UNITED CITY FC TO OFFICIALLY REPRESENT CENTRAL LUZON FIRST UCFC HOME MATCHES HOSTED IN OCTOBER IN NEW CLARK CITY

CAPAS, TARLAC. Philippines Football League (PFL) defending national champion United City Football Club (UCFC) is set to start hosting its official home matches during the ongoing 2022/23 PFL season at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium from October onwards, bringing excitement and live matches to football fans in Central Luzon.

The UCFC home-premier will be against the Azkals Development Team (ADT) led by former Azkals Captain Stephan Schroeck, on October 22 at 4:00pm at the world-class facility at New Clark City, making it the first professional football game to be held at the venue since it was built in 2019. This will be followed by UCFC hosting Stallion Laguna FC on November 5, with ticket sales for both matches going live this week

Through these matches, UCFC demonstrates its commitment to represent Region III and to raise Central Luzon’s banner on the national football scene. 

“To represent Central Luzon and bring football to the local community is a major step in the development of professional football in the country. Football is all about belonging, therefore our matches need to be played within the community we are representing, which is now Clark in Central Luzon,” stated UCFC President Eric M. Gottschalk in the presence of Philippines Football Federation General Secretary Atty. Edwin Gastanes and Central Luzon Football Association President Alvin Yalung, during the signing of the MOU to seal the representation.  “We are proud to have access to the best sports venue in the Philippines when we host our home matches and we look forward to building our community and have our fans attending live matches at this beautiful stadium”. 

Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and Chief Executive Officer Aileen R. Zosa gave her warm welcome to UCFC, and extended BCDA’s commitment to give the best football experience to the teams playing in New Clark City and their fans. 

“World-class sports facilities, safe environment, and stunning views–New Clark City can offer all of these and more. We are excited that UCFC chose New Clark City Athletics Stadium as the venue for its matches, and we hope to bring pride to players who will be coming to play here,” Zosa said.

UCFC (previously known as Ceres Negros) joined the PFL as one of the founding teams of the professional league in 2017 and has since bagged the national championships four times (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020) as well as the Copa Paulino Alcantara 2 times. 

This ongoing PFL Season, which will run until May 2023, UCFC is competing in a quadruple round robin format against six other Club, with the winner to qualify for the 2023-2024 AFC Champions League Group Stage in August next year. Coming off strong performances against main rival Kaya Iloilo FC, UCFC is the favorite to retain its league title this season. During the December - January winter break, UCFC will start setting-up its Clark based youth academy with different activities also scheduled to take place around the football stadium, before UCFC will kick-off regular team appearances in early 2023 with at least 6 more PFL home games scheduled at NCC.  

Certified by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the New Clark City Athletics Stadium has a 20,000-seating capacity with a nine-lane 400-meter track and field, and another four-lane warm-up track surrounding a natural grass pitch, suitable to host local, national and international football competitions to the highest PFF, AFC ad FIFA standards.  

The complex was nominated as among the world’s best stadiums in the Stadium of the Year Awards in 2020. The following year, the facility received the Highly Commended recognition from the World Architecture Festival (WAF) in the Completed Buildings - Sport Category, and was also shortlisted for the Engineering Prize of the same competition.

- ### -

About UCFC:

***

ABOUT UCFC: United City Football Club (UCFC) is a SEC registered Filipino professional football club company that aims to promote and build values such as equality, diversity, leadership through sports. 

UCFC is a member of the Philippines Football League (PFL), the Philippines' professional level of men's club football in the country and the official representative of the Central Luzon football association. UCFC, formerly known as Ceres-Negros before it changed its name in 2020, is currently the 4x defending national champion in the PFL and 2x winner of the Copa Paulino Alcantara. UCFC is also the 2x Philippines representative on the AFC Champions League group stage level (2021,2022), the biggest Asian football tournament.   

As a mission, the Club stands to help re-invigorate young athletes, families, and the local community through discipline, hard work, and passion. The ambition is further set the gold standard for best practices in SE Asia - be it on the football field, or within the community - and to provide a pathway and equal opportunities for the next generation of young talent in their pursuit of sporting & educational excellence.

UCFC is the most followed professional football club in the Philippines and the only club active on all major social media platforms. Its winning tradition and the ability to bring the best Filipino players to play for UCFC has gained the Club the reputation of being the foremost football club form the Philippines with strong reach into South East Asia and beyond

The Club recently announced its move to Central Luzon to start playing its home matches of the PFL at the world class facilities in New Clark City. 

