PH Fintech Players Call for Balanced Regulation to Sustain Financial Inclusion and Digital Economy Growth at ASEAN Tech Summit

The country's leading fintech executives urged policymakers to adopt balanced, future-ready regulations that protect consumers while enabling innovation, expanding financial inclusion, and supporting the continued growth of the digital economy.

At a panel during the ASEAN Tech Summit, Barbie Dapul, General Manager for Consumer Business and Chief Operations Officer of G-Xchange (the mobile wallet operator of GCash); Maya Bank President Angelo Madrid; Alliance of Tech Innovators for Nation Lead Convenor Monchito Ibrahim; and Tala Director for External Affairs Arianne Ferrer talked about how regulations play a role in advancing the digital economy.

"The goal should be a level playing field that will let the financial institutions compete on value, compete on innovation, on better security, and while also ensuring that pricing is fair and reasonable," Dapul explained.

Madrid and Ferrer underscored the need for regulation that supports both consumers and the fintech industry, ensuring protection without stifling innovation.

"Regulation has two jobs. The first is protection: putting in place the safety protocols to make digital transactions safe. The other is enabling the investments the country needs to accelerate its digital economy," Madrid said.

"We need consumer-centric co-regulation that balances financial inclusion goals—greater access, choice, and control to unleash the economic power of the global majority—and a pathway to profitability and sustainability for local and foreign investors," Ferrer added.

Ibrahim, meanwhile, stressed the need for regulations to keep pace with rapid technological advancements. "Technology is moving so fast that our regulatory policy is reactive. We need to re-engineer the process to match our technological revolutions," he said.

Balancing affordability and sustainability

Dapul noted that GCash shares the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas's (BSP) vision of expanding financial inclusion and supports the implementation of BSP Circular No. 1238, which encourages financial institutions to reduce fund transfer fees, including offering zero-fee transfers where viable, to accelerate digital payments adoption.

In line with the circular, GCash lowered its transfer fee to P10. Dapul explained that while lower fees make digital services more accessible, maintaining reasonable charges enables fintech companies to continue investing in technology, platform resilience, cybersecurity, and customer protection.

"I think the circular also recognizes that there are costs involved in delivering quality services," she said. "The circular says that pricing needs to be fair. It needs to be reasonable. It didn't necessarily say that it had to be zero."

"Progressive regulation should strike a balance between affordability and sustainability,” she stressed.

Moving the fintech sector forward

Dapul added that fintech companies and traditional banks operate under fundamentally different business models. While banks generate revenue from lending and deposit products, fintech firms rely primarily on payment services to fund continuous investments in innovation and digital infrastructure.

"It's really digital payments that enable us to make the investments needed to sustain innovation, build the infrastructure, and continue providing quality services to our customers," she said.

Dapul stressed that sustaining these investments ultimately benefits consumers by allowing fintech companies to continually enhance security, strengthen fraud prevention measures, and deliver more innovative and reliable financial services.

Promoting financial inclusion

E-wallets, Dapul said, help accelerate digital adoption by lowering barriers to financial access, particularly for underserved and unbanked Filipinos.

She explained that GCash continues to make financial services more accessible by simplifying account opening requirements and rolling out initiatives such as National ID registration and electronic know-your-customer (e-KYC) verification, making it easier for more Filipinos to securely onboard and participate in the digital economy.

“We want them to have ease and access to their mobile phones,” she quipped.

The ASEAN Tech Summit is a two-day event that brought together thousands of industry leaders, policymakers, regulators, and innovators to discuss cross-border digital trade, interoperable payments, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data governance, and other key issues shaping ASEAN's digital economy.

Before this event, GCash was an official partner of the 48th ASEAN Summit, enabling seamless cashless payments for delegates and participants in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu—demonstrating how regional collaboration can help build a more connected digital economy.

For more information, please visit www.gcash.com.

Lenovo Jumps to #153 on ‘Fortune Global 500’ as AI-driven Business Fuels Growth

Lenovo climbed 43 places to #153 on Fortune’s annual Global 500 List, making it the highest ranking in the company’s history and one of the most significant advances in recent years. The recognition underscores Lenovo’s position as one of the world’s 500 largest companies by revenue and concludes the strongest year in its history, with record revenue of US$83 billion and adjusted net income growing 42% year-on-year to US$2 billion.

The results demonstrate Lenovo’s continued progress in delivering its Hybrid AI vision, positioning itself at the forefront of the AI inferencing and democratization era. AI-related revenue doubled year-on-year and accounted for 33% of group revenue for the full financial year, highlighting AI as the leading growth engine across Lenovo’s businesses.

