Mindanao restaurateur wins 2019 CMA

Eduardo Azores (4th from left), Citi Microentrepreneurship Award (CMA) National Winner leads this year’s batch of microentrepreneurs recognized for their outstanding achievements, joined by National Selection Committee Co-Chairs Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor Benjamin Diokno (standing, left) and Citi Philippines CEO Aftab Ahmed (standing, right) with member Imelda Nicolas (standing, center.) 

Citi sees strong investment opportunities in 2019 amid ongoing global volatility

Spearheading the Citigold Chinese New Year 2019 Outlook were (left to right) Citi consumer bank head of sales and distribution Therese Chan, consumer banking head Manoj Varma, CEO Aftab Ahmed and retail bank head Rene Aguirre

Citi, the country’s leading foreign bank, sees strong investment opportunities for clients despite global market volatility. At a series of 2019 outlook events, Citigold clients heard expert views on the current market environment and implications for investment strategy. 

Citi’s consumer banking head Manoj Varma welcomed Citigold clients. “Today’s event is about sharing global and local expertise so you can be aware of the many investment opportunities during this current period of global volatility,” said Varma. He added that diversification across asset classes, geographies and strategies will be essential in 2019.

Citi strengthens partnership with Land Bank with cross border payment solutions

Citi Philippines CEO Aftab Ahmed (3^rd from right) celebrates the partnership with a handshake with Land Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Alex Buenaventura (3rd from left). They are joined by (L-R): Treasury and Trade Solutions country head Arlene Nethercott, Land Bank Treasury and Investment Banking Sector head Carel Halog, Citi ASEAN Treasury and Trade Solutions head Debopama Sen and Corporate and Investment Banking head Vikram Singh.

Citi, through Citibank Europe PLC, has signed an agreement with Land Bank of the Philippines to be the exclusive payment service provider for cross border solutions via Citi’s WorldLink® Payment Services. The partnership enables Land Bank to extend their payment service networks to include over 40 currencies, allowing the government-owned bank to deliver funds to beneficiaries around the globe in the currency that they need. 

SSI offers 30th anniversary promo with Citi!

Leading specialty retailer SSI Group Inc. celebrates its 30th anniversary with an exclusive Lucky Holiday Promo in partnership with Citi, valid until January 31, 2019.

This exciting promo gives Citi credit cardholders a chance to win generous prizes with every straight retail transaction or 0% Citi PayLite purchase at any SSI Group stores.

Purchases made using Citi Visa credit card can win P30,000 SSI Purple eGifts. Moreover, purchases made using Citi Visa or Mastercard credit cards may win P300 or P3,000 SSI Purple eGifts. Winners with a qualified purchase will receive an instant notification and instructions on how to redeem the eGifts - valid for use in over 100 SSI Group stores/premium brands and other Giftaway merchants! 

Citi Philippines Global Community Day photo wins at the 10th AmCham CSR photo contest

Citi Philippines CEO Aftab Ahmed (left) receives the award given by the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Foundation for Best Photo in the “Creating Sustainable Livelihood Category” together with corporate affairs head Lisa Coory (middle) and citizenship officer Jackie Ampil (right). 

BSP, Citi, MCPI award outstanding Filipino entrepreneurs at the 16th Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Citi Foundation and Microfinance Council of the Philippines (MCPI) awarded nine outstanding Filipino microentrepreneurs at this year’s 16th Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards (CMA). 

Winning the national award was (second row, center) Erwin Ramos, owner of Erwin and Lanie’s fishball from Bulacan. The regional winners were (second row, left to right) Rosario Amoroto of Island’s Best Foods for Visayas, Maria Elena Estadola of New Life Crafts – Infinito for Luzon, and Arnold Viado of Bam and Jhon Balut Maker for Mindanao. Mary Grace Bayalas (top row, second from left) of Bayalas Birthing Home and Family Planning won the Youth Microentrepreneurship Award. 