Further, UCFC  has launched a dedicated 3rd playing kit to mark its move to New Clark City which will feature the orange colors of the Athletics stadium as well as permanent New Clark City branding on the right sleeve. The traditional home and away jerseys in black and gold are currently featuring the symbols of the Clark balloon festival. 

Future plans by UCFC evolve around setting-up the Clubs youth football academy and to build its own football-specific stadium

UCFC Logo meaning: 

The UCFC logo was chosen through a public fan voting and designed by Gerard Andaya of Grit Sports. The new UCFC logo features a circular crest not too different from its original identity of  to acknowledge the roots of the club in Bacolod.  With two (2) stars which pay tribute to the origins of the “Ceres–LaSalle” & “Ceres–Negros” heritage. The center of the logo is “Geometric patterned football” to represent that football is at the center of the club’s existence. The symmetry of the ball stands for “Unity & Stability. And the solid outer circle on the other hand symbolizes the solid fans, being the club’s foundation that holds everything together.  

Upcoming matches at New Clark City: 22 October vs ADT at 4:00pm & 5 November vs Stallion Laguna t 4:00pm; Ticket prices: Pesos: 200.00 grandstand; P150.00 Bleachers; Corporate hospitality and advertising opportunities, kindly inquire through the media officer.

Current UCFC Club Partners:

Allianz, New Clark City Chronos Athletics, Mysport, Klean Athlete, Sportskred

DTI Boosts September Enforcement, Wipes Uncertified Products in LuzViMin

Deformed steel bars sealed in Cebu without the requisite labels and quality marks.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB), inspected retail firms in Bulacan, Cebu, and Davao in September 2022 to ensure that only safe and reliable consumer products are in the market.

The DTI enforcement teams led by Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Undersecretary Atty. Ruth B. Castelo kicked off the intensified two-day operations in Cebu, 1-2 September. The teams have clamped down on 81,649 pieces of uncertified tires for automotive vehicles, G.I. steel pipes, deformed steel bars, and low carbon steel wires worth Php14,776,550.00.

Such was immediately followed by another successful enforcement operation in Davao del Norte, 15-16 September, where DTI cracked down 1,765 pieces of uncertified products worth Php830,520.00. The sealed products include self-ballasted LED lamps, PVC electrical tapes, plugs, socket-outlets, snap switches, BI/GI steel pipes, low carbon steel wires, pipes (uPVC) for potable water supply, uPVC rigid electrical conduit, ceramic Plumbing fixtures (sanitary wares), lead-acid storage batteries, inner tubes for tires, and tires for automotive vehicles.

Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Undersecretary Atty. Ruth B. Castelo sealing uncertified tires for automotive vehicles from a retail firm in Davao del Norte.

Ending the month strong, the steadfast enforcement operations in Malolos and Meycauayan, Bulacan last 22 September has led to the sealing of 1, 472 pieces of uncertified low carbon steel wires, tires for automotive vehicles, and lead acid storage batteries worth Php1,626,430.00.

Out of the 37 firms inspected, 23 non-compliant stores were issued Notices of Violation (NOVs), mandating them to explain within 48 hours from the receipt of the notice.

The nationwide campaign of DTI against uncertified items in the market underscores the enforcement of DTI technical regulations mandating compliance with Philippine Standard Certification Mark Schemes, particularly Department Administrative Order No. 02, Series of 2007.

“The DTI and its provincial and regional offices are one in ensuring that only certified products are being sold in the market; hence, as part of our regular function all of our enforcement teams regularly go out to check products under the mandatory certification,” said Usec. Castelo.

Usec. Castelo reiterated that aside from upholding consumer protection, intensified enforcement operations are also a great way to educate businesses about mandatory certification that they have to comply with for a fair trading environment.

From January to August 2022, DTI has already sealed 113,825 pieces of non-conforming products with an estimated retail value of Php34,345,283.98.

To protect consumers or potential buyers of electrical and electronic products; mechanical or building and construction materials; and chemical and other consumer products and systems, DTI-BPS regulates 111 products and systems through implementing Mandatory Product Certification Schemes: the Philippine Standard (PS) Quality and/or Safety Certification Mark Licensing Scheme and the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) Certification Scheme.

The DTI enjoins consumers to report retailers, distributors, and manufacturers that sell necessities above their SRPs, through the Consumer Care Hotline at DTI (1-384) or consumercare@dti.gov.ph.