With the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup 2026TM, Lenovo successfully delivered AI-powered technology solutions and an unprecedented technology deployment as FIFA’s Official Technology Partner. The successful execution of this mega event demonstrated the strength of Lenovo’s hybrid AI strategy and full-stack portfolio, further reinforcing the innovation capabilities that continue to drive the company’s growth.

LG Electronics Philippines Unveils 19 kg Top Load Washer with AI-Powered Laundry Care

LG Electronics Philippines is bringing smarter and more convenient laundry care to modern households with the introduction of its 19 kg Top Load Washer with AI DD™, Steam, ezDispense, and EasyUnload™ (TX2519ST5J). Designed to combine advanced washing technology with everyday convenience, the new washer offers a practical solution for families looking to handle larger laundry loads while providing intelligent fabric care.

At the heart of the washer is LG’s AI DD™ technology, which intelligently analyzes laundry conditions to help optimize the washing process. Working together with 6 Motion™ technology, the washer can select and apply different washing motions designed to support effective cleaning while helping protect fabrics. This intelligent approach also contributes to greater energy efficiency, making the appliance suitable for households that want performance without unnecessary resource consumption.

The TX2519ST5J is also designed to make laundry routines easier. Its automatic dispenser helps simplify the process by automatically dispensing the appropriate amount of detergent, reducing the need to measure detergent for every load. Meanwhile, the rear control panel provides convenient access to the washer’s controls while maintaining a streamlined design.

For households dealing with bulky loads, EasyUnload™ adds another layer of convenience. The feature is designed to make unloading laundry easier, helping users handle clothes more comfortably after the washing cycle. With a generous 19 kg capacity, the washer can accommodate substantial laundry loads, making it particularly useful for busy families.

Cleanliness goes beyond removing visible dirt. LG’s Steam Allergy Care technology helps remove stains and allergens, supporting cleaner and fresher clothes. Steam technology provides an additional level of fabric care for households seeking a more thorough laundry routine.

Adding to the washer’s modern appeal is LG ThinQ™, LG’s smart connectivity platform. It allows users to connect their compatible appliance to a smart ecosystem, bringing greater convenience and control to everyday laundry management.

With AI-powered washing, steam technology, automatic dispensing, smart connectivity, and a large-capacity design, the LG 19 kg Top Load Washer TX2519ST5J demonstrates how technology can transform a routine household chore. By combining intelligent performance with practical features, LG Electronics Philippines continues to develop appliances designed around the evolving needs of modern Filipino households.

As Local Businesses Grow, Digital Tools Help Stay Flexible Amid Changing Customer Behavior

MANILA, Philippines – For many small and medium-sized businesses today, growth no longer follows a single path. Some expand through new branches, while others build their customer base by moving between pop-ups and bazaars. As they grow, they’re also finding ways to ensure they meet the evolving habits and preferences of consumers – including the way they pay.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in 2025 showed that QR Ph person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions grew by 246.9% in volume, reaching 183.3M transactions from 52.8M only in 2024. Transaction value also grew by 211.3%, reaching ₱926.1 billion from ₱297.5 billion the previous year.

As digital payments become increasingly embedded in everyday transactions, SMEs are quickly discovering that growth also means needing to adapt their operations to keep pace with how customers want to transact and ensuring payments don’t become a barrier to their growth.

Chef Christine Balucas-Tabu of smash burger restaurant Bun Run, and Gabriel Jocson IV and Stephanie Dianne Ang, founders of matcha shop Kyoto House, know this firsthand. Though they’ve taken different paths to growth, both have had to adapt how they operate to meet customers while keeping the experience they’ve built consistent.

Growth without losing what works

For Chef Christine Balucas-Tabu, who serves as Culinary Operations Director at Bun Run, expanding a restaurant business while preserving the overall experience that made customers fall in love with it in the first place requires a careful balance. This is something she knew well when the brand decided to open its second shop in Makati in October 2025, making sure that what customers loved about the original San Juan branch could also be found in Makati, while they adapted to a different crowd and their preferences.

“Ultimately, we want our customers coming back for more, not just because the food tastes good but because the experience was even greater,” she explains. Part of that experience is making sure the payment process is as seamless as possible – for both staff and customers. “GCash for Business has been a great part of the growth of our business to make all transactions smooth and sound,” she adds.