Innovative fishball maker from Bulacan named top winner of 2018 Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards

An entrepreneur’s innate ability to fish deep for innovative ideas to propel his fishball-making business to success earned him the top spot in the 2018 Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards (CMA), a program funded by the Citi Foundation and hosted in partnership with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Microfinance Council of the Philippines, Inc (MCPI).

The CMA is a signature initiative of the Citi Foundation aimed at generating economic opportunities for low-income people, including youth, around the globe. The awards program provides entrepreneurs with resources to strengthen their business, including access to networks, capital, tools and training; and enables individuals to create economic sustainability for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Citi Philippines achieves double win at The Asian Banker Philippines Country Awards 2018

Citi Philippines consumer banking head Manoj Varma (2^nd from left) and retail bank head Rene Aguirre (middle) receives the award from The Asian Banker managing editor Foo Boon Ping (leftmost), CEO of Banking Reports David Gyori (2^nd from right) and Transcarta managing director Richard Hartung (rightmost).

Citi Philippines’ innovation in digital consumer banking was recognized by The Asian Banker Philippines Country Awards 2018 as Best Frictionless Mobile Initiative, Application or Programme. The country’s largest foreign bank also received an award for Best Wealth Management Bank.

16th Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards launched

(L-R) Microfinance Council of the Philippines, Inc. chair Fr. Jose Victor Lobrigo; Citi Philippines CEO Aftab Ahmed and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor Nestor Espenilla, Jr.

The search is on and nominations are underway for the most inspiring micro business owners nationwide.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) governor Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr. and Citi Philippines CEO Aftab Ahmed jointly announced the launch of the 16th Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards (CMA) during the recently held annual conference of the Microfinance Council of the Philippines, Inc. (MCPI).

Since its inception in 2002, the CMA awards program, a partnership among BSP, Citi Philippines and MCPI, with funding support from Citi Foundation, has been steadfast in its commitment towards recognizing entrepreneurs who have beat the odds, lifting themselves and others out of poverty. The awards also recognize the strong support from microfinance institutions as key partners, underscoring the role these organizations play in financial inclusion and enterprise development. 

In his keynote speech, governor Espenilla took note of how digital technology has made an impact in the development of microfinance in the country. “The digital revolution is fundamentally reshaping the financial inclusion landscape and traditional financial value chains,” he said. “Rapid digital innovations in financial technologies have led to the emergence of more dynamic business models.”

"Amidst all the talk of technology and disruption, it is only appropriate that we continue to showcase inspiring stories through the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards, which has served as a vehicle for inspiring microentrepreneurs nationwide to achieve greater heights,” says Espenilla.

The event saw the introduction of the commemorative book “From Modest Dreams to Microentrepreneurial Triumphs,” which shares success stories of past CMA winners, inspiring tales of winning against adversity through hard work and perseverance.

In his remarks, Citi’s Ahmed said: “The Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards are about the passion, energy, and commitment of microentrepreneurs who want to do better for themselves and their families. At Citi, we are proud to help people pursue their dreams because we are committed to making a difference in the communities where we live and work.”

Governor Espenilla and Aftab Ahmed serve as co-chairpersons of the CMA National Selection Committee. Other members include industry and community leaders such as Ayala Corporation president Fernando Zobel de Ayala; RFM Corporation president and CEO Jose Ma. Concepcion III; GMA Network, Inc. chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe Gozon; former Philippine Daily Inquirer chairperson Marixi Rufino-Prieto; DTI secretary Ramon Lopez; SPARK! Philippines trustee Imelda Nicolas; SM Investments Corporation vice chair Teresita Sy-Coson; Voyager Innovations, Inc. president Orlando Vea; National MSME Development Council-Mindanao Private Sector representative Mary Ann Montemayor; and University of the Philippines Diliman chancellor Dr. Michael Tan.

The awards are open to microenterprises with business assets up to PhP3 million. The award categories are Microentrepreneur of the Year Award, regional awardees from the three major island groups (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao), Youth Microentrepreneur of the Year, and special awards for agri micro-business, community leadership, and green/sustainable business.

The national winner of the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards will receive PhP200,000 while the three regional awardees, the youth awardee, and special awardees will each get PhP100,000. The loan officers and MFI branches of each awardee are also given  a cash incentive of PhP10,000. Semi-finalists will receive a cash incentive of PhP10,000.

In addition to cash prizes, long-term sustainability of the winning microenterprises is of vital importance, thus, entrepreneurship training and mentoring is also provided at the Citi Microenterprise Development Center.

About Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is the central bank of the Republic of the Philippines. It was established on July 3, 1993 pursuant to the provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the New Central Bank Act of 1993. The BSP took over from the Central Bank of Philippines, which was established on January 3, 1949, as the country’s central monetary authority. The BSP is committed to promote and maintain price stability, a stable financial system, and efficient payment and settlement system, conducive to a balanced and sustainable growth of the economy.

Since 2000, the BSP has played a key role in increasing access to financial services to the entrepreneurial poor by mainstreaming microfinance in the banking sector. In 2007, the BSP embraced the goal of financial inclusion as a way of bringing the financial system closer to all Filipinos, especially to the financially underserved and unserved. The overall vision is to build an inclusive financial system where there is effective access to a wide range of appropriate financial products and services for all filipinos. The Philippines is known for having one of the best regulatory frameworks for microfinance, and as a global leader in terms of having a conducive environment for financial inclusion.  

About Citi Foundation

The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation's "More than Philanthropy" approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation.  

About Citi

Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. 

Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com

Twitter: @Citi

YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi 

Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi 

About Microfinance Council of the Philippines, Inc.

The Microfinance Council of the Philippines, Inc. (MCPI) is the national network of microfinance institutions (MFIs) and support organizations in the Philippines advocating sustainable, innovative, and client-responsive solutions to poverty in the country. MCPI is currently comprised of 61 members (48 MFIs, 2 regional networks, and 11 support organisations) which account for 80 percent of the microfinance sector in the Philippines. Its key programs include advocacy, capacity building for MFIs, social performance management and client protection in microfinance, knowledge management, and network development.

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Citi welcomes new credit cardholders with exciting gifts

Getting a new Citi credit card online is not only fast and convenient, it is rewarding too. Citi welcomes new cardholders with a free P5,000 UNIQLO e-Gift!

Applicants for Citi credit cards can simply apply online for a Citi Rewards Card, Citi PremierMiles Card, Citi Cash Back Card, Shell Citi Card or Mercury Drug Citi Card at www.citibank.com.ph/apply. Use your new Citi credit card within 60 days for a one-time or accumulated purchase worth P20,000 to get the e-Gift.

Citi gives back to community

More than 5,000 Citi Philippines employees, with their families and friends, marked recently the bank’s annual Global Community Day (GCD) by doing various service activities in their local communities. 

“Citi is committed to making a positive difference in the Philippines. Participation in our Global Community Day continues to grow every year and I’m proud to volunteer alongside more than 5,000 of my colleagues and members of their families,” said Citi Philippines chief executive officer Aftab Ahmed.

Enjoy up to 15% off with Citi and Greenwich!

Pinoy pizza and pasta lovers—unite! 

If you’re a Citi cardholder, enjoy up to 15% off with the Citi Exclusive Greenwich Bundles! Take advantage of these irresistible deals from Greenwich Pizza, the Philippines’ largest pizza chain, until October 31, 2018.

With the Citi Exclusive Bundle for 3, have 1 Barkada Hawaiian Overload Crispy Thins, 3 Lasagna Supreme Snack Size, and 2 Dippers for only P609, with savings of as much as P85.

Citi sees sustained economic growth and investment opportunities despite global market volatility

Citi, the country’s leading foreign bank, remains positive about economic growth in the Philippines despite current global market volatility. At a series of mid-year outlook events, Citigold clients heard expert views on the current market environment and implications for investment strategy shared by Citi and guest speakers. 

Citi’s consumer banking head Manoj Varma opened the sessions and explained the importance of understanding risks and opportunities when investing. Varma said, “Citigold clients look for trusted advice and up-to-date information, especially during times of market volatility.”

Citi sees continued growth opportunities in Asia

(L-R) Citi Investor Sales Asia Pacific head Julia Raiskin, Citi Philippines Country Treasurer and Global Markets and Securities Services head Paul Favila and
Citi Asia Pacific Economic and Market Analysis head Johanna Chua

Global fund managers turn to the region in the face of volatility and uncertainty

Citi remains bullish about the growth prospects in Asia, as global investors turn to the region in the face of volatility in Europe and North America and general uncertainty in the markets. 

Citi shared key investment trends and macroeconomic views during the Citi Investor Conference 2018 at the Citi Plaza building in Taguig.  

Cardless ATM withdrawals now possible with Citi

Citibank, the country’s leading global bank, continues to pursue innovation in order to enhance the banking experience of their customers. Cardless ATM withdrawals from debit accounts are now possible in all Citibank ATMs.

Citi joins Freedom Walk 2018

More than 400 passionate volunteers from Citi Philippines led by country Chief Executive Officer Aftab Ahmed turned up in full force during the recently held Freedom Walk 2018, with the local government of Pasig as this year’s host city. 

Tens of thousands of Citi volunteers celebrate Global Community Day in the Philippines

Citi Philippines CEO Aftab Ahmed is joined by more than 300 volunteers to paint chairs and cover books for “Brigada Eskwela” at the Upper Bicutan Elementary School in Taguig, as part of Citi’s worldwide Global Community Day celebration

Annual event contributes nearly four million hours of service since launch

Citi recently celebrated its annual Global Community Day, as more than 5,000 Citi volunteers in the Philippines engage in service activities in their local communities. In the days leading up to and including Global Community Day, more than 100,000 Citi colleagues, alumni, clients, family and friends in more than 450 cities across 90 countries and territories volunteer on 1,400 service projects that are helping address a range of community needs, from feeding the hungry to revitalizing schools for a better learning environment to preparing young people for jobs.  

Swipe for summer treats with Citi

Beat the summer heat with the refreshing and cool Swipe for a Treat promo from Citi, the country’s leading global bank. 

This latest offer from Citi, open to all principal and supplementary cardholders, lets you earn eGift vouchers that you can use in over 15 partner merchants across the country until July 15, 2018.  

Citi Philippines appoints a 27 year veteran, Manoj Varma as new consumer business manager

Citi, the leading global bank, announced the appointment of Manoj Varma as consumer business manager for the Philippines. A 27 year Citi veteran, Varma will be responsible for managing the company’s consumer franchise in the Philippines. Citi has been in the Philippines since 1902 and provides a full suite of consumer banking products and solutions including credit cards and wealth management.

Citi Philippines chief executive officer Aftab Ahmed said, “Manoj is a great addition to the Citi Philippines team. His wealth of experience at Citi in different regions will further strengthen our ability to being the best through the eyes of our clients.”

Filipino social enterprise teams win at inaugural Asian Forum on youth unemployment

Five social enterprises founded by young people across the Asia Pacific were recognized for innovative approaches to help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The winning teams were chosen from 16 finalists in the Summit’s Regional Social Innovation Challenge, which capped the inaugural Youth Co:Lab Summit 2018 held in Bangkok, Thailand. 

Launched in 2017 by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with support from the Citi Foundation, Youth Co:Lab is a regional program that aims to tackle social and unemployment challenges by harnessing youth’s leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation. The program is part of Citi and Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative to equip urban youth with the tools to thrive in today’s economy.

All three Philippine teams won in the categories of Start-up Track and Scale-up Track.