BPI to Level Up Savings with #Coins Program

In the last two years, neobanks—or digital banks that don’t have physical

branches—have been disrupting the market by offering unprecedented high interest
rates for a basic savings account.
 
“People who immediately benefit from the high rates are usually those who are able to
maintain high balances and can afford to open another deposit account outside of their
current banks. Beyond the introductory rate, unusually high interest rates are not
permanent, nor sustainable,” explained Carmina Marquez, BPI Deposits Head.
 
This is the reason the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) is introducing honest-to-
goodness savings products that are not only easy-to-open but also uniquely and
sustainably rewarding—the #SaveUp digital deposit accounts.  #SaveUp is now
available not only through the BPI mobile app but also via GCASH app’s GSAVE
feature called BPI #MySaveUp.
 
These BPI products offer a convenient and trusted option for digital natives and banking
newbies, with low initial deposit, affordable maintaining balance, and more attractive
savings rate than what one gets from typical savings accounts opened via bank
branches.
 
“What makes this BPI product unique is instead of participating in accounts with high
interest rates that usually benefit the more affluent depositors, it provides an easier,
more fun way of saving through a gamified rewards program that can benefit more
people from all walks of life,” said Marquez.
 
Called #Coins, this program rewards depositors with virtual game coins as they
save. The #Coins can be used to win prizes such as cash vouchers and wallet credits,
an automatic KIA Stonic Style Edition car, or an Avida Vireo Studio condominium unit.  
 
“BPI introduces another first with our #Coins rewards program for #SaveUp
depositors. We want to make saving more affordable, more convenient, more fun and
more rewarding. This is our way of making saving more inclusive and encouraging
those who have not yet tried banking to do so easily. This is also our way of giving our
depositors a chance to own a brand-new SUV or a prime condominium unit as they
grow their savings—things that remain aspirational for so many Filipinos. Through
#SaveUp made rewarding with #Coins, we hope to invite more Filipinos to experience
banking and begin their journey towards achieving their dreams,” said Ginbee Go, BPI
Consumer Banking Head.

The #CoinsProgram rewards clients with one coin per month if their BPI #SaveUp or
#MySaveUp account has at least P3,000 worth of transactions each month that include
branch and digital deposits, remittance, funds transfers, and similar services. Depositors
may also earn extra coin for every P10,000 saved in their BPI #SaveUp or #MySaveUp
account by end of the month.
 
Game perks
Through the #COINS Program, BPI rewards its depositors with virtual game coins every
time they save, which they can use to win prizes such as electronic gift certificates.
Every month, there are 5,000 eGCs worth P100 available for clients, 500 winners of
P500 eGC, and 100 winners of P1,000 eGC; add to that two major prizes: an automatic
KIA Stonic Style Edition car and an Avida Vireo Studio condominium unit in Arca South.
 
Depositors will be able to enjoy these game perks in the #Coins microsite, which
features a Winners Gallery that display the users who already won a prize. It also shows
how many total #Coins are at play, and how many available eGC prizes there are to
help users strategize and control their game luck.
 
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently reported that “savings deposits had the
biggest share of total deposits at 48.7 percent.” This is as the Philippine banking system
(PBS) sustained its solid footing amid the pandemic, according to the “Recent Trends in
the Philippine Financial System” report released by BSP in January 2022.
 
“Especially during this time of high inflation, it is important to sustain the growth
momentum of the deposit and savings segments. BPI will continue to do its part and
launch new innovative products and programs with convenient digital options, as well as
easy access, and a more rewarding experience. A more financially inclusive economy is
how we, in BPI, can help build a better Philippines,” said Go.
 
To earn #Coins while saving, interested depositors may open a #SaveUp by
downloading the BPI mobile app, or open a #MySaveUp account from the GSAVE
menu of the GCASH app.

ABOUT BPI

The 171-year-old Bank of the Philippine Islands is the first bank in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. We are licensed as a
universal bank by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to provide a diverse range of financial services: deposit taking and cash
management, payments, lending and leasing, asset management, bancassurance, investment banking, securities brokerage, and
foreign exchange and capital markets. BPI has significant financial strength, with robust Tier 1 capital adequacy ratios and
profitability, underpinned by stringent compliance and risk management regimes. E-mail: Media: mjsilvestre@bpi.com.ph Investors:
Investorrelations@bpi.com.ph. Bank of the Philippine Islands l Ayala North Exchange Tower 1, Ayala Avenue corner Salcedo St.,
Legaspi Village, Makati City 1229 PH l +632 8246 6364l www.bpi.com.ph