Bun Run uses GCash SoundPay Plus, a device that accepts QRPH and card payments with real-time voice confirmation, helping staff verify payments faster and safely. With over 80% of their transactions cashless – around 30% through QRPH and 50% via debit and credit cards according to Chef Christine – having a single device that supports multiple payment methods has helped keep transactions fast and seamless, especially during peak hours.

Growing by meeting customers where they are

Flexibility takes on a different look for Kyoto House. Rather than operating from a permanent store, the business reaches customers through online channels, bazaars, and pop-ups. For its owners, this approach allows them to reach more of its target customers: home brewers who want to enjoy a delicious cup of matcha in the comfort of their own homes, but may not know where to start.

Today, 40% of the sales of Kyoto House come from pop-ups and bazaars. Its flexible model has been a key growth driver, and according to its owners, being present in multiple locations allows them to introduce their products and teach their customers how they can correctly prepare matcha at home. But because they’re constantly on the move, they also need the flexibility to make payments work wherever they go.

“What should not change is the experience customers receive. Wherever we are, we want the service to feel warm, the product information to remain accurate, and the payment process to be simple and reliable,” Gabriel and Stephanie emphasize.

On a typical weekend bazaar, the team typically handles 300-450 transactions per day, with 100% of their payments being cashless, making it essential to have a payment solution that can keep up with the pace. For that, they can count on the flexibility that GCash Soundpay Plus gives them.

“For us, ease does not mean removing every challenge. It means building systems that allow us to spend less time on preventable problems and more time improving the products and serving our customers,” shares Gabriel and Stephanie.

Flexibility is the new way to grow for SMEs

The growth of Bun Run and Kyoto House may look different, but their journeys point to the same need: having the flexibility to adapt and scale. With tools like GCash SoundPay Plus, merchants can streamline payments, serve more customers with ease, and unlock more opportunities for revenue growth.

Businesses can get started by creating a Starter Plan account on the GCash for Business Portal with as simple as a GCash verified account to enjoy a P5M wallet limit, then start ordering a GCash SoundPay Plus device.

Globe ‘Just for You Goes Extreme’ With Fresh Customer Experiences to Connect, Care, and Delight

In August, The Blueprint by Globe brings together new technologies, partnerships, and customer experiences that make more personal moments matter. Focusing on connectivity with greater convenience and value personalized to each customer, Globe is making the overall experience even better.

The latest Blueprint builds upon the first two events this year, which explored the growing importance of connectivity and how it enables Filipinos to work, learn, earn, move and stay close to the people they care about. This time, the focus moves from simply being connected to getting more from that connection, whether through easier access to services, more relevant offers, added benefits or experiences built around what customers enjoy.

“Connectivity means different things at different moments for every customer. Sometimes it’s about being able to reach someone when it matters, while other times it’s about making everyday tasks easier or simply enjoying more of what they love,” said KD Dizon, Globe Chief Marketing Officer. “Our goal is to understand those moments and make the Globe experience work around them, strengthening the systems and applications customers use, making them more dependable and reliable. Together with Globe, customers can progress further than they could ever do so on their own.”

917 GDay 2026, Globe’s annual celebration of its customers, will return with more rewarding moments and surprises that give customers more reasons to feel valued. Globe also showcased the new Globe Circle, which recognizes customers who rely on Globe for both their mobile and home connectivity, giving them access to added benefits, rewards and experiences across their relationship with Globe.

As connectivity becomes increasingly intertwined with how people live, move, work, play and discover, Globe also unveiled new offers across roaming, digital lifestyle partnerships and home internet. Experiences with short-form entertainment platform ReelShort, fitness platform Strava and Meta AI give customers more ways to enjoy the things they love through their Globe connection, while new roaming and home internet offers bring greater flexibility and value whether they are traveling or staying connected at home.

Globe is also helping customers make more sustainable choices through Green GSM, an all-electric ride-hailing service using VinFast electric vehicles. The initiative gives customers access to a greener mobility option while creating opportunities for drivers to participate in the shift toward electric transportation.

As TM marks its 25th anniversary, customers can look forward to a year-long celebration with more rewards, everyday value, and shared experiences. Nationwide TeaM Fair caravans will bring games, activities and prizes closer to communities, culminating in the TeaM Fair Concert on September 12 with Dionela and SB19.

Together, these initiatives show how Globe is expanding what customers can get from their connectivity, from easier access and more personalized value to experiences, rewards and benefits that fit into the way they live.

Together, these initiatives reflect how Globe is expanding the role of connectivity beyond access to create greater value across customers’ everyday lives.