MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Globe’s continuous creation of world-class content and its focus on customer-first initiatives are expected to further help more Filipinos find their stride and thrive, as well as drive the company’s growth over the next few years despite numerous challenges besetting the industry.
This was shared by Globe President and Chief Executive Officer Ernest Cu during the keynote conversation in the “Philippines in View” webinar conducted by the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA).
The discussion centered on how the role of telcos is evolving in 2021, from being aggregators of other people’s services and content to becoming content platforms in their own right. It also explored the challenges that telcos are facing and their priorities around content, piracy issues and monetization.
“Globe has always been at the forefront of providing value to customers with our plans, so they can access an array of content that matter to them. We pioneered content bundling when we introduced plans that came with NBA League Pass, Netflix, and Spotify many years ago, and we continue to do so with our partnerships with Amazon Prime, HBO Go, and Viu, among others,” Cu said.
The company has since progressed into becoming a content creator to meet the discerning demands of its customers. Through Globe Studios, the company now produces original films, television series, and online content.
Among its recent and popular offerings is the movie Fan Girl which won nearly all the major awards at the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival. Other films such as Ang Panahon ng Halimaw (Season of the Devil) received international acclaim.
In the middle of last year, it teamed up with music collective 88rising to launch a new label, Paradise Rising, to help Filipino artists achieve even greater visibility and commercial success with their music.
“When Globe pioneered partnerships with streaming services a few years ago, we saw a big opportunity to create and grow local content. We have proven that we can produce top-notch films and music that are now being shown in international streaming services. We take pride in our Filipino artists and we are driven by the vision to provide platforms to bring them to the global stage,” Cu added.
In the same event, Cu said that one of Globe’s key advantages is its focus on customer-first programs and the ability to deploy identified solutions quickly. He cited Globe’s wholly-owned subsidiary 917Ventures, Inc., the largest corporate venture builder in the Philippines, which explores and builds new ventures centered on solving people’s everyday problems.
One of the portfolio companies under 917Ventures is Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), which operates GCash, the biggest e-wallet in the Philippines today. It has over 33 million registered customers or is used by one out of three Filipinos. Amid the pandemic, GCash has emerged as the essential financial tool on everyone’s digital devices. It enables safe and convenient transactions and offers a wide array of financial and lifestyle services.
Another recent innovation is HealthNow, which simplifies the way Filipinos care for their well-being while keeping safe at home. The app gives users seamless access to the most relevant health services including online consultations, medicine delivery, clinic appointments and laboratory services.
Leveraging its strong partnerships to solve another pain point, 917Ventures recently teamed up with Puregold, one of the largest supermarket chains in the Philippines, to launch PureGo. PureGo offers online grocery shopping, same-day delivery, multiple payment options, order tracking, among others.
These customer-first initiatives have since become staples in the Philippine digital economy and several more exciting projects are in the pipeline. “We live by the adage that if we don’t disrupt ourselves, somebody else will. We have to be transforming all the time and ensuring that our services and offerings remain relevant and even predict future trends for our consumers,” Cu said.
As a signatory to the United Nations (UN) Global Compact, Globe espouses the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) especially Goal No. 9 which builds resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
To know more about Globe, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/
