentioned home appliances and improvement, gadgets, gift packs, and holiday-focused groceries as top in-store purchases.

InMobi noted peak shopping activities in double-digit festivals, such as 11.11 and 12.12, as opportunities for shoppers to explore and purchase, which brands must take advantage of.

“It starts with being present with those who have already started exploring,” it said on tips for brands. “With mobile emerging as the top shopping channel, it is important to create experiences that engage the holiday shopper at every touchpoint.”

InMobi suggested online retailers leverage technology, such as interactive camera filters and personalized mobile-first experiences, to engage with shoppers.

“Understand them and decode their online and offline behavior,” it said. “Evoke engagement throughout their shopping journey by being on the destinations they love.”

“Drive delight with innovative and engaging mobile experiences that inspire action.”

Additionally, the report showed that 55% of Filipino shoppers are category explorers, 38% are brand lovers, and 7% are bargain hunters.

“More men exhibit love for brands, while more women are hunting for the right deals,” it said on holiday shopper personas in the Philippines.

The InMobi 2023 Holiday Retail Guide for Advertisers sampled 1,000 mobile users across the Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore between Sept. 12 and 18. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola