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THE International Data Corp. (IDC), a global market intelligence company, has recognized various enterprises in the Philippines for their digitalization efforts.

“In this transformative journey, forward-thinking businesses assumed leadership roles and swiftly understood that the roadmap to becoming a future-ready enterprise demanded an elevated level of digital capabilities,” James Sivalingam, senior program manager at the IDC Asia Pacific, said on the company’s 2023 Future Enterprise Awards in a press statement on Monday.

“These capabilities encompass intelligence-driven, data-centric, and AI-powered strategies, all aimed at enhancing customer service and satisfaction,” he added on the strategies employed by enterprises.

Mr. Sivalingam noted that Southeast Asia has experienced inflationary pressure, economic deceleration, and supply chain disruptions due to the pandemic, prompting businesses to adapt.

“As a response, the organizations in the Philippines recognized the imperative to adopt a digital-first approach to conducting business,” he said.

Future Enterprise of the Year was given to GCash or G-Xchange, Inc. for its ‘Finance for All’ vision, democratizing access to financial services through digital technology, especially underserved and unbanked Filipinos, the IDC noted.

“It has made savings, investment, insurance and credit easily accessible, understandable, and available at a click, while ensuring it safeguards its customers’ trust by prioritizing security and investing in the best technology available for financial inclusion,” it said.

Manish Bhai, chief executive officer of UNO Digital Bank, was awarded CEO of the Year for  “being steadfast and aggressive in chasing opportunities to fund, obtain regulatory licensing approvals, and commence bank operations,” the IDC said.

The digital bank gained 350,000 customers through its mobile app, alongside a growth to 110 employees across Manila, Singapore, and India, from its initial 5, according to the IDC.

The IDC prescribed Jonathan Mondero, chief information officer of semiconductor provider Amkor Technology Philippines, Inc., as CIO of the Year, for collaborating with executives and stakeholders to execute data-driven initiatives for efficiency and cost-competitiveness.

“Through this endeavor, Amkor’s connectivity soared from 30% to an impressive 95%, connecting approximately over 6,000 machines and ensuring seamless access for end users regardless of their location,” it said.

For using customer insights all throughout the property ownership process, the IDC named the Greenmist Property Management Corp. (GPMC) mobile app of the SM Development Corp. as Best in Future of Customer Experience.

“The GPMC mobile app aims to enhance service levels and deliver personalized experiences to managed properties and its residents, laying the foundation for an improved Resident Management phase in the customer journey,” it said.

The Union Bank of the Philippines won Best in Future of Industry Ecosystems and Best in Future Work for its financial supply blockchain — the country’s first.

“[It has facilitated] easier credit avenues for MSMEs [micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises] and vulnerable sectors amidst industry disruptions,” the IDC said on UnionBank’s use of commercialized blockchain to mitigate risks.

“UnionBank anticipates engulfing 200 supply chain ecosystems and reaching P1 billion in monthly MSME loan disbursements by the end of 2023, a near 1,500% surge from 2021 levels,” it added.

Universal Robina Corp.’s Command Center earned Best in Future of Intelligence for its central repository custom web and mobile platform which has made data accessible to users across levels, the IDC said.

Finally, the IDC gave a Special Award for Digital Innovation to the Quezon City government for its City Engineering Project Monitoring System, managing the execution of its infrastructure projects.

“A pioneering system, it includes a comprehensive project information system, document upload capability, timeline plotting, real-time monitoring of weekly progress, and structured databases for contractors and project engineers,” it said.

“The system not only helps the City Engineering department fortify their capabilities to validate accomplishments and gain real-time insights, but more importantly enhance transparency all the while minimizing disruptions and inconveniences to the citizenry.”

Winning organizations from the Philippines qualify for the AsiaPacific-Japan leg of the competition, the IDC noted.

Prize-businesses will be announced during the IDC’s Future Enterprise Summit and Awards in Singapore on Oct. 31.

“[All entrants] illustrate the increasing digital maturity of the country, with a growing number of pioneers in the digital-first approach adopting cutting-edge technologies to enhance resilience and drive growth in these transformative times,” Mr. Sivalingam said. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

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