Ramco Systems Enters Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Triggered by the success seen with the winning of 5 new clients in the last few quarters, Ramco Systems, a leading enterprise software provider on Cloud, Mobile and Tablets, has set up a wholly-owned subsidiary in Philippines under the name Ramco System Inc.

As the second largest populated nation in ASEAN, Philippines has been witnessing the fastest economic growth among the ASEAN countries. To better address the market opportunity arising in Philippines, Ramco Systems has set up an office, its fourth in the region and 21st, globally. Ramco’s new office will employ local innovators, at a time when the Philippines IT sector moves beyond business process outsourcing – a pillar of economic growth in recent years – to include implementation of cloud-based technology to transform local enterprises in the area of ERP, HR, Payroll, Aviation and Logistics.

Commenting on the expansion, P R Venketrama Raja, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Ramco Systems, said, “A buoyant economy and drive to embrace disruptive technologies is driving enterprises in Philippines to invest in latest technologies. We are opening an office in Manila to enable local enterprises to leapfrog to cloud technology and derive significant business benefits. Given the excellent technical manpower in Philippines – it will also serve as a base for addressing our clients in the ASEAN region. With focus on innovation and cloud, we look forward to becoming the region’s most favored cloud enterprise software provider.”

With Singapore as the regional headquarters, and offices in Malaysia and Hong Kong, Ramco Systems in ASEAN has seen a steady growth for all three product offerings – ERP, HCM and Aviation MRO. For the year ended March 31, 2016, Asia Pacific (including ANZ) contributed 29% to the overall revenue. The company recently set up an ‘Innovation Lab’ in Singapore funded by the Singapore Government with anchor partner Air France Industries & KLM Engineering (AFIKLM). While Innovative offerings get tested in Singapore, Ramco in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) has transformed itself into an R&D and support hub for HR & Global Payroll requirements.

In the photo" L-R:  P.R. Venketrama Raja, Founder, Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Ramco Systems, Subbaraman Ramaswamy, Asia Business Head, Ramco Systems and Raman Aiyar, Head-ERP at Ramco Systems

Hontiveros Bats for Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage for PWDs

Wazzup Pilipinas!
Senator Risa Hontiveros filed on Tuesday a bill providing persons with disabilities (PWDs) mandatory health insurance under the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

The proposed legislation known as an "Act Providing for Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage for All Persons with Disabilities" seeks to provide PWDs better access to long-term medical care.

Hontiveros, who is also a former PhilHealth director, said her bill is an "equalizer." She said PWDs must have a law to strengthen their medical rights to ensure their full participation in society on an equal basis with others.

"While PWDs get 20% discount on medicines, medical and dental services, it is not enough to cover their array of health concerns. Majority of them are poor and cannot afford the rising costs of medical care. Given their condition, their likelihood to need medical assistance is greater," Hontiveros explained.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that there are 1.4 million PWDs in the Philippines. However, Hontiveros said the number of PWDs might be bigger since benefits afforded by current laws to the sector are not enough to encourage universal registration under local government units or PhilHealth.

Hontiveros cites revenues from sin tax collection for her proposed legislation.

Heliconia Supports One Championship to Grow Sports Media and Entertainment Industry in Asia

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The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship (ONE), has announced that it has entered into definitive agreements with a consortium-led by Heliconia Capital Management (“Heliconia”) for an investment into the company.

With this new partnership, ONE Championship will continue to expand and break new ground, and increase the number of live Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) events across Asia, especially in China.

Chatri Sityodtong, Founder and Chairman of ONE Championship, stated: “In less than five years, ONE Championship has grown into a global brand with a broadcast reach to over 1 billion homes across 118 countries around the world. We have consistently broken attendance records at many of the largest stadiums across Asia. I expect to see an acceleration in business fundamentals across the board for ONE Championship. My team and I are fully committed to building a global business with strong ethics and values such as integrity, respect, humility, courage and inspiration. As Asia’s largest sports media property and the 2nd largest MMA organization in the world, ONE Championship will benefit significantly from Heliconia’s ecosystem, network, and resources.”

MMA is currently the fastest growing sport, accelerating exponentially by over 30 times in the past 10 years. In the past five years, ONE Championship has accelerated the growth of MMA in Asia as the market leader, organising live events across the region and broadcasting around the world.

Derek Lau, CEO of Heliconia stated: “We believe ONE Championship can potentially be the next big thing for consumers in Asia. They have the right product for Asia, they understand Asia and know how to monetise the value proposition in various ways in the New Economy. We are really excited to see ONE Championship taking the lead in the coming years to grow the sports media and entertainment industry in Asia.”

Lee Ark Boon, CEO of IE Singapore, said: “Traditional media and entertainment companies in Asia are facing strong headwinds with declining content sales and advertising revenues. ONE Championship’s foresight to identify and create unique content with global appeal illustrates the need for our companies to embrace new business models and transform themselves into globally competitive companies.”

Victor Cui, CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “I believe this partnership marks the beginning of a long and fruitful journey to bring ONE Championship to the rest of the world. Heliconia is a well-respected investment firm with the expertise, resources and contacts across Asia. For us, this investment by Heliconia represents a strong vote of confidence and a belief in the value that ONE Championship can bring. This partnership will unlock additional markets and opportunities for ONE Championship.”

ONE Championship has consistently partnered with the best blue chip global brands around the world such as Disney, Facebook, Marvel, Under Armour, Sony, Universal Music Group, L'Oreal, and others. It currently has a roster of the best local and international athletes and champions in Asia. ONE Championship is dedicated to developing these athletes into true Asian heroes to inspire fans across Asia.

For more updates on ONE Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow Twitter and Instagram @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA.