Citi Strengthens Partnership with Land Bank with Cross Border Payment Solutions

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.

The partnership was commemorated last November 8 by representatives of Citi and Land Bank of the Philippines, led by Land Bank president and CEO Alex Buenaventura, Land Bank Treasury and Investment Banking Sector head Carel Halog, Citi Philippines.

CEO and country officer Aftab Ahmed, Citi ASEAN Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) head Debopama Sen, Treasury and Trade Solutions country head Arlene Nethercott, Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) head Vikram Singh, and CIB Public Sector head Aesha Pabillon.

At the event, Citi and Land Bank recognized the importance of the partnership and potential for the platform to drive improved operational efficiency through cost savings for Land Bank and other government agencies.

“Through this partnership and with the use of WorldLink®, we hope our government agencies will be more efficient, transparent and provide better service to Filipinos here and overseas,” said Land Bank president and CEO Alex Buenaventura.

According to Citi’s ASEAN TTS head Debopama Sen, “We value this partnership with Land Bank and the opportunity to showcase Citi’s comprehensive range of digitally enabled treasury, trade and liquidity management solutions.”

WorldLink®, Citi’s leading cross-border payments solution is used by over 1,200 financial institutions globally, to efficiently make payments in more than 130 currencies and 195 countries. WorldLink® offers an unparalleled solution delivering cost efficiencies, automation, consistent reporting, robust security, and compliance with evolving and complex regulatory requirements.

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!

With the 30th anniversary theme The Curated Life, SSI moves forward and elevates the definition of enhancing lives, through its curated selection of brands and lifestyle concepts from all over the world.

SSI Group Inc. is a distributor of top international brands in fashion, cosmetics, home furniture and more. These brands include MAC, Zara, Calvin Klein Jeans, Givenchy, Gucci, Pottery Barn, Muji, SaladStop!, TWG Tea and many more.

To learn more about the premium brands under the SSI Group Inc., visit www.ssigroup.com.ph. For more information on the SSI Lucky Holiday Promo, visit http://www.citibank.com.ph/ssilucky.

16th Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards Launched

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 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.

Better, More Convenient Digital Banking

Citi credit cardholders will have a better, easier, and more personalized digital banking experience with the new and improved Citi Mobile App. The next generation mobile app features groundbreaking capabilities and innovative functionalities that allow users to do more.

Manoj Varma, Citi Philippines consumer business head said, “We at Citi are highly committed to expanding and enhancing our digital capabilities for the ease and convenience of our customers. We are passionate about meeting and exceeding our customers’ expectations.”

Citi’s next generation mobile app provides a comprehensive suite of features such as credit card locking and unlocking, a personalized dashboard, easy conversion of retail transactions to installments, and viewing and downloading of recent statements and utility bills with just a few taps.

The Citi Mobile App is aligned with Citi’s commitment to digital transformation with a goal of making banking as easy and convenient as possible. Citi continuously enhances its capabilities to make customers’ digital journey more seamless, whether on desktop, mobile app or phone browser.

More than 60 percent of Citi Philippines customers are already enrolled in digital channels, with even more customers subscribing to electronic statements. Today, the biggest growth in digital enrolment has been in mobile banking, which has grown 64 percent in the last 12 months.

The mobile app is just one of several innovations Citi has introduced in the country. In recent years, the bank launched new services including live chat, instant global fund transfers and a pioneering voice biometrics technology that allows customers to be identified through their unique voice prints.

For its contributions to the growth of mobile banking in the country, Citi has received several prestigious awards including Best Retail Mobile Experience – Philippines at the Asset Triple A Digital Awards 2017, Best Internet Banking Initiative at the Asian Banker Philippine Country Awards 2017 and Best Consumer Digital Bank – Philippines at the Global Finance Best Digital Bank Awards 2017.

To know more, visit www.citibank.com.ph.

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.

Cardholders can then shop to their heart’s content at participating UNIQLO stores by presenting the e-Gift code. These e-Gifts can even be gifted to friends and family, and can be redeemed in increments of P1,000.

Apart from getting an exciting welcome gift, cardholders can also take advantage of Citi’s range of credit card benefits:

The Citi Rewards Card offers cardholders one point for every P30 spend and three times points when they shop, dine or book Cebu Pacific tickets. The points may be used to redeem flights, hotel stays or merchandise, as well as to pay for purchases at partner merchants.

The Citi PremierMiles Card offers one mile for every P30 spend. The miles never expire and are automatically redeemable for flights and hotel stays through Citi ThankYou Rewards.

Cardholders of Citi Cash Back Cards get up to 6 percent rebate on supermarket purchases, 2 percent rebate on Meralco bills done through Citibank Online and an automatic 0.20 percent rebate on all other purchases, saving as much as P12,000 a year.

Cardholders of Shell Citi Card get up to 5 percent rebate on Shell fuel purchases, SLEX and NLEX toll fees and auto repair services nationwide, saving as much as P10,000 a year.

Cardholders of Mercury Drug Citi Cards get up to 10 percent rebate on Mercury Drug purchases, participating hospital bills, and 0.25 percent rebate on all other purchases outside of Mercury Drug and participating hospitals, saving as much as P9,600 a year. Also, you can avail of free 24/7 ambulance service worth P10,000.

The promo does not cover new Citi Simplicity and Citi Prestige cardholders.

Apply for a new Citi credit card now until February 28, 2019 to get the UNIQLO eGift from Citi. To know more about this exciting offer, visit www.citibank.com.ph.

Next Generation Citi Mobile App for Seamless Digital Banking Experience

Mobile banking is now better, faster and more convenient with the next generation Citi Mobile App. Loaded with new features and a fully redesigned cards dashboard for a more personal and seamless customer experience, the app lets Citi credit cardholders lock and unlock their credit card, download and view their statements electronically, convert retail transactions to installments, get a snapshot view of their accounts and pay their bills, in a few simple clicks. The next generation app was launched by (L-R): Citi Philippines consumer customer franchise head Roy Villareal, CEO Aftab Ahmed and consumer business head Manoj Varma. For more features and info, visit www.citibank.com.ph.